Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Tabbed for Fifth in East
July 25, 2007 | Football
July 25, 2007
DETROIT, Mich. -
The Mid-American Conference 'experts' have had their say, and the Bowling Green State University football team has been picked to finish fifth in the MAC's East Division in the 2007 season. The MAC News Media Association Preseason Poll was announced at the league's football media day at Ford Field in downtown Detroit Wednesday (July 25).
The Falcons were represented in Detroit by head coach Gregg Brandon and student-athletes Kory Lichtensteiger and Loren Hargrove. The trio answered questions from a veritable plethora of media members during the morning's events.
Ohio was picked to win the East Division, while Western Michigan was tabbed to capture the West Division in the 2007 season.
In a photo finish race, WMU was tabbed to edge in-state rival and defending MAC Champion Central Michigan for the West title. Ohio was given the nod to defend its East Division trophy, but by a slim margin over an up-and-coming Kent State squad.
In the West, Toledo and Ball State, selected third and fourth respectively, received enough support to garner challengers status. The Cardinals finished strong last season, winning three of their last four games with an eight-point loss at Michigan the lone defeat. Northern Illinois was tabbed fifth and Eastern Michigan sixth. The Huskies have a league-best current streak of seven consecutive winning seasons and played in the Poinsettia Bowl last year.
In the East, Akron and Miami earned the third and fourth slots, respectively, as possible threats to seize Ohio's crown. Bowling Green was voted fifth, MAC newcomer Temple sixth and Buffalo seventh.
The balance in the overall voting is reflected with 10 of the 13 teams receiving at least one vote from the field of 36 pollsters to win their respective division and seven teams on track to win the championship game.
The top teams in the preseason poll each played in a bowl game last season and hope to repeat with a berth in the of the three bowl tie ins the MAC has. Western Michigan played in the inaugural International Bowl in Toronto, Central Michigan won the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, and Ohio competed in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
For the 2007 season, as was the case in 2000 and 2001 when the MAC was at 13 teams, the league will play an unbalanced conference schedule, with divisional games being the primary factor in determining a divisional champion. Cross-over games within the conference will serve as a tie-breaker in the event that head-to-head results do not determine the divisional championship.
The Marathon MAC Football Championship game will be played Saturday, Dec. 1, at Ford Field in Detroit. The MAC has not had a repeat champion since Marshall in 2000. In addition, the balance of the league is reflected in the fact that nine different schools have appeared in a bowl game since 2004.
The Falcons' 2007 season opens on Saturday, Sept. 1, at Minnesota. BGSU's home opener is Sept. 22 against Temple.
The complete poll follows, with points and first-place votes received...
2007 MNMA FB Poll
WEST DIVISION (6-5-4-3-2-1 point value)
1. WMU 175 15
2. CMU 173 10
3. Toledo 138 6
4. Ball St. 134 4
5. NIU 90 1
6. EMU 46 -
EAST DIVISION (7-6-5-4-3-2-1 point value)
1. Ohio 216 15
2. KSU 203 13
3. Akron 171 6
4. Miami 163 1
5. BGSU 130 -
6. Temple 64 1
7. Buffalo 61 -
MAC Championship Game Winner:
Western Michigan 11
Central Michigan 10
Ohio 6
Toledo 5
Kent State 2
Akron 1
Temple 1
(portions of this release courtesy MAC office)
