Conference Outlook:
The Mid-American Conference has a history of having a few teams that make somewhat of an impact on the national scene. The same can be said about this upcoming season with Central Michigan, Ball State and Miami (Ohio) being clear cut contenders for the conference title, with a slew of others also having a reasonable shot. Otherwise, the MAC is typically home to several of the worse teams in college football.
East Division
1. Miami (Ohio) -The RedHawks represented the East in last year's MAC Championship Game and return a boatload of defensive starters from last year's very stingy squad.
2. Temple - Head coach Al Golden's good recruiting classes will finally start to payoff in year three of his regime, as his young team returns a ton of last season's starters and contributors.
3. Bowling Green - The Falcons' offensive weapons of running back Anthony Turner, quarterback Tyler Sheehan and wide receiver Freddie Barnes will provide many headaches for MAC defenses.
4. Buffalo - The Bulls will field possibly its best team since re-joining Division I this season. Reaching a bowl game and outright winning the division are very much in reach. (Look for a more in depth blog of the Bulls upcoming season in the near future.)
5. Ohio - Head coach Frank Solich's offense will be hurt by the departure of running back Kalvin McRae.
6. Akron - The Zips lose wide receiver Jabari Arthur and must fill some holes on the defensive side of the ball.
7. Kent State - The Golden Flashes season will depend on a tough rushing tandem in quarterback Julian Edelman and running back Eugene Jarvis and must learn from last year's string of losses it ended the year on.
West Division
1. Central Michigan - Quarterback Dan LeFevour spearheads a Chippewa team that looks to be the MAC's first BCS buster as the defending MAC Champions face Georgia, Purdue and Indiana on the road. This team could be a mainstay in the Top 25 if things play out well for them this season.
2. Ball State - This spread offense oriented team is CMU's biggest challenge to its conference championship. Quarterback Nate Davis, along with LeFevour, could be the next MAC passer to be a top NFL prospect.
3. Western Michigan - The Broncos return last season's top rusher, passer and receiver and should flirt with bowl eligibility.
4. Toledo - The Rockets will have a tough time replacing running back Jalen Parmele and his 1,500+ rushing yards.
5. Eastern Michigan - If head coach Jeff Genyk doesn't build off of last season's four wins expect him to be out of a job by the end of the year.
6. Northern Illinois - This is head coach Jerry Kill's first season with the Huskies. Right now this team is still towards the West's basement but should rise back toward the top in the next few years.
Players to Watch:
Nate Davis QB Ball State - Davis threw for over 3,600 yards last season with 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Those types of stats have NFL scouts thinking he is a bit more than just a system quarterback.
Dan LeFevour QB Central Michigan - The returning MAC Offensive Player of the Year gained over 4,700 combined yards last season, averaging 341 yards per game. LeFevour is very much like a poor man's Tim Tebow.
Eugene Jarvis RB Kent State - Jarvis seemingly carried the Golden Flashes on his back last season with 1,600+ yards on the ground. His production coupled with mobile quarterback Julian Edelman gives Kent State one of the conferences most fear rushing attacks. Imagine how much more effective it could be if KSU could actually move the ball through the air.
Dante Love WR/KR Ball State - Davis's favorite weapon hauled in 100 catches last year and just less than 1,400 yards.
Larry English DE Northern Illinois - English led the conference in sacks last year with 10.5 and also recorded 17 tackles for loss.
Clayton Mullins LB Miami (Ohio) - The leader of the RedHawks tough defensive unit, Mullins made a conference-high 143 tackles last season.
Nate Reed K Kent State - Reed hit the MAC's longest field goal last season, nailing one from 52-yards away.
Chris Miller P Ball State - Miller averaged 45.4 yards per punt last year, which was good enough for second in the conference and best among returning starters.
Eugene Harris PR Miami (OH) - With the RedHawks stingy defense, Harris will once again have a good opportunity to lead the MAC in total returns and yardage.