Since 1997 only one program has captured the conference title: Marshall. Four years. Four MAC championships. Four Motor City Bowl invitations. Another team winning the league championship seems almost unthinkable. The bar has been raised to the point that even when another team is picked to finish first -- the media has selected Toledo to knock the Thundering Herd off its perch -- they still seem like the underdog to Marshall.
"I like them in our league, but I hate them at the same time," said first-year Toledo coach Tom Amstutz. "They've been very good for our league because they've made us all better."
Yes, everyone has improved to the point where the league now has a pair of bowl tie-ins: The Motor City and the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. That bodes well for teams on the rise like Ohio, whose paralyzing option attack is difficult to prepare for. Then there's Akron, who came up a game short in snatching the East title away from Marshall and may have to wait a while before they can get back into contention. A suicide schedule with road games against Ohio State, Purdue, Marshall and Central Florida doesn't help.
Game of the Year: Western Michigan at Toledo. The West Division title could be on the line as Western Michigan, who lost to Marshall in the MAC title game, faces Chester Taylor and league favorite Toledo on Nov. 6.
Offensive Player of Year: Byron Leftwich, Marshall. Last year, his first as a starter following the departure of Heisman candidate Chad Pennington, Leftwich put together a season to remember. He threw for 3,358 yards and 21 touchdowns and coach Bob Pruett believes he could end up being the best quarterback to ever play in the MAC.
Defensive Player of Year: Max Yates, Marshall. A first-team All-MAC selection at linebacker, Yates recorded 115 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss. With Yates roaming the field, the Herd will once again have one of the leagues best defenses.
Rodney McKissic covers the MAC for the Buffalo News.
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