All 12 members return in 2024, giving the MAC Power Rankings welcome familiarity. However, the transfer portal shook up the talent pool, resulting in major movement atop the conference’s hierarchy.
2024 MAC Power Rankings
12) Kent State Golden Flashes
Preseason Rank: 12 (no change)
The Golden Flashes can only go up after posting a 1-11 record in head coach Kenni Burns’ inaugural season … right?
Losing 55-24 is never confidence-inducing, but the offense flashed at times against Pitt. Instead of bouncing back against FCS-level Saint Francis in Week 2, the Golden Flashes faltered, failing to take the lead at any point in the game.
11) Akron Zips
Preseason Rank: 11 (no change)
Since Terry Bowden left the program in 2018, Akron has been a bottom-of-the-nation team, posting no more than two wins in any season. If Joe Moorhead doesn’t produce results in 2024, the Zips will likely oust their head coach after just three years once again (Tom Arth, 2019-2021).
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Of course, they weren’t expected to put up much of a fight against Ohio State in Week 1, but praise the defense for keeping the score 17-3 at halftime (it’s about the little victories). Week 2 was much of the same against Rutgers. Credit Ben Finley for his toughness, but the Zips aren’t going anywhere offensively, and the defense can’t stop anything on the ground.
10) Buffalo Bulls
Preseason Rank: 10 (no change)
Maurice Linguist is out, and Pete Lembo is in. Longtime fans of the MAC should remember Lembo as Ball State’s HC in the early 2010s. He led the program to back-to-back bowl appearances and 9+ campaigns. Can Lembo do the same with the Bulls?
Lembo added Virginia offensive analyst Dave Patenaude to run the unit, and he leaned on his rushing attack to defeat a stout Lafayette team in Week 1.
QB CJ Ogbonna isn’t an accurate passer, as he showed in Week 2 against Missouri, but he doesn’t need to be when the Bulls can get rolling on the ground. If the offense operates at a conference-average level, Buffalo could surprise some teams in the MAC due to its talent-laden defense.
9) Central Michigan Chippewas
Preseason Rank: 8 (-1)
Coming off a 1-11 season in 2018, the Chippewas were at an all-time low and tabbed HC Jim McElwain as the program’s savior. He answered prayers immediately, guiding Central Michigan to an 8-6 record and the New Mexico Bowl. A 3-3 pandemic-shortened season and a 9-4 return to glory followed, but McElwain’s squad has lost its luster over the last two years, going a combined 9-15.
There isn’t much to glean from their 66-10 route of Central Connecticut State other than Iowa transfer Joe Labas played spectacularly after battling incumbent Bert Emanuel Jr. for the starting job.
Emanuel suffered a nondisclosed injury before the game, thrusting Labas into the starting role. Labas shined in Week 1, but the bottom fell out against FIU, as he threw five interceptions in a 52-16 blowout.
8) Ball State Cardinals
Preseason Rank: 9 (+1)
The 2024 season is a make-or-break campaign for HC Mike Neu. In his eight years in Muncie, the Cardinals have had just one winning season, albeit a good one: 7-1 with a bowl victory in 2020.
Rising QB Kadin Semonza seemingly forced veteran Kiael Kelly into an all-purpose role but didn’t impress against Missouri State. In fact, the Cardinals were on upset alert for much of the game — not a good sign.
7) Eastern Michigan Eagles
Preseason Rank: 7 (no change)
Chris Creighton’s Eagles have predominately been an above-average MAC team, making six bowl games in the last eight years. The roster had several holes to fill in the offseason, and Creighton used the transfer portal to do so.
The Eagles could’ve — and should’ve — defeated UMass by more than 14 points, but a win is a win, especially to kick off the season. Their lack of execution carried over into Week 2 against Washington, as EMU went 3 of 14 on third down and gained just two yards on every carry.
6) Ohio Bobcats
Preseason Rank: 6 (no change)
Ohio has won 10 games in two straight seasons under Tim Albin, but keeping the streak alive will be tough in 2024.
Although Syracuse gave Parker Navarro fits through the air, the rushing attack, led by Anthony Tyus III — notably not Rickey Hunt Jr. — averaged 6.5 yards per clip en route to 255 and two scores. The defense even held the Orange to zero points in the first quarter before bending in the second and third.
All the Bobcats did against South Alabama in Week 2 was record 404 total yards in a 27-20 win. The defense bent but didn’t break, and as long as the ground game keeps churning, Ohio will be in most games this year.
5) Western Michigan Broncos
Preseason Rank: 5 (no change)
Lance Taylor’s first season in Kalamazoo wasn’t anything to write home about (4-8), but Year 2 could be. The Broncos stepped into Camp Randall as 24.5-point underdogs but took Wisconsin the distance, falling 28-14 due to a fourth-quarter rally by the Badgers.
Turnovers (two) and third-down efficiency (3-of-10) were Western Michigan’s downfall, but it was as good of a loss as you can have, especially due to the secondary’s performance. The same can’t be said for a 56-0 outing against Ohio State. The only thing the Broncos can do with that result is accept it and forget it.
4) Toledo Rockets
Preseason Rank: 3 (-1)
Toledo may have lost Dequan Finn to Baylor, but Tucker Gleason has done enough to produce two wins … albeit against Duquesne and UMass. RB Jacquez Stuart and the team’s top three WRs buoy the offense, sporting an entirely new offensive line from last season.
DC Vince Kehres’ unit has finished among the top three MAC teams in scoring in three consecutive seasons, and with all-conference defenders DT Darius Alexander and S Maxen Hook in-house, a fourth such campaign is within reach.
3) Bowling Green Falcons
Preseason Rank: 2 (-1)
TE Harold Fannin Jr. — that’s all you need to know. Well, and QB Connor Bazelak, who has completed just over 60% of his passes for 9,305 yards, 48 TDs, and 34 INTs across five seasons and three programs.
HC Scot Loeffler’s offense has the chance to be the best in the MAC this season, and the unit gave Penn State all it could handle, specifically in the first half. Although the Nittany Lions adjusted in the second half and put any upset talks to bed by the fourth quarter, the Falcons punched above their weight class for the majority of the contest.
2) Miami RedHawks
Preseason Rank: 1 (-1)
Can the Miami RedHawks repeat as conference champions?
Brett Gabbert knows a thing or two about longevity. Entering his sixth season in Oxford, Gabbert’s collegiate experience is only rivaled by Bazelek. He battled injuries the last two years, but a fully healthy Gabbert is the undisputed QB1 in the MAC.
Two of the team’s three leading wide receivers (Cade McDonald and Javon Tracy) are also back, and EDGE Brian Ugwu, LB Ty Wise, and LB Matt Salopek will help the defense suffocate offenses once again.
The defense did just that in Week 1 against Northwestern, holding the Wildcats to 13 points. But it wasn’t enough, as the offense scored just six on the back of two Gabbert INTs.
1) Northern Illinois Huskies
Preseason Rank: 4 (+3)
Rocky Lombardi is gone, but the Huskies are a run-first team anyway — and who better to hand the ball off to than 1,300-yard RB Antario Brown? Plus, having WR Trayvon Rudolph, TE Grayson Barnes, and one of the best OLs in the conference will make the transition to QB Ethan Hampton smoother.
KEEP READING: 2024 Strength of Schedule for All 134 FBS Teams
Northern Illinois’ complete dominance over Western Illinois in Week 1 set the stage for what would become one of the biggest upsets in school history, as they stunned Notre Dame 16-14 in Week 2. If the Huskies weren’t the favorite to win the MAC before, they should be now.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!