Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked Third in MAC's East Division
July 31, 2006 | Football
July 31, 2006
DETROIT, Mich. (BGSUFalcons.com) - The members of the Mid-American Conference News Media Association have had their say, and the Bowling Green State University football team has been picked to finish third in the MAC's East Division in 2006. The announcement was made Monday morning (July 31) at the league's annual media day, held at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Hotel.
The Falcons received two first-place votes and a total of 196 points in the poll, trailing Akron and Miami in the East Division. Those three schools finished in a three-way tie for the division crown in 2005, with the Zips earning the East Division berth in the MAC Championship game by virtue of the league's third tiebreaker, winning percentage of cross-division foes.
The Zips garnered 35 first-place votes and 282 total points, while the RedHawks picked up 235 points and 11 first-place votes. Ohio (176 pts., two FPV), Kent State (97 pts.) and Buffalo (64 pts.) rounded out the East Division predictions.
Northern Illinois was the media choice to win the West Division, picking up 286 total points and 39 first-place votes. The Huskies also were the popular choice to win the MAC's championship game in late November.
Head coach Gregg Brandon, senior defensive lineman Devon Parks and redshirt junior center Kory Lichtensteiger represented the Falcons at the league's media gathering.
"The polls don't really mean much," said Brandon. "It doesn't matter where you start, just where you finish."
Parks
"Being here at the media day and seeing everybody gets me motivated for the season," he said. "We have been preparing for the season and are looking forward to getting things started.
"We have seven new starters on defense. We are going to be a young defense, but we will be a fast defense that plays with an attitude. We can't wait to get going."
Lichtensteiger moves to center this season after starting all 11 games at left guard last fall.
"It's going to take some time to get used to (the position switch)," said Lichtensteiger. "Really, it's just going to take practice. I've got the entire camp to get used to it, which should be plenty of time.
"I originally played center when I came to BG, so it should just be a matter of getting into the flow of it. Snapping the ball gives you more to think about on every play."
The Falcons open the 2006 season with a Sept. 2 contest vs. Wisconsin at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The home opener is a week later (Sept. 9), and also serves as the MAC opener, as the Falcons take on Buffalo in a 3:00 p.m. contest at Perry Stadium.
The rest of the MAC schedule includes home games vs. Kent State (Sept. 23), Eastern Michigan (Oct. 14) and Miami (Nov. 15), as well as road contests vs. Ohio (Sept. 30), Central Michigan (Oct. 19), Akron (Nov. 4) and Toledo (Nov. 21). The non-conference slate, in addition to Wisconsin, includes a trio of road games vs. Florida International (Sept. 16), Ohio State (Oct. 7) and Temple (Oct. 28).
The complete MAC News Media Association poll follows...
2006 MAC NMA Preseason Football Poll
East Division School (FPV) Points 1. Akron (35) 282 2. Miami (11) 235 3. Bowling Green (2) 196 4. Ohio (2) 176 5. Kent State 97 6. Buffalo 64
West Division 1. Northern Ill. (39) 286 2. Toledo (10) 244 3. Western Michigan (1) 172 4. Central Michigan 155 5. Ball State 120 6. Eastern Michigan 73
Votes to win MAC Championship game: Northern Ill. 37 Toledo 8 Akron 3 Miami 1 Western Mich. 1
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