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Calvin Mattheis | Ohio Athletics

Ohio Football Picked to Finish First in MAC East

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The 2017 Mid-American Conference Football Preseason Poll is hot off the press and people around the MAC are noticing the Bobcats. Ohio Football was picked to win the MAC East, narrowly edging out the Miami Redhawks by two points.

Ohio Football is fresh off a stellar 2016 campaign that secured them a MAC East title and a berth in the 2016 Marathon MAC Football Championship game, where they eventually fell to the Western Michigan Broncos in a 29-23 thriller. A 31-29 loss at the hands of Troy in the 2017 Dollar General Bowl clearly didn’t hurt Ohio too much once it came time for voters to cast their ballots.

The Bobcats are returning 17 starters from last year’s 8-6 team and have an interesting new QB in Fort Scott Community College transfer Nathan Rourke who is on track to compete for the starting job with Quinton Maxwell.

Ohio’s biggest rivalry could have meaningful implications for the first time in years.

The Miami Redhawks made history last season by becoming the first team in FBS history to win their final six games after losing their first six. Voters took note as Miami edged Ohio by one first place vote, the two will matchup in a Battle of the Bricks showdown at Peden Stadium on October 31st.

In the aftermath of Western Michigan head coach P.J. Fleck’s departure to Minnesota, Toledo is poised to take over the MAC West this season. The Rockets secured 22 of 24 first place votes and were picked to win the 2017 MAC Championship game by 21 of 24 voters.

Team (First Place Votes) Points

MAC East Division

  1. Ohio (11) 131
  2. Miami (12) 129
  3. Bowling Green (1) 88
  4. Akron 79
  5. Buffalo 41
  6. Kent State 36

MAC West Division

  1. Toledo (22) 142
  2. Western Michigan (1) 107
  3. Northern Illinois (1) 89
  4. Eastern Michigan 74
  5. Central Michigan 62
  6. Ball State 30

2017 MAC Championship Game Winner: Toledo (21); Western Michigan (1); Bowling Green (1); Miami (1).

Ohio Football kicks their season off against Hampton on September, 2nd at 7 p.m. in Peden Stadium.