Turning Potential Into Progress: 2026 MAC Preview, Part I
Grit and tenacity will define teams like Bowling Green and Central Michigan this season
Each season, I’ve written our #MACtion preview and thought that there is no greater challenge in our sport than winning in this conference. The conference consistently produces good coaches and star players…only to watch them leave for programs with infinitely more resources and budget.
Life in the MAC is gritty, it’s tenacious, and it’s scrappy. The more I think about it, the MAC might literally be the ideal backbone of what still makes college football great, at least for sickos like us.
So the goal, then, isn’t to try and convince you that a MAC team can make the playoff (like I did last year), but rather to give alumni a nail to hang their hat on and CFB fans a reason to tune in to the major storylines: like Sacramento State playing a conference game in Mount Pleasant, Michigan…in November…on a Wednesday night.
And if I happen to convince some of y’all to pick a MAC team for your CFB27 dynasty, well that’s a bonus.
Because at the end of the day, you can bank on a MAC team picking off an unsuspecting P4 squad (We called Ohio over WVU last year, no big deal), and we can all enjoy settling in on a Tuesday night in the fall to watch Kent State and Eastern Michigan.
Grab your hard hats and lunch pails, it’s time to dive into our 2026 #MACtion Preview.
*Editors note: the MAC is previewed in alphabetical order. If your email client clipped the article, click here to view it in it’s entirety.
Find our other conference previews here: PAC-12 Preview | CUSA Preview | American PI | American PII | Sun Belt East | Sun Belt West
Akron Zips
2025 in Review
Despite a postseason ban due to academic issues, 2025 had to feel like that first thunderstorm after a long drought for Zips’ fans. Joe Moorhead led Akron to a 5-7 season that included a homecoming win over Central Michigan, a pounding of UMass, and a victory in the finale over Bowling Green. While Moorhead’s record now stands at a measly 13-31 in his tenure, the fact that those five wins nearly matched the eight wins over the previous three campaigns is objectively a sign of progress.
Key Storylines
Reese Poffenbarger FINALLY gets his shot. CFB fans will remember how he tore it up in 2022 and 2023 at Albany, but has since transferred to Miami and North Texas, only to ride the bench. Reese has a big arm and if he can officially beat out youngster Brayden Roggow, the Zips could be a threat through the air. He has some explosive young wide receivers at his disposal, plus Jordan Gant returned after a 1,000 yard season on the ground.
Can the secondary rebuild through the portal? Most of the MAC plays decent enough defense (Toledo (37th) and Ohio (66th) had the best offenses), and that was true for Akron last year. But after losing nearly all of their production at LB and corner, Akron needs transfers like Shamar McNeil (Mizzou) to have an immediate impact. Along the line, the Zips are thrilled that EDGE Cyrus Durham (3 sacks) and DT Ronald Hull (2.5 sacks, 1 FF) are back to anchor the trenches.
Schedule at a Glance
Akron didn’t get many favors from the league office, playing five of the top six contenders in the conference (they skip Toledo). The Zips will need to beat Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, and UMass plus pull off a pretty shocking upset to reach bowl eligibility. It’s not impossible, but another 5-7 record would be a success in my estimation.
One Prediction for 2026
Poffenbarger finally gets his starting chance and the Zips achieve a top 70 passing offense.
Ball State Cardinals
2025 in Review
Not much went right for Mike Uremovich in his first season in Muncie. The Cardinals were positively lifeless on offense and finished dead last in the nation in scoring (15.8 ppg). They did manage to upset Ohio and beat Akron on homecoming, but a three game losing streak ushered the Cardinals into another long offseason. To make it more frustrating, everyone who had accomplished something left town. The Cardinals return just four starters overall. If 2026 is going to be better, they’ll need an exciting jump start from…
Key Storylines
Transfer QB Keldric Luster could be the spark the offense needs. Luster is an absolute unit, weighing north of 225 pounds and standing shy of 5-foot-10. Still, Luster is a dynamic athlete who originally committed to SMU and then transferred to Texas State. He’ll get his first chance at starting action for the Cardinals, who passed for just 139 yards/game last season (130th). The offensive line has been rebuilt through the FCS and DII ranks, meaning that time to pass and running lanes for TJ Horton and Johnny Thompson (Kansas) may be more of a constant.
Dare I say, the defense might be average for the Cards? Uremovich built his entire reputation on overachieving throughout his career. He’s built winners at St. Francis (NAIA) and Butler (FCS) before taking the job at Ball State, so there is certainly hope for the Muncie faithful. If Ball State is going to make any noise this year, it will likely be thanks to a defense that brought in a number of transfers from power four of successful G6 programs. The defensive line will be large, and the Cardinals brought in multiple secondary transfers from schools like Ohio State (Diante Griffin) and Purdue (Sterling Smith).
Schedule at a Glance
To reach a bowl game, Ball State might need to start hot after a buy game at Ohio State. Stony Brook, at Liberty, and at Kent State probably need to be wins to get to 6-6 overall. If they can’t beat the Flames, home games against Buffalo and Central Michigan might provide the next best options.
One Prediction for 2026
Ball State football shows real signs of life in year two, but a bowl game is still another year away.
Bowling Green Falcons
2025 in Review
Similarly to Ball State, the offense was hard to watch for the Falcons in year one of the Eddie George era. The passing game was the worst offender, averaging only 158 yards per game. Yet, the Falcons still managed to upset Toledo, beat Liberty, and annihilate UMass for three of their four wins. The roster turnover is massive, but there are some lively new transfers that could give Bowling Green fans a reason to dream of a bowl game.
Key Storylines
So who brings the juice on offense? George struggled to find any semblance of an answer at QB last season, so in comes Austin Novosad (Oregon) to try to provide the solution. Novosad was a former Baylor commit who flipped to Oregon on signing day, only to throw just 12 passes over a three year stretch. Coming out of Dripping Springs HS (TX), he was one of the fastest rising prep stars. Bowling Green will hope that he can pair with RBs Austyn Dendy and Ke’Marion Baldwin (Charleston Southern) to create a dynamic backfield.
The Falcons return just enough on defense to build around. While the SP+ numbers will say they only return 38% of production, the Falcons have playmakers at each level. While Gideon “ESPN” Lampeon transferred to Colorado, the Falcons can turn to Dorian Pringle as a key returner at LB. Eriq George and and EDGE Myles Bradley will lead the defensive line, while DB Arhman Hale (NMSU) will join pre-season All MAC honors in JoJo Johnson and Kal-El Pascal in the secondary.
Schedule at a Glance
The nonconference schedule is incredibly tricky, and while Bowling Green fans might assume they’ll compete with Tarleton State (FCS playoff team) and Iowa State (complete rebuild), there is a real case for the Falcons to get swept. They might even start 0-5 after a MAC opener at Miami OH. Now, before BG fans get mad at me, read this: I like the Falcons in six of the seven remaining games. Other than the road trip to Western Michigan, Bowling Green could certainly run the table if the talent meshes the way that it does on paper.
One Prediction for 2026
My prediction for the Falcons starts with that MASSIVE qualifier named above. The ceiling for the Falcons could be 7-8 wins, and I think that we get glimpses of one of the more talented rosters in the MAC en route to a bowl game.
Buffalo Bulls
2025 in Review
Ok, so my case for Buffalo to the playoff flamed out spectacularly. When you make an omelet (or preview 136 teams), sometimes you break a few eggs! But not only did Buffalo not make the promised land or win a MAC title, they didn’t even reach a bowl game. The offense was atrocious for the majority of the year and, despite Pete Lembo’s incredible track record, there wasn’t really anything he could do to save the season. If Buffalo is going to have 2025 be a “one-off” type of season, they’ll have to create a new recipe for success with a ton of new players.
Key Storylines
Aside from the secondary, it’s name tags and handshakes. Lembo even has two new coordinators in Tony Tokarz and Brian Dougherty as the 2026 campaign draws near. But out of all the units to return a good majority of the production, the secondary was the clear winner. Buffalo finished 23rd in the country in pass prevention (getting star freshman Kobi Blackwell back was huge), but they’ll need help from new faces in the front seven if they’re to repeat that performance. There is hope that the DII transfers will bring an impressive amount of production with them, especially off the edge with Logan Goodwin (IUP).
Who’s driving the bus? Buffalo juuust barely managed 24 points per game last year, but their offense truly was bi-polar. When they scored 28 or more, they won. When they didn’t, they lost. Lembo needs improved explosiveness (85th in 20+ yard plays) and more consistency from his signal caller, and with Ta’Quan Roberson gone, it will once again be a new face taking over. The streets are buzzing that Wingate transfer Elijah Holmes might give Buffalo the highest ceiling. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, metrics that Buffalo would welcome with open arms.
Schedule at a Glance
Getting to a bowl game shouldn’t be a problem for Buffalo if they play average football. The only sure-fire loss in nonconference play is Penn State, and their MAC schedule is seemingly divided between top of the table teams (WMU, Toledo, Miami OH) and cellar dwellers like UMass and Akron.
One Prediction for 2026
Buffalo takes their time figuring out the offense, but a bowl game is in the cards for Pete Lembo as he posts his second winning record for the Bulls.
Central Michigan Chippewas
2025 in Review
Matt Drinkall’s group kept the status quo last year when it came to featuring the ground game, finishing 60th in the country. The passing game wasn’t nearly as explosive and pretty much relied on dinks and dunks against poor competition. The defense, however, was another story. They finished 54th in scoring prevention after a hapless season in 2024 (98th) and 2023 (107th). All told, Drinkall took the Chips back to their first winning season and bowl game since 2021, a nice step forward indeed.
Key Storylines
Expect more of the ground and pound offense behind new QB Angel Flores. Flores finished as the second leading rusher for the Chippewas last season (527 yards and 8 TDs), and now may fully have the ability to chase a 1,000 yard campaign. Sound like a pipe dream? It shouldn’t thanks to the Great Wall of Mount Pleasant that returns. Seven of the Chips’ OL that logged a start are back, and CMU went to the portal to add even more depth from the FCS ranks. The featured tailback should be Holy Cross transfer Jayden Clerveaux (1729 yards, 16 TDs), but don’t forget about freshman Brock Townsend who had over 400 yards and 4 TDs last season.
The defense is essentially starting over after a sensational campaign in 2025. The Chippewas sent multiple All-MAC players to the NFL and waved goodbye to several DBs who engineered a top 50 pass defense. Drinkall and DC Sean Cronin scoured the FCS, Juco, and even NAIA ranks to rebuild the unit, and while they found some potential gems like CB Donavan Phillips (Campbell), a whole lot of guys will have to prove they can produce immediately.
Schedule at a Glance
Outside of a nonconference game against Miami (FL), you could see the Chips going on a run if it all comes together. They’ll road trip to New Mexico and host Wyoming, and they’ll get their shot at Miami (OH) and WMU at home.
One Prediction for 2026
The defense takes a noticeable step back, but the ground game carries the Chippewas to another winning season.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
2025 in Review
Last season was rough for the Eagles of Eastern Michigan, but they did win two of their final three games and Head Coach Chris Creighton seems to have found his QB in Noah Kim. Even still, the Eagles will need to see their offense continue to improve after finishing just 98th in scoring (24.1 ppg) and the defense find some sort of consistency after surrendering nearly 30 a game. While it hasn’t looked great the last three season specifically, Creighton has the track record and new investment (shoutout Maxx Crosby) to rebuild the Eagles into a threat in the MAC.
Key Storylines
Guess who leads the MAC in returning production? That’s right, your Eastern Michigan Eagles. Noah Kim is back as QB1, the offensive line could be in ok shape (despite losing All-MAC guard Mickey Rewolinski), and several quality pass catchers like Nick Deveraux (510 yards, 7 TDs) return. The defense was literally dead last in stopping the run last year, but perhaps there is a case to be made for so many veterans coming back to level up their performance. The defense just threw warm bodies onto the field in 2025, but the vast majority of players who made at least one start are back. That’s got to count for something, right?
Who takes the reins on the ground? Donte McMillian is gone to the NFL after a 1,000 yard season, and the experience left isn’t great. However, Braydon Bennett (Va Tech) was really solid at Coastal Carolina in 2024. After not getting a real opportunity in Blacksburg, he could jumpstart his career once again in Ypsilanti. Joey Mattord was on the roster last season, and Malachi James (Syracuse) arrived to round out the stable.
Schedule at a Glance
The Eagles get the distinction of welcoming Sacramento State to 1) the FBS and 2) the MAC (still processing that one) in a season opening conference game. After that, you can certainly see why EMU could be a few wins away from a run at the top of the MAC. They draw the previously mentioned Hornets, Akron, UMass, and Kent State.
One Prediction for 2026
I’ve seen Eastern Michigan picked as low as 12th in the MAC, but thanks to a softer schedule, I’ll pick the Eagles to finish in the middle of the pack.
Kent State Golden Flashes
2025 in Review
Mark Carney should never have to buy a drink in Kent again. After the Golden Flashes had fallen to the actual bottom of our sport, Carney took over a program that was 1-23 over the last two seasons and won five games. The Golden Flashes found their QB, their optimism, and a dream of bowl eligibility once again – all three of which return for the 2026 season.
Key Storylines
In Dru DeShields we trust. How does 18 TDs to just 3 INTs sound for your first year as starter? Dru DeShields really was a bit of a revelation (and a total surprise) for Kent State last season, and he’s got some of his favorite supporting cast returning as well. Three offensive line starters are back, as are WRs Wayne Harris and dynamic return man Da’Realest Clark. The line will need to help the running game get going if a bowl game is on the cards (131st last year), but the vision is there.
Flashes’ defense should be better up the middle. Giving up nearly 34 points per game isn’t ideal, but Carney might have balled on a budget in the portal. He returns key pieces in his secondary, while Nate Gregory (Coastal) and Hayden Dawahare (Kentucky) transfer in to anchor the linebacker position. It’s very fair to still have concerns on the corners and up front for Kent State, but anything to marginally improve the defense would be welcome.
Schedule at a Glance
If the dream is getting back to a bowl game, Kent State will have to stay focused in between taking their lumps. South Carolina, Ohio State, WMU, South Florida, and Miami OH are all penciled in as losses (although it is the MAC and anything can happen), so the Flashes will need to pick off an upset or two along the way.
One Prediction for 2026
Carney continues to validate his promotion to head coach, but the Flashes fall just shy of a bowl game.