Every summer since 2007 I have created an intricate set of college football predictions for each upcoming season.  This year is no exception, as I will be using my blog over the next few hours to publish my 17th annual college football preview guide which will contain 18 entries in all. The records below reflect each team’s predicted regular season overall record followed by their conference record.  These records include conference title games for the two division champions but exclude bowl games which will be previewed later on in a separate column on this blog.  The teams marked in bold font are the ones predicted to gain bowl eligibility.  Without further ado, here are my predictions for the Mid-American Conference in 2023, which has become the beacon of stability in this age of conference expansion and destruction.

West Division

1	Toledo (11-2, 7-1)– conference champion

Positional Strength: Defensive Back

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Buffalo (October 31)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Miami-OH (October 21)

Bottom Line: It is hard to repeat as champion in any conference, but when you return 16 starters, including your starting quarterback, running back, top two receivers, and top tackler, from a team that won the league with east last year, it becomes pretty hard to pick against them. Their opener against Illinois on the road may be the only blockade between the Rockets and an undefeated season in 2023.

2	Central Michigan (6-6, 5-3)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Ohio (November 15)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Western Michigan (November 7)

Bottom Line: This is one of my top 10 surprise picks for 2023 (see article on that in a few days), as I am predicting Jim McElwain’s team to bounce back from their 4-8 campaign to attain bowl eligibility thanks to an experienced offensive line and defense.

3	Eastern Michigan (7-5, 4-4)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Ball State (October 7)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Central Michigan (September 30)

Bottom Line: Coach Chris Creighton doesn’t get enough credit for turning one of the MAC’s former bottom feeders into a perennial league contender. This year’s squad loses its starting quarterback and best defender but should be able to once again attain bowl eligibility thanks to a very manageable schedule that includes non-conference games against Howard, UMass, and Jacksonville State.

4	Northern Illinois (5-7, 3-5)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Ball State (October 7)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Central Michigan (September 30)

Bottom Line: As stated in my preseason facts and tidbits article, in 2021, Northern Illinois had the 4th best offense in the MAC East and the worst defense and turnover margin, yet they won the division title. Last year, they improved in all three of those categories (2nd in turnover margin, 3rd in offense, and 4th in defense) and they finished in last place in the division!  It seems like Thomas Hammock’s tenure has been marred by extreme highs and lows throughout his four year tenure in DeKalb. This year I am calling for more lows, as this team will likely be an underdog in four of its first five games and can’t seem to keep its star quarterback (Rocky Lombardi) healthy.

5	Western Michgian (2-10, 2-6)

Positional Strength: Defensive Back

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Central Michigan (November 7)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. St. Francis (August 31)- an opening weekend FCS shocker!

Bottom Line: I am predicting things to go from bad to worse in Kalamazoo, as this team returns a lot of players from a really bad offense (124th in the country) and loses its entire defense (only 2 returning starters) which was the strength of this squad in 2022.

6	Ball State (2-10, 1-7)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kent State (November 18)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Central Michigan (Ocotber 21)

Bottom Line: Other than its miraculous MAC title run during the Covid year, this program has been mediocre to bad over the past decade. I don’t see much sign for hope this season either, as the Cardinals have to replace their starting quarterback, running back, and top receiver while opening the season at Kentucky and Georgia.

East Division

1	Ohio (7-6, 6-2)- conference runner-up

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Miami-OH (October 28)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Central Michigan (November 15)

Bottom Line: I feel pretty weak predicting the same two division champions as this league saw in 2022, but even though my computer ratings rated both Buffalo and Miami of Ohio ahead of the Bobcats, Ohio has the more advantageous schedule as it avoids Toledo.

2	Miami-OH (9-3, 6-2)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Toledo (October 21)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Buffalo (November 15)

Bottom Line: Brett Gabbert is back for his seemingly 25th season in Oxford, but can he stay healthy? If he does, then the Redhawks will compete for the conference crown, but I think inexperience in their offensive line and secondary will cause them to fall just short of a division title.

3	Bowling Green (6-6, 5-3)

Positional Strength:Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Buffalo (October 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Liberty (September 2)

Bottom Line: Scott Lefller has done an incredible job turning around this program around the past couple of seasons, but in order to keep the positive momentum going, the Falcons will have to navigate a brutal early season schedule that features road trips to Liberty, Michigan, Georgia Tech, Miami-OH, and Buffalo as well as a home game against the defending division champion, Ohio.  As a result, getting back to a bowl game will prove difficult for this squad, but I am calling for them to do just that thanks to a potent passing attack led by a former SEC and Big Ten quarterback.

4	Buffalo (7-5, 5-3)

Positional Strength:Defensive Back

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Ohio (November 7)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Akron (September 30)

Bottom Line: The Bulls have had a couple of down years in 2021 and 2022 compared to how they’ve historically contended for MAC titles on a perennial basis.  Buffalo once again has the talent to win the MAC in 2023, but with an inexperienced receiving corps, linebacking corps, and defensive backfield, I am predicting some inconsistent results this season.

5	Akron (4-8, 3-5)

Positional Strength:Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Buffalo (September 30)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Central Michigan (October 14)

Bottom Line: Joe Moorhead is too good of a coach not to get this program turned around eventually, but it is difficult to overcome a multi-year stretch in which your team was arguably the worst FBS squad in the country.  This year, a potent passing game and an experienced secondary should create a more competitive football team with an improved record. 

6	Kent State (2-10, 1-7)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Northern Illinois (November 25)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Akron (November 1)

Bottom Line: No team in the country was hurt by the transfer portal more than the Golden Flashes as they saw their head coach join Deion Sanders’ “Louis Vuiton” staff and all of the baggage left town with him.  This team actually returns zero offensive starters, which I am not sure has ever happened before  It will be a long season for this squad in 2023.