The college football season is getting closer, and Sporting News is previewing each conference in order to get ready for the season. Today, a closer look at the Mid-American Conference.
Western Michigan has the best coach, best NFL prospect and the most talented roster in the conference. Can anyone upend coach PJ Fleck and the Broncos this year?
Here’s a closer look at some predictions for the league heading into 2016:
Breakout player
Darrion Landry, the JUCO transfer from Blinn College, will be asked to step up and replace Roger Lewis as the team’s feature receiver. The 6-2 receiver chose Bowling Green over Kentucky, and he’ll quickly be asked to adjust and grow with the now young Bowling Green offense.
Sleeper team
Central Michigan doesn't have a great supporting cast to go with quarterback Cooper Rush, so the Chippewas may be slept on to start the season. Rush is highly viewed by NFL teams and has the passing efficiency and the running ability to win games himself. Getting past Toledo, Northern Illinois and rival Western Michigan won’t be easy, especially with two of those games on the road.
Mind-blowing stat: 22
That’s the number of times Western Michigan’s Corey Davis has surpassed 100 receiving yards in a game, including nine just last year. He’ll need just four to break Trevor Insley’s career record of 26.
Freshman to watch
Matt Falcon. After Falcon suffered an injury early during his senior season, the University of Michigan opted to pull it’s football scholarship. With other major programs circling Falcon shortly after Michigan jumped ship, PJ Fleck swooped in to quietly sign the four-star running back. While Western Michigan will continue to be a passing offense, Falcon should quickly assume a key role as a freshman.
MORE: P.J. Fleck takes on players in full pads
Coach to watch
Coming from Texas Tech, Mike Jinks was the running backs coach who coached the 5-8 DeAndre Washington to the fifth round in the 2016 NFL Draft. Prior to that, Jinks was one of the best Texas high school coaches, compiling 43 wins over his last three seasons at Steele High School at San Antonio. He inherits a Bowling Green known for passing game production, and should be able to keep this team afloat with a winning record, if not a conference title berth.
Game of the Year
Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan. One of the best rivalries in the conference, the battle for Michigan in the MAC features the conference's two best quarterbacks and a host of talent around them. Zach Terrell of Western Michigan has Corey Davis, the conference’s best NFL prospect, to throw to, while Cooper Rush of Central Michigan was rated as one of the best senior quarterbacks from NFL teams. The winner may end up claiming the West Division.
Player of the Year
Corey Davis. Mentioned a few times already, Davis may be more valuable than his own quarterback Zach Terrell for Western Michigan’s success. Davis has first-round NFL potential and there likely isn’t a team in the MAC that can slow him down. He’ll have his eyes on Justin Blackmon’s record of 12 games with 100 yards in a season.
Coach of the Year
Just 35 years old, P.J. Fleck will likely parlay a nine- or 10-win season into one of the biggest jobs in the country this year or next. He’s recruiting amazingly well for a MAC school, developed NFL talent and once again has the most talented teams in the conference.
MAC championship
Western Michigan vs. Akron. Western Michigan seems likely to reach the championship, assuming they can defeat Central Michigan and hold off consistent contenders Northern Illinois and Toledo. The East is much more wide open, but Akron’s influx of transfers and already solid talent corps may give them the edge over a Bowling Green program with turnover and an Ohio program that has too often fallen short of expectations.
MORE: Surprise CFP contenders
Conference champion
Western Michigan. With the conference's best player, best incoming freshman, one of the best quarterbacks and back to back highly impressive recruiting classes for a MAC school, PJ Fleck should lead this team to conference title win. They have the talent to win out in the MAC and even challenge for a top-15 ranking in the country by season’s end