Even with all the upsets and great players and coaches that have gone through this conference, last year was a banner year for the MAC. Both Kent State and Northern Illinois were ranked in the top 25 and Northern Illinois became the first MAC school ever to make it to a BCS Game. How will this season pan out? All I know is there will be plenty of #MACtion this year!
Here is how I predict the MAC will pan out this season!
West
1. Northern Illinois Huskies (11-1 7-1)
Coming of a Sugar Bowl appearance the Huskies are looking to continue the momentum and get back into the thick of things again this year. They'll do so with their third coach in three years when Dan Doren left for NC State. But they do return QB Jordan Lynch who had as good of a season as anybody could have last year. I don't see them back in the BCS picture, but they'll be MAC Champs again!
2. Toledo Rockets (8-4 6-2)
The Rockets are a talented and dangerous team that will give Northern Illinois a run for their money in the race for the West. The Rockets are known for their high powered spread offense and returning nine starters only makes them more dangerous. QB Terrence Owens is back and so is star WR Bernard Reedy to lead the way. But they'll have to go through a tough schedule that has them facing East favorite Bowling Green and up and coming Buffalo.
3. Ball State Cardinals (7-5 5-3)
Ball State has failed to get back to the level of success they had when Brady Hoke was roaming the sidelines, but they are getting closer under Pete Lembo who is entering his third season. The Cardinals get a break only drawing Kent State from the East they have a shot to be a sleeper in this division. To do so they'll need QB Keith Wenning to bounce back from knee surgery and RB Jahwan Edwards to have another 1,400 yard season.
4. Western Michigan Broncos (5-7 4-4)
After a disappointing four win season the Broncos parted ways with long time coach Bill Cubit and brought in PJ Fleck to be the youngest head coach is FBS history. Fleck has never been a more than a position coach previously, so he could have some growing pains. Fleck is fimilar with the MAC playing and coaching for Northern Illinois. He'll have his work cut out for him returning only 13 starters but do return their leading passer and top two running backs.
5. Central Michigan Chippawas (4-8 3-5)
For a better part of the 2000s the Chippawas were MAC royalty. Brian Kelly had it going first, Butch Jones kept it running, but Dan Enos hasn't been able to do his part. He's only won 13 games over his three years so far and if he doesn't get things turned around this year he could be looking for a new job. Unfortunately the Chippawas will struggle again. They lose starting QB Ryan Radcliff but do return 1,400 yard rusher Zurlon Tipton and WR Titus Davis who look to carry the offensive load.
6. Eastern Michigan Eagles (2-10 1-7)
It's been a rough go for former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English running the Eagle program. He's only won 10 games in three years and this year doesn't look like it's going to get any better. He does return 13 starters but they'll be lucky just to match last year's two wins. Doesn't help that they drew both Bowling Green and Buffalo on their schedule this year. Looks like another year at the bottom.
East
1. Bowling Green Falcons (10-2 7-1)
Bowling Green is really poised for banner year. They won seven of their last eight games last year and bring that momentum into here. Add in that they return 19 starters and a four year starter at QB and it's clear why some say that they could be a real threat to Northern Illinois to win the conference. But they'll have to wait till the conference title game before they see the Huskies!
2. Ohio Bobcats (9-3 6-2)
Can you imagine how lowly the Bobcats were before Frank Solich came to town. Now he's turned Ohio into a perennial contender. This year is no different. They may not have the collective talent of Bowling Green, but they have a much easier schedule than the Falcons drawing the bottom two teams from the West. This division could come down to their meeting at Bowling Green on November 12th.
3. Kent State Golden Flashes (7-5 5-3)
Last year Kent State was a double overtime conference title game loss away from being the first ever MAC team to make it to a BCS Title Game. But they don't have the same team back. They only return 11 starters and have to replace head coach Darrell Hazell who is now at Purdue. However they turned back to Ohio State to get new coach Paul Haynes and hope they made another good choice. They also return all everything Dri Archer. Archer was Kent State's leading rusher and receiver last year with 2,043 total yards. They'll need another huge year out of him if they want to contend for the division.
4. Buffalo Bulls (6-6 5-3)
After Turner Gill took the Bulls to new heights, they've dropped back down since his departure. However Jeff Quinn has the Bulls poised to make it back to bowl contention and could even find themselves in the top half of this division. A big part of that is all the experience coming back. They return 16 starters including defensive player of the year candidate Khalil Mack who is a tackling machine and play maker.
5. Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (3-9 3-5)
Miami has long been a place that produced a lot of top notch coaches that went on to lead other programs. They've fallen off that lately and have struggled. Don Treadwell is entering his third season here and is hoping he has a team that can improve off of the four wins they had last year. But don't count on it. They lose more players from last year than any other team in the MAC. No where is more apparent in replacing their school's all time leading passer in Zac Dysert. Long row ahead.
6. Massachusetts Minute Men (2-10 1-7)
The Minutemen's first season in the MAC was nothing to brag about. Their only win came against Akron and were blown out of almost every game. They only return 11 starters, but that may be a good thing. This year I believe they can pull two games out with FCS Maine and then hosting Akron late in the season. Really look to see how newcomers Lorenzo Woodley (highest recruit in program history) and Ricardo Miller (Michigan transfer) can help out an offense that was dreadful.
7. Akron Zips (1-11 0-8)
Last year Terry Bowden had to be wondering what he got himself into. To go win less in the MAC is pretty bad. Especially when you get beat by a team in their first year in FBS. However things could stay much the same. There are only two games that I see them having a shot at winning and one is against James Madison (easier said than done) and then a rematch with UMass. Unfortunately for the Zips, they'll have to travel to Amherst for that one.
All Conference Team
QB: Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois
RB: Dri Archer, Kent State
RB: Beau Blankenship, Ohio
WR: Bernard Reedy, Toledo
WR: Titus Davis, Central Michigan
TE: Alex Bayer, Bowling Green
OT: Tyler Loos, Northern Illinois
OG: Jon Lechner, Ohio
C: Zac Kerin, Toledo
OG: Dominic Flwellyn, Bowling Green
OT: Jake Olson, Central Michigan
DL: Jonathan Newsome, Ball State
DL: Rossevelt Nix, Kent State
DL: Ken Bishiop, Nothern Illinois
DL: Colby Way, Buffalo
LB: Gabe Martin, Bowling Green
LB: Khalil Mack, Buffalo
LB: Shamari Benton, Central Michigan
CB: Najja Johnson, Buffalo
S: Jimmie Ward, Nothern Illinois
S: Luke Wollet, Kent State
CB: Dayonne Nunley, Miami
K: Jeremiah Dtmer, Toledo
P: Anthony Melchiori, Kent State
RS: Bernard Reedy, Toledo
Offensive Player of the Year: Jordan Lynch QB Northern Illinois
Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack, Buffalo
Newcomer of the Year: Robert Zimmerman DT Toledo
Coach of the Year: Dave Clawson, Bowling Green
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