THE RETURN OF THE MID-AMERICAN'S SILLY SEASON.

I'm no fan of weeknight college football, and Chicago Sun-Times sports reporter Steve Greenberg seems to share that view.  "November — the MAC’s silly season — has arrived. That means games on days of the week the football gods never intended."  That despite Northern Illinois being the first football program in Illinois to become bowl-eligible, with a quarterback named Lombardi.  It seemed like the time to engage in a bit of fun.

State football rankings, current edition: 1. NIU; 2. Southern Illinois; 3. Illinois; 4. Northwestern; 5. Bears.

Get a load of SIU, 6-2 and ranked No. 7 in the Football Championship Subdivision.

When even Illinois sports scribes acknowledge that the Bears still suck, they must really, really, really, really, really, really suck.

Northern Illinois, meanwhile. failed to tackle anybody at Kent State on Wednesday night.