Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Picked To Win MAC East In Preseason Football Poll
July 29, 2015 | Football
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DETROIT, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University Falcons were picked to win the Mid-American Conference East Division in the preseason media poll, announced on Wednesday (July 29) morning prior to the league's annual media day event at Ford Field. The Falcons garnered 160 total votes, including 18-of-24 first place votes. The University of Toledo was selected to win the MAC West Division and meet the Falcons in the Marathon MAC Championship Game in Detroit on December 4.
In the East Division, two-time defending East Champion Bowling Green was selected first with 160 total points followed by three teams separated by only five points. Ohio and Akron tied for second with 118 points, while UMass placed fourth with 113 points.
In the West Division, Toledo was selected first in the Division in a narrow race by only one point over Western Michigan and only nine points separated the top three teams including five-time defending West Champion Northern Illinois. Toledo placed first with 121 points, while Western Michigan was second with 120 points and Northern Illinois third with 113 points.
This obviously reflects on the competitive nature of the MAC. In the last five years the conference has witnessed five different programs compete in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game and in the last four years 10 different MAC football programs have appeared in a bowl game.
Bowling Green garnered 18 first-place votes en route to the favorite spot in the East Division. The Falcons return 46 letter winners and 18 starters from last year's 8-6 team that won the MAC East Division for the second consecutive year and won the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl with a 33-28 win over South Alabama. Second-year head coach Dino Babers will look for quarterback Matt Johnson to lead the Falcons coming off a season missed by injury, while running back Travis Greene rushed for 949 yards and 12 scores and wide receiver Roger Lewis hauled in 73 receptions for 1,094 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ohio (one first place vote) and Akron (two first place votes) tied for second in the East Division and totaled 118 total points, while UMass ranked fourth with three first place votes and 113 total points. Buffalo finished fifth with 70 points, followed by Miami and Kent State.
The 2015 season kicks off on Thursday, September 3 with four non-conference games.
The 2015 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game is Friday, December 4 at 8:00 pm from Ford Field in Detroit.
The complete poll follows:
Team (First Place Votes)...Points
MAC East Division
1-Bowling Green (18)...160
T2-Ohio (1)...118
T2-Akron (2) ...118
4-UMass (3)...113
5-Buffalo ... 70
6-Miami...47
7-Kent State... 46
MAC West Division
1-Toledo (11)... 121
2-Western Michigan (8)...120
3-Northern Illinois (4)...113
4-Ball State ...66
5-Central Michigan (1)... 56
6-Eastern Michigan ...28
2015 Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner: Toledo (9); Western Michigan (8); Northern Illinois (6); Central Michigan (1).
DETROIT, Ohio—The Bowling Green State University Falcons were picked to win the Mid-American Conference East Division in the preseason media poll, announced on Wednesday (July 29) morning prior to the league's annual media day event at Ford Field. The Falcons garnered 160 total votes, including 18-of-24 first place votes. The University of Toledo was selected to win the MAC West Division and meet the Falcons in the Marathon MAC Championship Game in Detroit on December 4.
In the East Division, two-time defending East Champion Bowling Green was selected first with 160 total points followed by three teams separated by only five points. Ohio and Akron tied for second with 118 points, while UMass placed fourth with 113 points.
In the West Division, Toledo was selected first in the Division in a narrow race by only one point over Western Michigan and only nine points separated the top three teams including five-time defending West Champion Northern Illinois. Toledo placed first with 121 points, while Western Michigan was second with 120 points and Northern Illinois third with 113 points.
This obviously reflects on the competitive nature of the MAC. In the last five years the conference has witnessed five different programs compete in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game and in the last four years 10 different MAC football programs have appeared in a bowl game.
Bowling Green garnered 18 first-place votes en route to the favorite spot in the East Division. The Falcons return 46 letter winners and 18 starters from last year's 8-6 team that won the MAC East Division for the second consecutive year and won the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl with a 33-28 win over South Alabama. Second-year head coach Dino Babers will look for quarterback Matt Johnson to lead the Falcons coming off a season missed by injury, while running back Travis Greene rushed for 949 yards and 12 scores and wide receiver Roger Lewis hauled in 73 receptions for 1,094 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ohio (one first place vote) and Akron (two first place votes) tied for second in the East Division and totaled 118 total points, while UMass ranked fourth with three first place votes and 113 total points. Buffalo finished fifth with 70 points, followed by Miami and Kent State.
The 2015 season kicks off on Thursday, September 3 with four non-conference games.
The 2015 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game is Friday, December 4 at 8:00 pm from Ford Field in Detroit.
The complete poll follows:
Team (First Place Votes)...Points
MAC East Division
1-Bowling Green (18)...160
T2-Ohio (1)...118
T2-Akron (2) ...118
4-UMass (3)...113
5-Buffalo ... 70
6-Miami...47
7-Kent State... 46
MAC West Division
1-Toledo (11)... 121
2-Western Michigan (8)...120
3-Northern Illinois (4)...113
4-Ball State ...66
5-Central Michigan (1)... 56
6-Eastern Michigan ...28
2015 Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner: Toledo (9); Western Michigan (8); Northern Illinois (6); Central Michigan (1).
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