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MAC FOOTBALL PREVIEW

8/3/2021

Bulls hungry for another title run

BUFFALO BULLS
Head Coach: Maurice Linguist (first year)
2020 Record: 6-1 … Lost to Ball State (38-28) in MAC Championship game. Defeated Marshall (17-10) in Camellia Bowl. Finished No. 25 in final AP Top 25 Poll.
2021 MAC Media Poll Prediction: 4th place MAC East

ABOUT THE BULLS:
Propelled by an explosive running attack, Buffalo trampled opponents on the way to a MAC Championship game appearance last year. Led by MAC Offensive Player of the Year, Jaret Patterson and fellow running back Kevin Marks, the Bulls averaged 287.4 rushing yards per game. They averaged 51 points per game while winning the MAC East crown, but were held to 28 points by Ball State and 17 points in the winning finale against Marshall.

While Patterson is gone and six other Bulls joined head coach Lance Leipold at Kansas, UB still drew four first place votes from media members in the preseason poll.

Here’s more on the Bulls . . .

MAC FOOTBALL PREVIEW

8/2/2021

Cardinals now wearing target of favorite

Ball State Cardinals
Coach: Mike Neu (Sixth Year)
2020 Results: 7-1 overall record. Cardinals won MAC West and MAC Championship game. They then defeated San Jose State 34-13 in Arizona Bowl.
2021 MAC Media Prediction: First Place MAC West and overall MAC championship winner.

About the Cardinals:
One might say Ball State’s breakout 2020 campaign had its roots in the accumulated frustrations of close losses during the previous season. “Our guys were . . .

mac football

7/20/2021

Ball State and Kent State top MAC Media poll

DETROIT, Mich. – Kent State and Ball State have been selected to win their respective divisions in the 2021 Mid-American Conference Football Media Preseason Poll. The Golden Flashes received a total of 11 first place votes when it came to picking who would win the East Division, while the Cardinals received 11 first place votes to take home the West Division.
The poll was announced at the league’s annual MAC Football Media Day at Ford Field in Detroit and was determined by a 22-member MAC media panel. Ball State was also selected to win the 2021 Rocket Mortgage MAC Football Championship Game.

In the East Division, Kent State earned . . .

time out ... please!!!

7/19/2021

MAC's 75th football anniversary season should be special

Editor-Publisher Mike Smith

An esteemed sports writer with whom I worked at a local paper annually declared that football season was upon us when "hedge apples" could be seen on the ground at one of the local parks.

Bill has passed on, but in his spirit I am declaring football season upon us. I spotted several hedge apples while out golfing this morning. Yes ... I found them while trying to locate an errant Pro-V1. I had a few left over from a recent tournament, but I have seen the light and will be hitting less expensive balls in the future.

Granted, collegiate football games don't start until late early September, with three MAC teams opening their 2021 schedules Thursday, Sept. 2.

Ahhhhhh . . . 2021 -- I love the . sound of it. No doubt, MAC programs are . . .

mac football

7/14/2021

Coaching icon Solich steps down at Ohio

Associate HC Tim Albin moves up

Frank Solich, who coached 16 years at Ohio after a stint at Nebraska, posted a career coaching record of 173-101. The 173 overall wins ranked fourth most among active NCAA FBS head coaches.

Athens, OH--Ohio University Head Football Coach Frank Solich announced today that he is stepping down from his position to focus on his health, after an unprecedented successful sixteen seasons leading the Bobcats, which included eleven bowl appearances, four Mid-American Conference East titles and a Top 25 ranking.

Following Solich's announcement, Director of Athletics Julie Cromer announced that Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Tim Albin has agreed to become the new head football coach, agreeing to a four-year contract.

"After fifty-five years in coaching, including 16 at Ohio University, it is time for . . .

MAC Football

5/10/2021

Bulls pick familiar face as new FB head coach

BUFFALO, NY – Considered by many as one of the top young minds in all of college football, Maurice Linguist has been named the University at Buffalo's 26th head coach, according to UB Athletic Director Mark Alnutt. The new hire replaces Lance Leipold, who recently resigned to take the head coaching position at Kansas.

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Linguist who was the Bulls' defensive backs coach in 2012 and 2013.

"It's my honor to welcome our . . .

football - time out, please!

5/4/2021

Grid dreams continue for former MAC standouts

By MIKE SMITH
As a huge football fan, I especially look forward to a pair of non-game day occasions - National Signing Day for college programs and the NFL draft for professional teams. It is almost hard to fully imagine how those events feel for athletes looking for their shot at the next level.

Four Mid-American Conference players heard their name called at last weekend’s NFL draft. Big time congratulations go out to D’Wayne Eskridge, Malcolm Koonce, Jaylon Moore and Tommy Doyle. Their college programs, draft positions and new homes are as follows:

2ND ROUND
56. Seattle Seahawks
D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan

3RD ROUND
79. Las Vegas Raiders (from Arizona)
Malcolm Koonce, LB, Buffalo

5TH ROUND
155. San Francisco 49ers
Jaylon Moore, OT, Western Michigan

161. Buffalo Bills (from Las Vegas)
Tommy Doyle, OT, Miami (OH)

Another half dozen or former MAC will also chase their grid dreams after signing as undrafted free agents.Click Read More to see a list of early signiees . . .

Mike's musings

4/15/2021

The Times They Are A-Changin' for College Athletics

Mike Smith

It's not been a good year for news.

There's been plenty of it, of course, but sooooo much of that has been bad. Even now as we look forward, it is a very uncertain scene.

At least for me, college athletics is part of the uncertainty, and two issues spell the root causes of my anxiety -- 1. Transfer rules 2. Compensation.
For some people, solutions . . .

Cbi tourney B-BALL - BOWLING GREEN

3/23/2021

Stetson 53, Bowling Green 52

Late trey lifts Hatters over Falcons

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Bowling Green Falcons saw their 2020-21 season come to an end on Monday in the College Basketball Invitational quarterfinals. Stetson University defeated the Falcons by a score of 53-52 at the Ocean Center.

After holding a 29-21 halftime advantage, the Falcons (14-12) led by . . .

NCAA B-BALL -- OHIO

3/22/2021

Creighton 72, Ohio 58

Bluejays break away to oust Ohio

By MIKE SMITH
INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Marcus Zegarowski led five Bluejays in double figures as Creighton defeated Ohio 72-58 in NCAA Tournament play Monday at Hinkel Fieldhouse.

With its victory, Creighton (22-8) earned a Sweet 16 berth and will meet the tourney's No. 1 overall seed -- Gonzaga Sunday. The Zags defeated Oklahoma 87-71 earlier to advance. Ohio, meanwhile, ends . . .

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