2024 MAC Football Conference Preview

2024 MAC Football Conference Preview

The 2024 College Football season is right around the corner! Today, we will be previewing the MAC conference, which isn’t as top-heavy or as deep as in years past. Nevertheless, there should still be some interesting MACtion! Without further ado, let’s hop into it!

1. Miami (OH)

Over the last eight years, Chuck Martin’s squad has gone 43-19 in conference play, including 8-1 last year which led to their second MAC Title in five years. The Redhawks did that in spite of missing All-MAC quarterback Brett Gabbert, who was limited to just eight games after suffering a season-ending right leg injury in late October. Gabbert is one of the best quarterbacks the Group of 5 has to offer, and he will be returning two trusted pass catchers in Cade McDonald and Javon Tracy. I think the defense (secondary) will take a step back, as will the running game without Rashod Amos, but I still think Miami can finish atop the MAC yet again if Gabbert, a sixth-year senior, remains healthy.

2. Bowling Green

Am I drinking the (Bowling) Green cool-aid? YES! This is the best offense that Scot Loeffler’s had, led by running back Terion Stewart, who averaged over six yards per carry before suffering a season-ending leg injury after nine games. They have a lot of experience up front and added two power-5 transfer receivers. Plus, Loeffer’s squad returns seven starters on a defense that was a top-50 unit in the country a year ago. They may regress in the turnover department, but I still like this team a lot heading into this year if Stewart remains healthy.

3. Northern Illinois

The two biggest reasons I have the Huskies behind Bowling Green are because 1.) they play the Falcons (and Miami) on the road and 2.) Losing Rocki Lombardi isn’t ideal. It’s not a big gap either way, but the Huskies do have an elite defense (that returns eight starters) with arguably the best ground game in the entire conference with Antario Brown, so it may not matter in the end. Last year was a strong bounce-back season for Thomas Hammock’s squad and I think the arrow’s pointing up.

4. Toledo

The MAC is impossible to predict, but I am admittedly lower on Toledo than the consensus. Perhaps I will look like a fool in the end (it wouldn’t be the first time nor the last!). But they lose All-MAC QB Dequan Finn, All-MAC RB Peny Boone and five offensive linemen… plus seven starters off their defense, including star corner Quinyon Mitchell … eek! I still trust Jason Candle to put together a competitive product on the field. They also get Miami, Bowling Green and Ohio at home, which is a huge plus if you’re having to play all of them. Though I think this team will take a slight step back in 2024 because they lost too much.

5. Western Michigan

I am banking on the returning production here–even though I don’t think the quality of returning production is all that inspiring. In Lance Taylor’s first year, he returned just 10 starters, including just two on the defensive side. This year, they return 17 combined starters (9 offense, 8 defense) with two power-5 transfers–Anterio Thompson and Popeye Williams–in the front-seven. It helps they avoid Miami and Toledo while playing Northern Illinois at home.

6. Central Michigan

Do we think they can figure it out at quarterback? The Chippewas relied on Jase Bauer a lot last year and now bring in Iowa transfer Joey Labas. I don’t trust an Iowa transfer at quarterback, but there is talent at the skill positions (Marion Lukes, Solomon Davis, etc.) if they lean into that more.

7. Ohio

I really wanted to put Ohio higher on this list, but Tim Albin returns practically zero production from last year’s team on both sides of the ball. Way too many question marks for my liking. He will coach them to a few wins, but it’s not enough to crack my top-half of the rankings.

8. Eastern Michigan

This offense was No. 130 (out of 133) in SP+, No. 129 in yards per play, No. 125 in first downs per game and No. 120 in scoring … yet they won six games? That screams regression, regression, regression! Buffalo transfer QB Cole Snyder is a great get, however. I just don’t think Chris Creighton’s going to create another miracle for the second year in a row.

9. Ball State

Kiael Kelly was one of their best playmakers offensively last season … but he moves to corner this year. Their offense was pretty dreadful when he wasn’t involved. All but one of their defensive starters last year departs. They also play five of their first seven games on the road, with three of their last four games come against Miami (home), Bowling Green (home) and Ohio (road). Eek!

10. Buffalo

Pete Lambo was 33-25 at Ball State from 2011-15, which isn’t an easy program to have success at. He now comes to Buffalo with plenty of roster turnover, especially offensively. They lose each of their top-5 targets, their top-2 running backs and quarterback Cole Snyder. It’s a rebuilding year for Buffalo after a very disappointing 3-9 season, their worst since 2016.

11. Kent State

Kenni Burns was in an impossible position last year after Sean Lewis’ departure. Kent State’s an incredibly difficult program to win at, and I still think it’ll be a bleak year … just not 1-11 bleak.

12. Akron

Joe Moorhead isn’t a bad coach. But this still isn’t a good team, and they face each of the conference’s top-5. The defense may not be terrible but I don’t think this team has enough firepower without much returning production, even with NC State transfer Ben Finley behind center.

Best O-U Win Total Bet:

• Bowling Green o6.5 wins (+104 on FanDuel)

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