Russ Heltman --
Preseason Mid-American Confernce title expectations.
It’s becoming an annual recognition for the Ohio Bobcats football program, which under the guise of Frank Solich has gone from national laughingstock to perennial bowl contender and 2019 is no different. Despite major losses on offense and minor ones on defense, Nathan Rourke and the Bobcats have been picked to play in Detroit for the third straight season. It’s become a black mark of sorts as Ohio has failed to make it to Ford Field since their 2016 showdown against the undefeated Western Michigan Broncos. A classic MAC battle that sent the Bobcats home empty-handed following a narrow 29-23 loss to P.J. Fleck’s squad.
After back-to-back late-season letdowns that left Ohio on the outside looking in, the conference is seemingly there’s for the taking. In the West Division, the reigning champion Northern Illinois Huskies lost MAC Defensive Player of the Year Sutton Smith to the NFL Draft and head coach Rod Carey to Temple. Meanwhile Buffalo, last year’s surprise East Division champion lost the MAC Offensive Player of the Year in QB Tyree Jackson, his favorite target in WR Anthony Johnson, and the Bulls top defender in LB Khalil Hodge.
The last thing Coach Solich has to conquer is that elusive MAC Championship but there are a few roadblocks on the path to a title.
@ Buffalo: Oct. 5th
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