The Mid-American Conference is everybody’s favorite, providing us with midweek mayhem and some legendary moments. With the return of the UMass Minutemen to the fold for the upcoming season, our 2025 MAC Power Rankings evaluate the 13 teams set to illuminate our dark fall evenings this year.
13) Kent State Golden Flashes
Despite boasting one of the most underrated pass catchers in college football, Chrishon McCray, the Kent State Golden Flashes went winless last fall and finished near the bottom of the FBS for almost every conceivable metric.
Now, they’ve lost their best player after the talented pass catcher headed to the Michigan State Spartans via the transfer portal. An offseason of turmoil also included head coach Kenni Burns being fired for violations of contract. Offensive coordinator Mark Carney was elevated to replace him, but he’ll need more than “interim luck” to propel the team out of the college football dungeons.
12) UMass Minutemen
Joe Harasymiak gets his first shot at a head coaching role with the UMass Minutemen in 2025 and will be tasked with guiding the program through a conference schedule for the first time since 2015. The Minutemen return to the MAC following what was essentially a test run they failed last fall, losing all six of their matches to conference teams.
The new head coach inherits a team that only beat non-FBS teams a year ago and lost 68% of their total snaps. The former Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive coordinator should shore up that side of the ball, and AJ Hairston vs. incoming transfer Grant Jordan should be an interesting quarterback battle. Yet, they face multiple probable MAC frontrunners on what could prove a difficult 2025 schedule.
11) Akron Zips
There are very few certainties in college football, especially in the modern era, where NIL and the transfer portal can change the fortunes of a program in the blink of an eye. However, we know for certain that the Akron Zips won’t be eligible for a bowl game in the 2025 season due to academic issues within the football team.
While that might not seem a big deal for an outfit that hasn’t been to a postseason showcase game since 2017, Joe Moorhead’s team had shown signs of competitiveness last fall, compiling its best record since 2018. Quarterback Ben Finley is back on the roster for the upcoming campaign, but the loss of his go-to target (Adrian Norton) is a significant disadvantage for the MAC program.
10) Ball State Cardinals
After going 3-9 in the 2024 campaign, it’s been an offseason of change for the Ball State Cardinals. Mike Uremovich takes over from Mike Neu, fresh off a season where he guided the Butler Bulldogs to their first-ever national ranking in football history with a 9-3 record. The new head coach added some exciting offensive playmakers while addressing a defense that ranked 132nd in the nation in 2024.
However, the Cardinals lost their starting quarterback (Kadin Semonza) and one of the top tight ends in college football (Tanner Koziol) to the transfer portal. They also face a schedule containing road trips to Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Toledo, and Miami (OH) — all programs expected to challenge for a MAC title. As such, another three-win campaign might be the ceiling for this team.
9) Central Michigan Chippewas
The Central Michigan Chippewas made one of the best offseason hires of any team, bringing in former Army offensive line coach Matt Drinkall to replace Jim McElwain. Under Drinkall’s tutelage, the Black Knights have had one of the most dangerous OL units in the country, with a Joe Moore Award finalist spot a testament to his influence for a traditionally undersized unit.
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The new Central Michigan HC has already rebuilt the left side of the Chippewas’ offensive line in the transfer portal, while adding some key components to the ground game. The return of linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski after a flirtation with the transfer portal is huge. Yet, there’s a substantial transition in place for the MAC team that could take until past midseason to settle.
8) Eastern Michigan Eagles
It’s always ill-advised to rule out a Chris Creighton team, but the Eastern Michigan Eagles look to be in a difficult spot coming off the back of a 5-7 campaign. The team hasn’t missed out on bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons since Creighton’s initial two campaigns, but anemic offense from 2024 doesn’t look set to be improved, especially with a downgrade at QB.
Cole Snyder could only conjure up 25.9 points per game a year ago and is now gone, with Noah Kim and Cameron Edge arriving to compete for the QB1 role. At least Terry Lockett Jr. returns as a legitimate outlet for whomever wins that job.
Defense has been the hallmark of successful Eagles teams under Creighton, and that unit was subpar last fall. Road trips to Buffalo and Miami (OH) will define any chances of success, while Eastern Michigan could be 1-3 out of conference.
7) Northern Illinois Huskies
Thomas Hammock and the Northern Illinois Huskies will dine out on their Week 2 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for years to come, but more than a standalone win, it powered the program’s best overall record in three seasons. That said, they dropped a game in the MAC compared to 2023, and in 2025, they face a schedule with road trips to Ohio and Toledo, plus Miami (OH) at home.
Furthermore, quarterback Ethan Hampton, leading rusher Gavin Williams, and do-it-all playmaker Trayvon Rudolph are all gone. However, they boast a star in the making with running back Telly Johnson Jr.
The biggest concern for this 2025 Huskies team is how they replicate the 14th-ranked scoring defense with only Roy Williams returning to the program for the upcoming campaign.
6) Western Michigan Broncos
The Western Michigan Broncos have always been at their very best when running the football, and that tradition should continue as they embark on Lance Taylor’s third season with the program.
Although their 2024 leading rusher, Jaden Nixon, got a Power Four opportunity at UCF, Jalen Buckley returns as one of the most dangerous rushers in the MAC. He’s joined by former Michigan running back Cole Cabana, a former four-star who never cracked a deep rotation with the Wolverines.
Tight end Blake Bosma is a legitimate go-to threat when the Broncos don’t run the rock. However, all the offensive firepower in the world will be for naught if Taylor doesn’t shore up a defense that allowed 31.3 points per game last fall.
5) Bowling Green Falcons
After leading the Bowling Green Falcons to within a win of reaching the MAC Championship Game, head coach Scot Loeffler opted to leave the program for the NFL, setting in motion the most significant change of their offseason. The Falcons tabbed College Football Hall of Famer Eddie George to take over, fresh off a season where he led Tennessee State to the FCS playoffs and earned conference honors.
George will have his work cut out for him to replace talent lost all over the field, headlined by tight end Harold Fannin Jr.’s departure to the NFL. Nevertheless, Drew Pyne and Arlis Boardingham bring experience from the highest level of the game, and Dayton transfer Gideon Lampron is a productive force at linebacker.
4) Buffalo Bulls
The first year under Pete Lembo produced the most wins in a season since 2018 and returned the team to the forefront of the MAC. Can they push on and make it to Detroit in 2025?
While key contributors like Shaun Dolac, Cole Snyder, and C.J. Ogbonna are all gone, the core of last year’s successful team returns to take on a schedule that avoids Toledo and forces Miami (OH) and Ohio to come to Buffalo.
While Dolac rightly received many plaudits in 2024, Red Murdock is an equal force with a place in college football history in his sight. Al-Jay Henderson is back after racking up over 1,000 yards, and Trevor Brock heads a trio of returning offensive linemen with over 750 snaps apiece last year. Quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson is an under-the-radar MAC Offensive Player of the Year candidate.
3) Ohio Bobcats
The Ohio Bobcats won a MAC title after suffering heartache at the final hurdle five times. This time, the pain came after the game, with head coach Albin departing for Charlotte.
Albin has been a pivotal part of making the Bobcats a consistent challenger in the conference, and his loss can’t be ignored when compiling our MAC power rankings. At least Brian Smith already has a win under his belt after leading the team to victory in the Cure Bowl.
PARKER NAVARRO
pic.twitter.com/UzcpiGWbmk— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) December 20, 2024
Like most Group of Five teams, the Bobcats lost a ton of talent this offseason. However, they’re something of a rarity after managing to keep QB Parker Navarro in Athens, Ohio. A true dual threat, he was the only MAC passer to throw for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards last fall.
Sieh Bangura returning to the program is also a boon for the Bobcats. However, the biggest question mark hangs over a defense that was one of the best in the country last season.
2) Toledo Rockets
It speaks volumes about the impact of Jason Candle on the Toledo Rockets football program that an eight-win campaign with a bowl victory is almost a disappointment for a team with MAC title aspirations every year. Despite losing star wide receiver Jerjuan Newton, the Rockets are well-positioned to make a run to Detroit for the MAC Championship Game this coming season.
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Although the schedule has a trip to Oxford to face the Miami (OH) RedHawks, Toledo avoids Buffalo and Ohio, which is significant. Newton may be gone, but Junior Vandeross III is back, and the Rockets snagged dynamic receiver Rudolph to boost the offense (and special teams). Braden Awls and Nasir Bowers both took interceptions back for a score last fall, and their return to the secondary helps mitigate the loss of Maxen Hook.
1) Miami (OH) RedHawks
The RedHawks have been to the MAC Championship Game in successive seasons, and it would be a fool who bets against them making it three in a row at Ford Field. There have been some significant losses for Chuck Martin’s team this offseason, and they’ll have to overcome a brutal schedule that features road trips to Ohio and Buffalo, but Miami enlisted some MACtion royalty to help out.
Dequan Finn spent an unsuccessful year away from the conference in 2024, but he’s a familiar face after years of terrorizing teams for Toledo. His arrival and a restocked wide receiver room should ensure the offense doesn’t miss a beat.
After losing stalwart linebacker Matt Salopek, the defense might see some drop-off, but Martin’s teams have overcome losses to remain a top-35 unit for scoring defense in the last three seasons.
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