With this time being the halfway point of the season, and with Ohio State losing their third consecutive game, it appears that now would be a good time for a writer from Bowling Green to theorize as to who the best collegiate team in Ohio is.

Most years, this question has been easy to answer as the Buckeyes have proven their ability to roll over most opposition in the sloppiest of ways.

But with the Buckeyes looking like my junior high team, which only scored one touchdown (and that touchdown was offensive — maybe the Buckeyes have a thing or two to learn), it opens the flood gates for the Mid-American Conference.

Right away, the likes of Cincinnati can be taken out of the equation for two reasons. For starters, they got blown out of the water by the Buckeyes. While this isn’t reason enough as the Buckeyes are still talented enough to play with anyone, there is one major reason why Cincinnati cannot take the All-Ohio crown and this question is it: just who in the world loses to Army?

Enough said.

Since Cincy is the only non-OSU team that isn’t in the MAC, it is now time to dissect the conference that features six division one teams.

Right away, one must dispense Ohio, Kent State and Akron to the dumpster.

Each of these teams has some bright spots, but none bright enough to upstage the monsters of western Ohio.

That brings us to Miami, a team that has looked solid in wins over weak opponents. But when stiff competition comes knocking on the door, the RedHawks run for the hills as they did in a 43-10 loss to Michigan and a 45-27 loss to the aforementioned team from Cincinnati. Their only solid showing against a good opponent was against Marshall, and the Herd has proved it likes to win the hard way this season.

Basically, the loss to the Bearcats is enough to make me think they would not be ready to take the prestigious crown of “best team in Ohio midway through the season as decided by a guy from Bowling Green.”

That leaves us with Toledo and Bowling Green, two teams that have looked solid since hitting low points early in the season.

Toledo’s low point was obvious, as starting the year giving up 126 points in two games is enough to give any team nightmares. BG’s low point thus far came in DeKalb, Ill., where many teams have trouble finding a way to win.

Since then, these two have been unstoppable. Toledo has scored 45 points per game while winning five straight. Their defense hasn’t been pretty, allowing big points to weak opposition, but quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has provided more firepower than a small Montana militia, passing for 2,057 yards and 18 touchdowns this season while taking the title of nation’s top passer with a rating of 181.5.

Unfortunately for the Rockets, there is another team right south of them that is doing the same thing, only with a little defense.

Bowling Green has been scoring 53 points per game since their loss to Northern Illinois and has done so while allowing just 14 points per game.

Omar Jacobs has provided some firepower of his own, as he is second in the nation in total yards (334.3) and points (21.2) per contest.

I have done all I can in trying to figure out who the best team in this state is.

It is now your choice to decide what you’re looking for: a team that scores in bunches and plays no defense or a team that scores in bunches and didn’t give up 126 points in their first two games.

Now if only there were some game at the end of the season to decide who would become the cream of the crop in Ohio.