The defending champs are an overwhelming favorite to take home the MAC crown once again in 2024.
The more things stay the same, the more things wind up changing.
It’s a new landscape in the Mid-American Conference in 2024, as the conference has eschewed the East and West divisions in favor of a pod scheduling system during the offseason. The change is an effort to ensure every team can play each other over a three-year stretch and make the title game more competitive.
Despite all the changes, the favorite to win is the team you might expect: the Miami RedHawks.
Last year’s MAC Champions took down the AP-ranked Toledo Rockets in the nationally-televised title tilt in 2023, and are set to return almost every piece of the team which helped them get there, including Brett Gabbert, Matt Salopek and Raion Strader.
The RedHawks and Rockets were the only teams to draw first-place votes.
The 78th season of MAC football kicks off on Thursday, August 29th with four FCS tune-ups and concludes with the 28th MAC Football Championship game— now played between the top two teams in conference winning percentage— will be held on Saturday, December 7th at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.
Full Coaches Poll:
1. Miami RedHawks (nine first-place votes): 119 points
2. Toledo Rockets (three): 109 points
t-3. Bowling Green Falcons: 92 points
t-3. Northern Illinois Huskies: 92 points
5. Ohio Bobcats: 81 points
6. Eastern Michigan Eagles: 64 points
7. Western Michigan Broncos: 60 points
8. Central Michigan Chippewas: 59 points
9. Ball State Cardinals: 42 points
10. Buffalo Bulls: 37 points
11. Akron Zips: 24 points
12. Kent State Golden Flashes: 13 points
Conference Champion: Miami (10 votes), Toledo (two votes)