College Football 2018 Conference Previews -- MAC

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE

OVERVIEW

Northern Illinois' Sutton Smith (STLToday.com

In most of the recent history, the MAC has had one team that has stood head and shoulder above the crowd, the one that followers knew was going to win the league crown. So the fact that there's some intrigue is a welcome change.

Both the East and West divisions should be two team affairs, led by mostly familiar faces.

Ohio had the most potent offense in the conference a year ago and returns most of its talent, so it wouldn't be a shock to see the Bobcats once again lead the way on offense. Quarterback Nathan Rourke is as fine a dual threat as you'll find, and he's helped by a veteran offensive line and running back AJ Ouelette. Ohio has been pretty steady on defense under head coach Frank Solich, and this year should be no diffferent. If the Bobcats are to be unseated, Buffalo will be the team to do it. Lance Leipold's Bulls could challenge Ohio for the MAC's most potent offense, and will certainly show the way in the passing game thanks to rifle-armed quarterback Tyree Jackson, who has NFL scouts watching. Wideout Anthony Johnson is one of the most dangerous pass-catchers in America, and tight end Tyler Mabry should see an increased role this season after catching 24 passes a year ago. Buffalo has already turned out one great linebacker named Khalil -- Mack, who has become a star for the Oakland Raiders -- and this year has another, Hodge, who made an eye-popping 154 stops a year ago and is the heart and soul of a defense that cut its scoring down by nearly eight points. Should Buffalo achieve to its potential, Leipold will have his first winning season, and the first at the school since 2013. Miami and Akron each have a couple of standouts, but not enough to seriously challenge for the division crown.

In the West, Northern Illinois will reclaim supremacy after two seasons of near misses. The Huskies have the league's best stop unit, led by pass rush terror Sutton Smith (14 sack, 15.5 TFL), a solid linebacker corp and a secondary led by former Notre Dame star Mykelti Williams (73 tackles, 6 PBU). NIU gets Ohio and Toledo at home, adding an extra advantage, and will be tested by a non-league slate of Iowa, Utah and Florida State. The offense should once again be solid after four straight years of decline thanks to eight returning starters. Toledo lost highly decorated quarterback Logan Woodside to graduation, which leaves questions about the position. Whoever wins the spot will have the league's best pass-catching group at his disposal -- Diontae Johnson, Cody Thompson and Jon'Vea Johnson, each of whom have had a season with 10 touchdown catches. Now that all are healthy, that means trouble for opposing defenses. The Rockets won't be quite as good on D as they were last year due to the loss of four of their top five tacklers, which could mean quite a few shootouts. Western Michigan disappointed last year, largely due to an ungodly spate of injuries. No fewer than 21 players suffered season-ending injuries, including the entire running back and receiving corps, as well as the starting quarterback. Presumably healthy, the Broncos should be a more competitive group. Quarterback Jon Wassink put up excellent numbers before getting hurt (64.2%, 14 TD, 4 INT), and he'll operate behind a veteran offensive line that was one of the few groups to stay healthy in 2017. Former Michigan wideout Drake Harris could emerge as a favorite target, and running back Jamauri Bogan should contend for all-league honors after averaging over five yards per carry last season. The defense was dealt a blow when corner Sam Beal declared for the supplemental draft, so it could be tough to improve on last year's 29 ppg allowed figure. The scoreboard in Waldo Stadium should light up often in 2018.

RISING: Buffalo
FALLING: Central Michigan
BOWL TEAMS (5):  Ohio, Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western  Michigan

MAC PROJECTED STANDINGS
EAST
1 Ohio (8-5, 7-1)
2 Buffalo (8-4, 6-2)
3 Miami (5-7, 5-3)
4 Akron (4-8, 3-5)
5 Bowling Green (3-9, 2-6)
6 Kent State (1-11, 0-8) 
WEST

1 Northern Illinois (10-3, 8-0)

2 Toledo (9-3, 7-1)

3 Western Michigan (7-5, 5-3)

4 Eastern Michigan (3-9, 2-6)

5 Central Michigan (3-9, 2-6)

6 Ball State (2-10, 1-7) 
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP

Northern Illinois over Ohio

ALL-MAC TEAM

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Tyree Jackson/Buffalo

RB James Gilbert/Ball State

RB AJ Ouelette/Ohio

WR Anthony Johnson/Buffalo

WR Diontae Johnson/Toledo

WR James Gardner/Miami

TE  Tyler Mabry/Buffalo

OL Max Scharping/Northern Illinois

OL John Keenoy/Western Michigan

OL Joe Lowery/Ohio

OL James O'Hagan/Buffalo

OL Jimmy Leatiota/Eastern Michigan 
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL Sutton Smith/Northern Illinois

DL Maxx Crosby/Eastern Michigan

DL Jamal Davis/Akron

DL Jeremiah Harris/Eastern Michigan

LB Ulysees Gilbert/Akron

LB Khalil Hodge/Buffalo

LB Malik Fountain/Central Michigan

LB Jim Jones/Kent State

DB Javon Hagan/Ohio

DB Sean Bunting/Central Michigan

DB Vince Calhoun/Eastern Michigan

DB Mykelti Williams/Northern Illinois 
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS

 K  Jameson Vest/Toledo P  Derek Adams/Kent State
KR Malik Dunner/Ball State
PR  Papi White/Ohio

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Nathan Rourke/Ohio
RB Jonathan Ward/Central Michigan
RB Jamauri Bogan/Western Michigan
WR Cody Thompson/Toledo
WR Scott Miller/Bowling Green
WR Papi White/Ohio
TE  Mitchell Brinkman/Northern Illinois
OL Luke Juriga/Western Michigan
OL Joe Anderson/Ohio
OL Bryce Harris/Toledo
OL Luke Shively/Northern Illinois
OL Jordan Rigg/Miami
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Chuck Harris/Buffalo
DL Kyle Junior/Bowling Green
DL Mike Danna/Central Michigan
DL Nate Trawick/Miami
LB Junior McMullen/Miami
LB Kyle Pugh/Northern Illinois
LB Evan Croutch/Ohio
LB Josh Corcoran/Northern Illinois
DB Alvin Davis/Akron
DB Jalen Fox/Ohio
DB Kyron Brown/Akron
DB Montre Gregory/Bowling Green
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
 K  Louie Zervos/Ohio
 P  Kyle Kramer/Miami
KR Diontae Johnson/Toledo
PR Denzel McKinley-Lewis/Toledo

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyree Jackson/Buffalo
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sutton Smith/Northern Illinois
COACH OF THE YEAR: Lance Leipold/Buffalo
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: OT Antwan Reed/Western Michigan