 The Toledo Rockets will be without standout running back Kareem Hunt and defensive end Allen Covington for the first two games of 2015, according to a release by the university Monday morning. Toledo opens its season Thursday when it hosts Stonybrook. It travels Arkansas the following week for a matchup against the Razorbacks.  Twelve of 13 Mid-American football teams will open their 2015 season this week. UMass begins Sept. 12 at Colorado. Four teams join in on Thursday’s opening night fun. Ball State, Central and Toledo are all at home, while Ohio travels to Idaho. Friday’s action includes a huge game in Kalamazoo as Michigan State visits for a battle with Western Michigan -- one of the MAC’s top teams this year. Kent State is at Illinois, which is regrouping following the dismissal of former Toledo head coach Tim Beckman late last week. Bill Cubit, who previously served as a head coach at Western Michigan, has been named the Illini’s interim head coach. Easterm Michigan, Buffalo, Miami and Northern Illinois are at home Saturday. Bowling Green will meet Tennessee in a game being played at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Akron is at Oklahoma. Here is this week’s schedule. All times are ET THURSDAY – 9.3.15 ● Virginia Military Institute at Ball State (7 p.m.) ● Oklahoma State at Central Michigan (7 p.m.) ● Stony Brook at Toledo (7 p.m.) ● Ohio at Idaho (9 p.m.) FRIDAY – 9.4.15 ● Michigan State at Western Michigan (7 p.m.) ● Kent State at Illinois (9 p.m.) SATURDAY – 9.5.15 ● Old Dominion at Eastern Michigan (3 p.m.) ● Albany at Buffalo (3:30 p.m.) ● Presbyterian at Miami (3:30 p.m.) ● Akron at Oklahoma (7 p.m.) ● UNLV at Northern Illinois (7:30 p.m.) ● Bowling Green at Tennessee (4 p.m.) For more details, click HERE  MAC Reporter Online has completed its 2015 team previews, and we’re just days away from the start of another college football season. To cap off our preseason activity, we give you not one, but two, preseason power lists – one from contributing writer Evan Meyer and one from managing editor Mike Smith.
As you will see, there are many differences between the two, as well as with the MAC Media Preseason Poll from earlier this month. That can be found at the end of this article. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  Head Coach: Dino Babers (Second Year)
2014 Records: 8-6 overall, 5-3 MAC (1st MAC East) 2015 MAC Media Preseason Poll (1st MAC East) QUESTIONS: ► Bowling Green has won 11 straight against MAC East foes. However, it lost all four encounters against West Division teams last year. Can it find the means to beat opponents from the stronger MAC West? ► Will quarterback Matt Johnson return to form after missing nearly all of 2014 with a hip injury? ► While the offense returns virtually intact, how will the defense be affected by personnel turnover? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  2014 Records: 2-10 overall; 2-6 MAC (5th MAC East)
Head Coach: Chuck Martin MAC Preseason Media Poll: 6th MAC East QUESTIONS: ► How will the RedHawks fare with the departure of quarterback Andrew Hendrix and cornerback Quinten Rollins? ► Miami yielded 12 more sacks than any other MAC team in 2014. It also finished ninth in sacking opponent QBs. Can head coach Chuck Martin’s efforts at rebuilding the RedHawks lines begin to pay dividends in year two? ► Is there any pulse in the running game yet, and is this the only answer for red zone improvement? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE …)  2014 Records: 9-4 overall, 7-1 MAC (second MAC West)
Coach: Matt Campbell (Fourth Year) 2015 Preseason MAC Media prediction: 1st (MAC West and MAC Championship Game winner). QUESTIONS: ► Can the Rockets avoid key injuries and/or find quality replacements in 2015? ► Can Toledo find a way to come out on the winning end against perennial (at least recently) MAC West champ Northern Illinois? ► Will junior quarterback Logan Woodside make the Rockets passing attack a devastating compliment to the already potent UT run game? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  By EVAN MEYER
AKRON, OHIO – Larry Williams, a former pro football player and collegiate athletic director at two universities, was named Director of Athletics at the University of Akron Tuesday morning at InfoCision Stadium. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . ) 2014 Record: 8-5, 6-2 MAC (Third MAC West) Coach: P.J. Fleck (Third Season) 2015 Preseason MAC Media Poll (Second place MAC West)  ► Can sophomore running back Jarvion Franklin back up his spectacular freshman season with another outstanding campaign? ► Western Michigan lost to Northern Illinois and Toledo last year. Both teams are among the top contenders in the West once again. Can WMU successfully run a season-ending gauntlet that includes those two and MAC East favorite Bowling Green? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  By MIKE SMITH
Quarterback Andrew Hendricks had a very productive year for the Miami RedHawks in 2014. One of the key questions for MU in 2015 is: who will replace Hendricks? Would it be: A. Redshirt senior Drew Kummer (6-3, 211) B. Redshirt freshman Gus Ragland (6-3, 213) C. True Freshman Billy Bahl (6-5, 240) D. All of the above E. None of the above (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  2014 RECORDS: 5-6, 3-4 (MAC, 3rd MAC East)
HEAD COACH: Lance Leipold (First Year) MAC PRESEASON POLL: Fifth, MAC East QUESTIONS: ► How will the Bulls adjust to a new head coach and systems? ► With plenty of weapons returning, can the offense develop the consistency needed for UB to compete for a MAC East title? ► Can a defense ranked ninth (MAC) in scoring improve enough to give the Bulls a few more wins. (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . ) Played last three seasons at North Alabama . . .  OXFORD, Ohio--Miami University head men’s basketball coach John Cooper announced Tuesday the addition of Jere Vucica to the program.
Vucica (Split, Croatia) is a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Alabama and will pursue a graduate degree at Miami while finishing out his final season of eligibility with the RedHawks. ( CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  By EVAN MEYER
NIU 2014 RECORD: 11-3 (First in the Western Division, defeated Bowling Green in the 2015 MAC Championship Game, 51-17. Lost to Marshall in the Boca Raton Bowl, 52-23) 2015 PRESEASON POLL: Third in the Western Division behind Toledo and Western Michigan HEAD COACH: Ron Carey – third season (23-6 overall all at NIU) QUESTIONS: ► The Huskies have won five consecutive MAC Western Division titles. Will their run continue in 2015 as they fend off titles-hungry Toledo and an improving Western Michigan? ► The NIU defense brings back eight starters. Will it be as dominant as the 2012 or 2010 defensive group? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  2014 RECORDS: 3-7 OVERALL, 3-9 MAC (5th MAC East)
Head Coach: Mark Whipple (Second Year) MAC PRESEASON POLL: Fourth, MAC East QUESTIONS ► After struggling during mightily during most of its time in the Mid-American Conference, can UMass leave the MAC in a blaze of glory? ► Can quarterback Blake Frohnapfel stay healthy and back up his 2014 season with another outstanding campaign? ► Can UMass find a solution for its troublesome kicking game? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . )  2014 RECORDS: 2-10 OVERALL, 1-7 MAC (6th MAC West)
Head Coach: Chris Creighton (Second Year) MAC PRESEASON POLL: Sixth, MAC West QUESTIONS: ► How much improvement can the Eagles make with one season under head coach Chris Creighton under their belts? ► Quarterback Reginald Bell showed some special talents at times in his freshman season. Is he capable of more, or will defensive focus on him limit his impact? (CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . . ) |
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