My PC's back... and so are my previews! (2018 CFB Preview thread, part 1)

[BoiseStateFan27]

It’s up to Rypien. Unfortunately my prediction is he lets us down again this season. He came in with a tremendous amount of hype and under pressure to perform at the highest level. And even though he has been 1st team all-conference in two seasons and 2nd team in the other, sadly he has underwhelmed in my opinion.

He's flashed potential at times, so many ups and downs. His first year he was incredible for a few games then was awful, and then ended the season with one of his best games. Next season he mostly was bad with a few near perfect games sprinkled in. Last year he was the worst he ever was and then played extremely well at the end

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Western Michigan

The first preview segment for the Mid-American Conference: The Western Michigan Broncos

Last season: What a bad break for Tim Lester and his Broncos. I mean, I KNEW there was gonna be a drop-off from that 13-1 season Western Michigan went on in 2016, but they were doing just fine at 6-4 entering the Northern Illinois game. But sadly, they dropped that one and the finale against Toledo to finish 6-6 with no bowl berth, all while 21 players suffered season-ending injuries.
Now this season in Kalamazoo, all the fans are hoping for better luck this time.

Good news: Everything looks to be in place for a great offense; if Jon Wassink avoids injury he can be a strong QB, plus he has maybe the best RB duo in the MAC helping him. The coaches have been praising strong-safety Justin Tranquill on defense...

Bad news: ...but the rest of the defense may not be so good; the front-7 is a MAJOR cause of concern. And early games against (high-flying) Syracuse and (confident or pissed-off) Michigan will not help that unit gain confidence.

2018 X-factor: The return game- Aw, man! I missed out on the greatness of Darius Phillips, as he is gone after setting the FBS record for career touchdown runbacks (kick returns, punt returns, defensive plays, etc. Will anybody be able to step in and fill the void on the return teams?

Key games:
9/29 @ Miami-Ohio (Wassink vs. Ragland... Now that sounds like a sweet-sounding QB duel, doesn't it?)
10/6 vs. Eastern Michigan (In last year's game against the Eagles, Wassink suffered a broken collarbone that took him out for the rest of the season. The Broncos went on to lost 3 of their last 4 games.)
10/25 vs. Toledo (This series had decided the MAC West champions for the last 3 years now.)
11/20 vs. Northern Illinois (Senior Day on a Tuesday night in Kalamazoo, and it just might decide the division if WMU's defense holds up.)

Bottom line: This one's pretty easy to call. All the Broncos has to do is stay healthy and they can ride that offensive talent all the way back to a bowl. And if Western Michigan's front-7 on defense somehow keeps it together, Toledo and NIU will have to be careful in the West division.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Northern Illinois

Preview segment: The Northern Illinois Huskies

Last season: Thanks to the revelation that was freshman sensation Marcus Childers, Northern Illinois returned to their old, boring ways of winning games and making bowls. So after 2017's 8-5 record, you'd think that NIU would be a shoo-in for the MAC West title with Toledo losing THEIR quarterback. Right?

2018 X-factor: NIU's non-conference slate- Every single CFB magazine that I've read this spring has been freaking the f--k out about NIU's non-conference schedule. After a normal opener of visiting Iowa, NIU must later deal with Utah, Florida State, and a late-October date with BYU.
And why are the Huskies doing this? Blame it on state budget cuts forcing NIU to earn money the hard way.

Good news: Fortunately, NIU has the talent to deal with that slate; Childers will have a strong O-line helping him along with some strong RB's. Sutton Smith is back for at least one more year of leading NIU's defense.

Bad news: Sadly, I don't know if Sutton can help out a linebacker group that is pretty unproven. And the magazines IS right on one thing; confidence might be a problem if someone gets hurt during that non-conference slate.

Key games:
9/15 vs. Central Michigan (In contrast to that non-conference slate, the MAC schedule is very favorable for NIU. Beating the rebuilding Chippewas should be a great confidence booster for the Huskies in September.)
9/29 @ Eastern Michigan (Once NIU is finished with their "death-march", they'll have to visit Ypsilanti and a Eagles team that almost beat them last year in DeKalb.)
10/13 vs. Ohio (A potential preview of the MAC championship game, and the first time these 2 teams will meet in 3 years.)
11/7 vs. Toledo (NIU has now lost 2 in a row to their rivals from Toledo, and the Rockets took last year's win all the way to the MAC title. Time for NIU to get some revenge.)

Bottom line: Don't fool yourselves, people. They got talented people like Sutton Smith, Marcus Childers, and many others. So despite that hard September, Northern Illinois will be A favorite to win the MAC in 2018.
And tell you what, Huskies: If you defeat any one of those "Power 5" schools you'll face, we'll make you THE favorite to win the MAC. How does that sound?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Eastern Michigan

Preview segment: The Eastern Michigan Eagles

Last season: Last year was another year of good progress for Eastern Michigan. "Why do you say that", you ask? "Didn't the Eagles go 5-7 last season?"
Look closer, my friends. Usually when EMU loses games, it's because they're not very good. But last year, the only reason for the record was simply REALLY bad luck; EMU lost 6 straight games by a touchdown or less! I haven't seen a team that unlucky in a LONG time.

Good news: For the first time in a long while, EMU's defense may be better than the offense; 7 starters return to the team including a packed secondary. The O-line is deep and experienced, which should help out the run game...

Bad news: ...and whoever the new QB is. That's right, Brogan Roback is gone from Ypsilanti. And his replacement is not known yet... which will not help out a WR group that's lacking a playmaker.

Non-conference strength: A little rough (After looking at Northern Illinois's non-conference slate, I decided to look at the other MAC teams and see how bad THEIR slates are outside the MAC. And EMU's isn't too bad; Monmouth, a home game against Army, and a visit to a Purdue team that'll still be finding it's way.
I AM worried about EMU's visit to San Diego State, though; it might get ugly.

Key games:
9/15 @ Buffalo (In-between those trips to Purdue and San Diego, we have this crucial MAC opener for both the Eagles and the Bulls, in a game that'll match strength [Buffalo's offense] vs. strength [EMU's defense].)
10/6 @ Western Michigan (The rival Broncos was just one of the teams that broke EMU's heart during that hard-luck 6 game skid.)
10/27 vs. Army (If the Eagles can stop Army's rushing attack, they'll have a good chance to win this one.)
11/3 vs. Central Michigan (These two rivals are meeting for the 96th time this season.)
11/10 vs. Akron (This game might decide bowl eligibility for both teams.)

Bottom line: Chris Creighton is hoping that 2017 was just a oddity, and that the Eagles can stay upright in the MAC this season. But I've got a feeling that their running game won't be enough to hold up the offense, so any shot at a bowl for EMU this year will hinge on the new QB... and whoever he throws the ball to.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Central Michigan

Preview segment: The Central Michigan Chippewas

Last season: Another very good year for Central Michigan as they defeated teams like Kansas, Ohio, and Northern Illinois en-route to a 8-win season. But losing 8 turnovers in that bowl game to Wyoming punctured CMU's balloon, and the descent may continue this season.

Bad news: Actually, the Chippewas's problems kinda mirrors their rivals from Ypsilanti; the WR corps are missing a playmaker, and the kicking game could be better. And much like Eastern Michigan, CMU has to replace their star QB from a year ago.

Good news: But unlike EMU, at least the Chippewas know who'll be their QB: A tall but nimble QB named Tony Poijan. And he'll have a 1,000-yard rusher in Jonathan Ward to help him out. But the strongest position might be the D-line; a lot of playmakers return to that unit.

Non-conference schedule: Pretty rough (CMU has Maine and a home game with Kansas, who they've beaten last year. But their opener at Kentucky could be rough, and a visit to Michigan State to round out September will be BRUTAL.)

Key games:
9/15 @ Northern Illinois (A fun-looking game to start off the race for the MAC West title. Beating NIU in DeKalb would be a big confidence boost for Tony Poijan and company.)
10/6 vs. Buffalo (After that rough trip to East Lansing, will CMU recover fast enough to take out the high-shooting Bulls?)
10/20 vs. Western Michigan (These two rivals will meet for the 90th time this year, and the loser might get eliminated from the division race before November.)
11/3 @ Eastern Michigan (Why do I have the feeling that this could be a ugly, 17-14 kind of contest... that we'll all enjoy anyway?)

Bottom line: Let's just say that John Bonamego will have to flex his coaching muscles this season, because unless that passing attack holds it together, CMU will be stuck just fighting for a bowl berth in 2018. The November 3rd game with the rival Eagles will loom large.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Kent State

Preview segment: The Kent State Golden Flashes

Last season: Yet another miserable season for the Flashes as they went 2-10. And with that, Paul Haynes is out and former Syracuse assistant Sean Lewis is in.

Good news: Sean's energy will work wonders for the Flashes, and recruiting is already getting better.

Bad news: This is basically a total rebuild, as the offense could struggle big time without a solid O-line. The defense needs some work as well.

Non-conference schedule: Yikes (Never mind the rematch with FCS team Howard; the Flashes must go to Illinois, Penn State, and [maybe the worse one of all] Ole Miss. No wonder Lindy's has Kent State ranked so low.)

Key games:
9/29 @ Ball State (The Cardinals are expected to struggle too, so Kent State must take advantage.)
10/13 @ Miami-Ohio (Miami-Ohio was the only FBS team that Kent beat last year.)
10/20 vs. Akron (Another installment of the "Battle For the Wagon Wheel". Akron has won the last 3 meetings.)

Bottom line: Let's leave Kent State alone in 2018 and leave them to their rebuilding. At least we can expect a few more points from them this year.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Buffalo

Preview segment: The Buffalo Bulls

Last season: Looks like things are finally working out for Lance Leipold at Buffalo; his squad won their last 3 games of the season to finish at 6-6. All thanks to the emergence of QB Tyree Jackson and WR Anthony Johnson. Now, all of that wasn't enough to get Buffalo a bowl berth, but it DID create expectations for the Bulls in 2018.

Good news: Tyree and Anthony is a great place to start, but there's also a veteran O-line and Knalil Hodge on defense.

Bad news: Someone else has to help out the defense besides Hodge; the run defense in particular needs to get better. Depth is also a problem in some key areas, especially safety.

Non-conference schedule: Pretty good! (Buffalo's schedule actually looks all right. Yes, they do visit Temple and Rutgers, but neither team are world beaters. And they'll host Army, who they've beaten once before.)

Key games:
9/15 vs. Eastern Michigan (See my Eastern Michigan preview.)
10/20 @ Toledo (This might be the hardest road game the Bulls will have: A date with the defending MAC champs.)
10/30 vs. Miami-Ohio (Much like Buffalo, the Redhawks are hoping for a bowl invite this year.)
11/14 @ Ohio (If the Toledo game was the hardest one for Buffalo, then this one is the most important. If Buffalo lives up to it's preseason billing, they can take the MAC East division away from the Bobcats here.)

Bottom line: Wait... Did I just say "The Bulls have a shot at the division"? Oh boy... That means that lowly Buffalo will be playing with expectations in 2018, which may be tough. But with a powerful offense leading the way, Bulls fans are hoping for a bowl berth this season at the very least.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Ohio

Preview segment: The Ohio Bobcats

Last season: Another fine season for this little school from Athens, Ohio as the Bobcats grabbed a 9-win season and another bowl trophy. Yet, I'll bet that Ohio is still a little peeved at late losses to Akron and Buffalo that costed them a MAC title shot.

Good news: QB Nathan Rourke revitalized the offense last year, and he's back to lead the way again. There's good depth at RB and WR, the special teams return everybody, and the O-line is rock solid.

Bad news: I don't think Ohio is gonna win too many shootouts in 2018, so filling in the holes they have on defense is a MUST.

Non-conference schedule: Pretty good (There is one game that's a worry [which I'll get to soon], but Ohio's schedule sets up nicely for a big run; neither UMass nor Cincinnati looks too tough.)

Key games:
9/15 @ Virginia (The Cavaliers might still be trying to find themselves, so the Bobcats might score a win here... IF they are 100%.)
10/13 @ Northern Illinois (Easily the hardest MAC game the Bobcats will have all season. Breaking NIU's tough defense will be critical for Ohio to win this.)
11/7 @ Miami-Ohio (This version of the "Battle For the Bricks" takes place on a Wednesday night, and it's the 95th time they'll meet.)
11/14 vs. Buffalo (As you probably guessed, November will decide Ohio's fate. After the Redhawks, they'll try to get revenge on the upstart Bulls...)
11/23 vs. Akron (...and then against the team that froze them out of Detroit last year.)

Bottom line: With Toledo winning their first MAC title since 2004 last year, the pressure shifts to Ohio to win their first MAC title in a half-century. And this might be Frank Solich's best chance EVER to make that dream come true. All he has to do is make sure the offense runs smoothly... and that the defense doesn't break.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Miami-Ohio

Preview segment: The Miami-Ohio Redhawks

Last season: It's a rough situation that Redhawks head coach Chuck Martin is in right now. He's upgraded the talent, the team is playing well... but where are his victories? I mean, Miami-Ohio lost 5 games in 2017 by a TD or fewer to finish 5-7 on the year. Do we have to turn up the heat on the coach or something?

Good news: Hopefully those hard times will inspire this team; there are 16 starters returning from last year. Included in that group is a stacked defense, a good QB in Gus Ragland, and his main-man WR in James Gardner.

Bad news: Besides Gardner, there's not much to shout about at wide-receiver. And if things go south once again, will the defense be able to retain it's composure?

Non-conference schedule: Okay (The Redhawks do have to go to Minnesota and Army, but overall their non-conference slate is manageable.)

Key games:
9/8 vs. Cincinnati (Luke Finkell is still stockpiling talent at Cincy, so if Miami-Ohio can't beat their arch-rivals NOW, they may not do it for a LONG time! The biggest game for the Redhawks in 2018 by a country mile.)
9/29 vs. Western Michigan (This one is sandwiched between in-state games against the Falcons and Zips, so focus MAY be an issue here.)
10/30 @ Buffalo (The Bulls are thinking about a MAC East crown as well. And if Miami-Ohio wins this one...)
11/7 vs. Ohio (...it'll bode really well for this BIG rivalry game that might decide the division.)
11/14 @ Northern Illinois (...Okay, that's just not fair for Miami-Ohio.)

Bottom line: The heat's being turned up on the Redhawk coaching staff, so here's hoping that Gus Ragland and the rest of the team will work more efficiently. For if they do, that might be the key they need to compete for the MAC East title... and maybe even win it.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Ball State

Preview segment: The Ball State Cardinals

Last season: A terrible 2-10 for Mike Neu and company. Now they enter 2018 on a 9-game losing streak.

Good news: The offense returns a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, and QB Riley Neal seems to be healing nicely after a bad injury took his out last year.

Bad news: It's hard to envision a dramatic improvement on Ball State's defense, especially with the D-line being almost all-new and big worries in the secondary.

Non-conference schedule: A little rough (Mind you, Central Connecticut State and WKU doesn't look too awful. But Ball State going to Notre Dame on September 8th will be one of the biggest mismatches of the season.)

Key games:
9/22 vs. Western Kentucky (Like I said, this game looks winnable for Ball State... if their defense is ready.)
9/29 vs. Kent State (This one is winnable as well. And maybe if the Cardinals DO win this...)
10/6 vs. Northern Illinois (...it'll be the confidence boost they'll need to stun the rival Huskies.)
10/25 @ Ohio (By this time, we'll know if Ball State is still standing in their quest for a bowl.)

Bottom line: A plague of injuries derailed Ball State's 2017 season, so we'll see if that offense of theirs is enough to spark a comeback. Otherwise, we can ignore Ball State in 2018.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Akron

Preview segment: The Akron Zips

Last season: For most teams, a 7-7 record would look pretty weird. But for a team like Akron, they'll take that any day of the week.
So in 2017, Zips fans were pretty happy as the emergence of QB Kato Nelson helped Akron win enough games to make only it's 2nd-ever trip to the MAC title game as East division champs. And to keep the Akron fans happy, I won't mention what happened next.

Bad news: The skill positions on offense are a big worry, as a playmaker hasn't been found at RB or WR yet. Plus (as I'll get to later), the schedule's pretty tough.

Good news: Fortunately, Akron might have a defense that's ready for the grind; it returns 8 starters and has great depth. Plus, the bad taste from THAT game will inspire the defense to get better.

Non-conference schedule: YIKES! (Even teams like Northern Illinois and Bowling Green will get a chance to host a "Power 5" school. Akron won't even get THAT luxury; they must visit Nebraska, Northwestern, and Iowa State in 3 of their first 4 games. And all 3 of those schools has BIG plans for the 2018 season.)

Key games:
10/6 vs. Miami-Ohio (After that brutal run, Akron will get 2 weeks to recover and prep for this very important MAC opener.)
10/13 @ Buffalo (And then afterwards, Akron will deal with the upstart that wants their division championship...)
10/20 @ Kent State (...and finish it off with their oldest rivals.)
11/23 @ Ohio (Akron could either be competing for another MAC East title, or be stuck just fighting for a bowl berth. Either way, this will be a big one.)

Bottom line: All coach Terry Bowden really has to do this summer is find some help for Kato Nelson on offense. If he does, Akron could surprise people again with another run at the MAC East title. The key is getting out of that non-conference slate undamaged.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bowling Green

Preview segment: The Bowling Green Falcons

Last season: A miserable 2-10 record. For context, Dino Babers won 9 MAC games in his 2 years at Bowling Green. Mike Jinks has now won only 6 games TOTAL over there. Needless to say, he better get it going and quick.

Good news: QB Jarret Doege SHOULD have a better year; he has Scott Miller at WR and a stacked O-line.

Bad news: Special teams might be a worry as time goes on. But the biggest worries are about the D-line and it's lack of size.

Non-conference slate: Yikes (Look at this: @ Oregon, Maryland, and @ Georgia Tech. Not as bad as Akron's [since they DO host one of these], but that slate's still gonna be a hurdle.)

Key games:
9/15 vs. Eastern Kentucky (Bowling Green lost to FCS South Dakota last year. Plus, if the Falcons can't stop this FCS team, how in the hell will they survive against those "Power 5" teams?)
9/22 vs. Miami-Ohio (Oooo... Wait a minute! If the Falcons can upset Miami-Ohio [like they did last season], then September might turn out all right for Mike Jinks and crew.)
10/6 @ Toledo (Don't be surprised that Toledo and Bowling Green are having the "Battle of I-75" this early. Back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's these two used to play each other all the time in early October.)
11/10 @ Central Michigan (If all goes well, Bowling Green will be fighting for a bowl berth by the time they get to Mt. Pleasant.)

Bottom line: I don't think Bowling Green wants to make a coaching change right now, so they're hoping that the defense will improve sufficiently enough for the Falcons to make a run at the postseason. But the East division title? No chance.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Toledo

The final preview segment for the MAC: The Toledo Rockets

Last season: Excluding their bowl game, everything came up roses for Toledo in 2017; they had a great time with Logan Woodside at the helm, with 11 victories and a ton of passing yards. Most importantly, they fulfilled their preseason promise of a MAC championship (their first since 2004).
But now, Uh oh! Where did Woodside go? Can Toledo defend the title without him around?

Good news: Well, the secondary and the wide-receivers say yes; the secondary is deep and has 4 starters back. As for WR, Diontae Johnson and Cody Thompson are just two of the playmakers Toledo has over there.

Bad news: It's pretty freaking obvious; how will Toledo replace Woodside? His replacement is not set up yet, and whoever Toledo chooses will be rather untested.

2018 X-factor: The defensive line- There's some talent on Toledo's D-line, but depth is a bit of a worry. So is it's lack of experience. But if the D-line DOES hold it together, I think the team will be A-OK.

Non-conference schedule- A little rough (The Nevada game is very winnable. Going to Fresno State will be hard, but winning there won't be impossible. However, even though it's in Toledo, playing Miami again won't be pleasant.)

Key games:
9/29 @ Fresno State (And speaking of the Fresno game, it could be a BIG confidence boost for Toledo's new QB if he breaks that Bulldog defense.)
10/25 @ Western Michigan (Careful, Toledo! The Broncos could be on a major roll by the time you visit Kalamazoo.)
11/7 @ Northern Illinois (Once again, this rivalry game could decide the MAC West title.)
11/23 vs. Central Michigan (Maybe the hardest home MAC game the Rockets will have this year, if only because CMU could be playing for a bowl berth here.)

Bottom line: Hmmm... As you can see, NIU and Western Michigan are realistically the only MAC teams that can give the Rockets trouble in the conference race. So if Toledo can solve it's QB woes, they'll be right there in the MAC race as they shoot for a repeat title. Trust me: The November 7th game against NIU will decide everything.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

MAC Predictions

So here it is: My final post on this thread before I leave to do separate threads for the "Power 5". But that probably won't happen until tomorrow, so 'till then let's look at how the MAC will go in 2018:

MAC East:
1. Ohio (Conference champs)
2. Buffalo
3. Akron
4. Miami-Ohio
5. Bowling Green
6. Kent State

MAC West:
1. Toledo
2. Northern Illinois
3. Western Michigan
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Central Michigan
6. Ball State

...And I'm done! Don't forget, the Southeastern Conference previews begin on Monday on another thread. So... I guess this thread's all yours.