Forget about the Chris Perry Heisman hype. The hottest bandwagon in the nation is the Mid-American Conference.

No, seriously. If the Big Ten is a tall, cold Budweiser this season, the lukewarm, flat Natty Ice that is traditionally the MAC is now on sale - 10 cents a pitcher and tasting mighty fine.

While the Spartans clawed past the Irish last Saturday, the MAC had a hell of a day. First, Marshall's 27-20 upset over then-No. 6 Kansas State took eyes off the MSU game on NBC and onto the ticker crawling across the bottom of the screen.

Then, road warriors Northern Illinois slid by then-No. 21 Alabama, 19-16. Roll tide, roll? Roll on out of the top 25. If you see a Tuscaloosan this week, give him or her a hug - it's been a tough week.

Next, Toledo upsets then-No. 9 Pitt, 35-31, Miami (Ohio) knocks off Colorado State and Bowling Green makes the world-weary Ohio State Buckeyes sweat their way to a narrow win.

If you still aren't convinced the MAC has some talent, I have some "Maurice Clarett for Heisman" buttons you might be interested in purchasing.

So why do MAC teams get the short end of the postseason stick? In theory - and likelihood - the Spartans could lose five games and play in a glitzier bowl than the MAC champion.

Because the MAC's relationship to the NCAA is like your relationship to your smelly cousin with the lazy eye - yeah, you don't always like to talk about them, but they're in the family.

That's why the MAC gets the Motor City and GMAC Bowls. Have you ever been to the bar and sat between someone from Central Michigan and Western Michigan? You don't hear too much of "Oh yeah? Well, when's the last time the Chips made the GMAC Bowl, eh?"

And if you did, you'd be inclined to look at the floor and laugh a little at the cute little MAC teams fighting. I urge you to wrap your mind around this - Northern Illinois is now No. 20 in the nation and Toledo is knocking on the door to the top 25. What happens if they win out?

It's not unlikely to happen. In fact, it's almost a certainty that a MAC team will make it through the season with only one loss. And you can bet your tuition on the fact that no one in the nation will want to face them in a bowl game.

Only five of the 14 MAC teams have a losing record and most have played ranked - or ranked when they played them - opponents such as Iowa (Miami (Ohio)), Ohio State (Bowling Green), Tennessee (Marshall) and Maryland (Northern Illinois). Minnesota and Glen Mason, these teams are not.

Be warned: The MAC has a chip on its shoulder and something to prove. After years of playing little brother to the Big Ten, taking its lumps and tending its bruises, it's finally time to give the conference some respect.

It's certainly earned it. Now it's only a matter of time before the NCAA realizes this.

So hop off the Perry for Heisman train, and hop onto a new bandwagon before it's so full that people - and cocky, overranked MAC opponents - are falling off.

Patrick Walters is The State News sports administration reporter. He can be reached at walter88@msu.edu.