– Last Updated on November 21, 2022 4:06 pm
2018 MAC Season Football Preview
Looking for Mid-American Conference 2018 predictions? They might not compete for National Championships but MACtion is still a thing and you gotta love a league that gives you fun football on a Tuesday of Wednesday night. This year it looks like a three team race between Toledo, Northern Illinois and Ohio. The Bobcats might be the best bet though as their division is not nearly as tough, making their path to the 2018/19 Mac Conference title a little easier to envision.
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Odds are that a MAC team will get a nice win in the nonconference and spark some whispers. If it is one of the contender then who knows what might happen. Either way, rarely does someone runaway from the pack in this league.
Mid-American Conference 2018 Odds: Northern Illinois Huskies +300
The Huskies are the most recognizable brand in the MAC, having won a bunch of league titles and beaten all comers, even those from the big bad Big Ten. .
Things fell off a little bit last season but with the top defense in the MAC and a favourable schedule the Huskies are looking to get back on top.
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Usually they dominate offensively but coming into this season NIU might have the best defensive player in the conference in Sutton Smith. Thought not huge his presence on the edge can be intimidating.
Sophomore Marcus Childers got his career off to a good start running and throwing as a freshman. He reminds me of the tough run/pass options the team had when they were really good a few years back – Jordan Lynch and Chandler Harnish.
Of course he is working in front of an experienced offensive line, four returning starters with all four being upperclassmen. Northern Illinois will not be getting pushed around up front.
Northern Illinois will be battle tested with one of the toughest non-conference schedules anywhere – at Iowa, Utah and at Florida State in September and a trip to BYU in October. A bad record in September seems likely as a result but don’t forget about this group.
Once MAC play starts they get Toledo and Ohio at home, their primary competition for the title at home. That finale at Western Michigan will be important too.
Mid-American Conference 2018 Odds: Ohio Bobcats +300
Since Frank Solich came to Athens the Bobcats have had only two losing seasons, in short, they are always a factor in the MAC East and will be again
They likely have the best QB/RB combo in the conference in Nathan Rourke and A.J. Ouellette, who are third respectively in returning passing and rushing yards.
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Like the Huskies they are strong up front with four returning starters on the offensive line. The left side is populate by seniors Joe Lowery and Joe Anderson, both on the pre-season first team.
Last year they had the top rush defense in the conference and the worst pass defense. That is a tough split in a league there a lot of games are shootouts. Better balance will be key to future success.
They were the top scoring team in the conference at 39ppg and that potency should have them in every game this season. Even those against the likes of Virginia and Cincinnati…all on the road.
In the league they do have to travel to Northern Illinois but they can easily manage the rest of their schedule such that a loss won’t keep them from the title game.
Mid-American Conference 2018 Odds: Toledo Rockets +400
Toledo are the defending conference champs but their season ended with a thud thanks to a 34-0 loss to Appalachian State in the Dollar General Bowl.
Now they have to replace the bulk of an offense that led the conference in yards per game and was second in scoring. Only the receiving corps and center Bryce Harris are returning starters.
Receiver Diontae Johnson might be the best in the league at the position but expected starter Mitchell Guadadgni has little experience throwing just 8 passes all of last season.
He is a good athlete and he may need to be playing in front of a very inexperienced offensive line. Four projected starters are upperclassmen but they have not seen a ton of time.
Toledo gets to be a rare host to a top team with the Miami Hurricanes coming to town in September. In conference play trips to Northern Illinois and Western Michigan are likely losses that will eliminate the Rockets from being in contention to repeat as champs.
Mid-American Conference 2018 Odds: Western Michigan Broncos +600
There was no way they were going to repeat the success they have in 2016 , last season. With a new coach a .500 record was not such a terrible start.
Jon Wassink was a first time starter at QB last season and proved he can operate an offense. For someone without a lot of playing time he was very careful with the football.
It helped that the Broncos had the second best running game in the MAC and that aspect should stay strong with three offensive line starters returning.
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Top rusher Jarvion Franklin is gone but Jamouri Bogan is a nice fall ball, he ran for more than 1000 yards as a freshman with 16TDs. He can tote the rock.
The secondary is the strength of the defense. Three starters return and Sam Beal might be an NFL prospect at corner.
Western Michigan has a favourable conference schedule hosting Toledo and Northern Illinois in the finale but I don’t think they have the material to take advantage like they did a couple of years ago.
MAC Conference 2018 Odds
- Northern Illinois +300
- Ohio +250
- Toledo +400
- Western Michigan +600
- Miami (Ohio) +800
- Buffalo +1000
- Central Michigan +3500
- Akron +1600
- Eastern Michigan +1650
- Bowling Green +3000
- Ball State +4000
- Kent State +7500
MAC Conference: 2018 Prediction
Northern Illinois. There are lots of good options at nice prices in the MAC. Ohio is probably not the best team but their presence in the weaker East Division gives them a much easier path to the title game. After a few years of lower performance the Huskies take back the title this season. Not a New Year’s Bowl Game worthy season but something to build off. Their combo of defense and improving quarterback play sees them though.
What do you think about our MAC Conference 2018 Predictions? Please leave us a comment below telling us how you think they’ll do in 2018!
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