Unlike the last two years, this Mid-American Conference West race is coming down to the end of the regular season.

And unlike previous seasons, three of the best MAC teams we have seen in the last few years are in the mix for a chance to play in December’s MAC Championship game.

The amazing thing is, CMU probably has its best team in at least a decade. Yet two teams in its own division rank ahead in the latest polls, one of which is No. 14 in the nation (Ball State).

It calls back to the days of Toledo and Marshall slugging it out for MAC titles – teams that also held their own against the big boys of the Bowl Championship Series conferences.

CMU clinched both its 2006 and 2007 MAC West titles in wins over Western Michigan in Game 10. But the road to those championships pale in comparison to this year’s.

No matter what happens, CMU’s season comes down to the final two games – games 11 and 12. As does Ball State’s and Western’s.

Is today’s showdown at NIU important? No doubt about it. Every MAC West game is important, and a win in DeKalb, Ill., would make a three-peat much easier.

But the Chippewas still control their own destiny in the event of a loss. It is not a must-win game.

No. 14 ranked Ball State secured a perfect 10-0 record on Tuesday after beating Miami 31-16 in Oxford, Ohio. That means CMU will play a Top 15 ranked Football Bowl Subdivision opponent at Kelly/Shorts Stadium for the first time in its history.

Furthermore, that Nov. 19 game likely determines the MAC West winner. If CMU beats NIU and BSU, it’s in. If Ball State wins out, the Cardinals are in.

But here’s the kicker: a loss to Western Michigan the following week, plus a CMU win at Eastern Michigan in the finale, would complicate things even further.

That would put Central, Western and Ball State at one loss apiece in the MAC West, and all teams would finish 1-1 in head-to-head matchups. Therefore, division records are the same and it moves to the next tiebreaker: cumulative winning percentage of cross-division opponents.

CMU has the upper hand – as of right now. Since each of CMU and WMU’s MAC East opponents are a combined 10-18 and Ball State’s are 9-19, that knocks BSU out. And the Chippewas have the head-to-head win against the Broncos.

But that all could change if Akron beats Buffalo on Thursday. That would improve Ball State’s standing since it played Akron, while CMU and WMU would drop because of Buffalo on their schedule.

Confused yet?

That is why it is important to mention there is a lot of football to play. All three teams are going to slug it out to the end.

Ball State may have the upper hand now. But it has the toughest road, having to play Central and Western before even thinking about its first-ever trip to the MAC Championship.

sports@cm-life.com

E-mail the author: Brian Manzullo