In the East . . .
In the West Division, a margin of 10 points separated the top three programs in this extremely competitive division. Toledo was selected in first-place with 59 total points, followed by second-place Western Michigan with 56 points and third-place Northern Illinois with 49 points. Eastern Michigan finished fourth with 42 points followed by Ball State and Central Michigan.
This reflects on the competitive nature of the MAC. In the last three years, six different MAC programs have competed in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game and every football program has received an invitation to a bowl game during the last seven years (2012-18).
Earlier this summer in conjunction with the 2019 MAC Football Media Day, the league’s media members selected a preseason poll with identical results -- Ohio and Toledo selected to win their respective divisions, with Ohio picked to win the 2019 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game.
In the coaches poll, Ohio garnered all 12 first-place votes en route to the favorite spot in the East Division. The Bobcats return 43 letter-winners and 14 starters from last year’s 9-4 team that finished second in the East Division with a 6-2 Conference record, as the Bobcats went on to deliver a 27-0 shutout victory over San Diego State in the 2018 DXL Frisco Bowl, marking the first-ever shutout in a bowl game in MAC history.
Ohio Head Coach Frank Solich is in his 15th year in leading the Ohio football program and is the third-winningest coach in MAC history with 106 career wins. Solich needs three wins to become the all-time winningest coach in Ohio history (Bill Hess, 108) and five wins to become the all-time winningest coach in MAC history (Herb Deromedi, 110).
Solich and his Bobcats are searching for Ohio’s first MAC football championship since 1968. The Bobcats offense will be paced by quarterback Nathan Rourke, who passed for 2,434 yards and 23 touchdowns and added 15 rushing touchdowns and 860 yards last season.
Ohio will have offensive threats from wide receiver Cameron Odom, who had 30 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns last season. Defensively, safety Javon Hagan, who had 78 total tackles and two interceptions last season, and linebackers Dylan Conner and Jared Dorsa will lead the Ohio defense.
Toledo racked up four first-place votes in the West Division for 59 total points. Toledo welcomes back 50 letter-winners and 14 starters from last year’s team that went 7-6 overall, finished tied for second in the MAC West with a 5-3 Conference record and suffered a 35-32 loss to Florida International in the 2018 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.
Fourth-year head coach Jason Candle and his Rockets are looking to get back to Detroit for the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game, a scene only two years ago where Toledo won the 2017 title with a 45-28 win over Akron.
Candle will look to senior quarterback Mitchell Guadagni to lead the offense as he started seven games last season with 1,053 yards passing and 13 touchdowns after his season ended early due to injury. A steady Rockets ground game, led by sophomore Bryant Koback, who led the team and ranked fifth in the MAC with 917 yards rushing and tied for second with 14 rushing touchdowns, and junior Shakif Seymour, who added 565 yards rushing and five touchdowns, will assist Guadagni and the Toledo offense.
Defensively, a strong secondary led by DeDarallo Blue, who posted 41 tackles last season, Khalil Robinson, who totaled 69 tackles and one interception last year, and Jamal Hines, who added 49 tackles and two interceptions last season, will lead the Rockets defense.
The 2019 season kicks off on Thursday, August 29 and the 2019 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game is Saturday, December 7 at Noon ET on ESPN or ESPN2 from Ford Field.
2019 MAC Head Football Coaches Preseason Poll
Team (First Place Votes) Points
MAC East Division
1. Ohio (12) 72
2. Buffalo 50
3. Miami 49
4. Kent State 37
5. Akron 25
6. Bowling Green 19
MAC West Division
1. Toledo (4) 59
2. Western Michigan (4) 56
3. Northern Illinois (2) 49
4. Eastern Michigan 42
5. Ball State (1) 26
6. Central Michigan (1) 20