Tag: college-football

MAC preview for the 2025 Football Season.

Welcome to the first article since my announcement of being the writer for MAC content on Smee Sports. Here are the previews of all the 13 football teams in the Mid American Conference this season.

Akron

After finishing 3-5 in the conference, we will advance to a new season for the Zips. They bring back quarterback Ben Finley who threw for 2,604 yards last season and had a completion percentage of 54.8%. His 9 interceptions to 16 touchdowns are notable statistics as well. We must acknowledge however that Akron needs to be an all-around team. The defense had 3 interceptions all season and 16 sacks. Their defense should not be considered poor, they have 844 tackles. This means their lineman can get the job done. . We’ll have to see how their journey begins when the Zips take on Wyoming at home on August 28th. As of now, the idea that Akron will be at Ford Field December 6th is far fetched.

Ball State

Their conference record of 2-6 (The 2nd worst in the MAC) and an overall record of 3-9. Led many people to note a difficult season for the Ball State Cardinals. Their quarterback who threw for 2,904 yards, and 25 touchdowns: Kadin Semonza has transferred to the Tulane Green Wave. Mike Uremovich has arrived for his first year in Muncie, Indiana. Currently the Cardinals are in a rebuilding stage of their football program. What this rebuild will look like, it is too early to tell. The Cardinals start on Saturday August 30th, yet they take on the unenviable task of facing the Purdue Boilermakers. Even with all odds against them, there still is a chance with Coach Uremovich in the future.

Bowling Green

A lot has changed and 2025 marks a clean slate for the Bowling Green Falcons. They now have Drew Pyne. He is a grad student from Notre Dame, Missouri and Arizona State. He will be at the helm of the offense this season. Pyne threw for 391 yards last season and recorded 3 touchdowns with an even 3 interceptions to follow. Last season, Harold Fannin Jr led their offense. He was the 67th overall pick in this year’s draft. Having 1,555 yards on 117 receptions. The biggest piece of new for BG this year. They will have head coach Eddie George who, like 5 other MAC schools; have a new head coach for 2025. BGSU will start their season at Doyt Perry Stadium on August 28th against the Lafayette Leopards. BG is set on Ford Field for December, we will need to see how others perform in the MAC. Including that school up north.

Buffalo

A 3rd place finish suits the Bulls well and they look to repeat dominance. Their quarterback C.J Ogbonna recorded 2,381 passing yards for the season with 19 touchdowns. He is a breakout player for Buffalo and a key factor of their offense. Running back Al-Jay Henderson returns from a season of 2,381 yards on 204 carries. The defense is solid. They recorded over 900 tackles during the entire season. They also achieved 13 interceptions and 33 sacks. Buffalo is a force to reckon with this season and they bring back two notable receivers to their resume. JJ Jenkens with 36 receptions for 536 yards, and Victor Snow who had 55 receptions for 651 yards. Given all the data, I predict Buffalo will be in the MAC championship game at Ford Field.

Central Michigan

The Chippewas finished last season with a conference record of 2-6 having conference wins against Ball State and Western Michigan. While their record struggled and they only had one non conference win. Matt Drinkall will be in charge of the program for his first season in 2025. He has 22 years of coaching experience, leading many to believe this season could be improvement at CMU. Veteran quarterback Joe Labas will return to the Maroon and Yellow on the offense. He recorded 1,114 yards passing on 160 attempts with a completion percentage of 58.8%. As for the defense Senior Jordan Kwiatkowski returns as the linebacker had 96 tackles last season. Improving on his 32 tackles in 2023. The Mount Pleasant destination is still uncertain. However, we will see their season opener on August 29th as they travel to San Jose State.

Eastern Michigan

Finishing with the same conference record as neighbor Central Michigan, but a better overall record at 5-7. The Eagles are coming into the 2025 season with big shoes to fill. Chris Creighton has led EMU since 2014 and will be a rarity in the conference. Leading a program longer than any other coach in the MAC and tied with Miami of Ohio head coach Chuck Martin. Quarterback Cole Snyder and running back Delbert Mimms III left due to graduation. They will rely on veteran wide receiver Terry Lockett jr. who had 660 yards on 46 receptions. In 2025, their new quarterback will be either Jerimiah Salem who served as a backup to Snyder last season. He recorded 126 yards on 11 attempts, with a completion percentage of 72.7%. With a lot of new and established coaching, Eastern Michigan will begin their season on August 30th as they face the Texas State Bobcats on the road.

Kent State

Dubbed the worst team in college football by Bleacher Report and many other content creators on YouTube. Kent State finished 2024 with a record of 0-12. They have won only a single game in the last two seasons, leading many to speculate. Interim head coach Mark Carney will begin to rebuild the program after years of disappointment. Many players including QB Tommy Ulatowski, WR Chrishon McCray, and S Josh Baka have transferrd to different universities. While many things are worrisome for the Golden Flashes. A positive note is they are rebuilding from their shortcomings. A new head coach, backups now becoming starters such as QB Devin Kargman. He had a 2024 record of 432 passing yards, 3 touchdowns with a QBR of 106.3 for an overall completion percentage 54.9%. While this may seem low, there was improvement as his percentage was 51.2%. KSU will not be competing for a MAC title this year based on stats. However, no rebuild happens overnight. Kargman has two more seasons of eligibility and if Kent can recruit. We will see a very different Kent State than the one we have now.

UMass

Return customers to the Mid American Conference, the Minutemen return as they had been independent since 2015. Dawning a record of 2-10 last season, they had played 5 other MAC schools. Signs were there that they would return home to the MAC, but even with a homecoming. There is still plenty of work to be done. Head Coach Joe Harasymiak will take over the program. Wide Receiver Jakobie Keeny- James will not return as he is now with the Detroit Lions. Last season he had 839 receiving yards for UMass. As at QB signs point towards AJ Hairston being the new QB for the minutemen. Last season he had a 54.8% Completion, for 480 yards and 5 touchdowns. He will definitely see the field more this season only playing in 4 games last season. Where the Minutemen will go in 2025 is to be determined but, we’ll follow along with an addition to the conference.

Miami of Ohio

Finishing 2nd in the conference last season with a record of 7-1 and an overall record of 9-5. Miami of Ohio is going to see a lot of change coming into 2025. While they still have head coach Chuck Martin who’s been their coach since 2014. One could wonder what the future hold for the RedHawks. They won the Arizona Bowl yet came short in the MAC championship with a loss to Ohio. They lose quarterback Brett Gabbert who had 2,921 passing yards all season, and they lose runningback Keyon Mozee who recorded 1,098 rushing yards. On the defensive side of the ball, their new leader will be senior Silas Walters who recorded 95 tackles last season. This is an improvement to his 34 tackles in 2023, and brings up some consideration. While the players may not be in Oxford, the leadership is. Coach Martin who’s been a coach since 1992. Has experience in the game of football.

Northern Illinois

While UMass is coming back into the Mid American Conference. NIU will join the Mountain West Conference for only football in 2026. This is the end to an era that began in 1973. A .500 record of 4-4 last season places them in the middle of the pack. They could go in any direction for their future. Upsetting College Football Playoff Finalist Notre Dame is surely a holy achievement and NIU is set for a rebuild in the right way. Head Coach Thomas Hammock is back and has led the Huskies since 2019. Key figures such as QB Ethan Hampton who transferred to Illinois and WR Trayvon Rudolph left for MAC rival Toledo. Hammock looks to start sophomore Josh Holst, who threw for 593 yards and 2 touchdowns as a true freshman. Overall, this team has lost a handful of players whether to the transfer portal or to the NFL. NIU will be a .500 team again. To be successful at the college level, you need players to develop with one team.

Ohio University

The Bobcats are on top of the Mid American Conference heading into the 2025 season. After winning it all at Ford Field for the first time since 1968. They have built a foundation over time of success. Head Coach Tim Albin has led the program since 2021 and through that time the Bobcats have a 23-16 record. Returning to Athens this season is QB Parker Navarro who had 2,423 yards with 13 touchdowns to 11 interceptions last season. He’ll continue leading the offense for this season as we see some changes to the Bobcat defense. Blake Leake will return to Ohio this season as one of the team’s best linebackers. He recorded 94 tackles last season and included an interception. Other notable names are Safety DJ Walker (he had 53 tackles and 34 solo), as well as Marcel Walker-Burgess. As the team goes into the season they battle difficult opponents, but have the ability to return to Detroit.

Toledo

Tucker Gleason is back at quarterback for the Toledo Rockets for his senior season. He had a 60.5% completion as well as 2,793 passing yards and 24 touchdowns last season, the best stats of his career. As for the run game they will be with Connor Walendzak with 458 rushing yards in 2024 on 128 carries. Now for the Rockets they also lose Daniel Bolden to graduation and Maxen Hook to the NFL. Their receiving core however is still there with Junior Vandeross III. He had 957 receiving yards last season with 5 touchdowns and averaged 11.3 yards per reception. As the main target for Toledo after last year target Jerjuan Newton went to the Broncos, the offense is as strong as ever for UT. Braden Awls returns as well defensively overall with 72 tackles as a sophomore and will be part of the backfield in 2025. Overall the testament to Toledo’s strength in the MAC will be shown as they take on the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field on August 30th.

Western Michigan

While the Bronco hockey team won their first national championship in Men’s Ice Hockey, their football team last season finished 6-7 overall (5-3 MAC). Broc Lowry appears to be the starting QB for the Broncos this season as we saw him in 5 games last season as the team would go 2-3 during those contests. Lowry also recorded a 50% completion percentage with a QBR of 72.1 and threw for 21 yards. For running back they will have Jalen Buckley who as a 2nd string last season had 683 yards and 9 rushing touchdowns. As for the defense, we see safety Tate Hallock return as he had 84 tackles last season and will be part of the WMU backfield. The coaching staff for WMU head coach Lance Taylor is back in the saddle, as he’s been there since 2023. With an overall record of 10-15 in that time, but he has the 3rd best home record in the conference. The Broncos will be heading into the new season on the side with an existing head coach and we will see if this gives them a benefit.

My experience at the 2025 MAC Kickoff

Thursday July 24th was an unforgettable day. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had in the world of media. Let’s break it down to bring you behind the scenes on what goes on during a conference media day. As well as show you my new position with Smee Sports as we transition into the school year. The day began early in the morning as I left Bowling Green that morning at around 6:30 in the morning. Battling mild Detroit traffic and getting ahead of the morning commute. I head inside to check in and register. Now everything in there from the people at the check-in desk. To the people with teams. Was professional. Suits everywhere with backpacks filled with cameras, helmets, and other media equipment. Players in their fanciest suits drinking coffee to prepare for the long day of interviews. Seeing each team walk in with their head coach, and two players (One offense and One defense). Was the sight to see. Cameras focused on their team. Also, various independent media outlets captured the action. I would fall under this category.

The highlight of the morning was looking down onto the turf at Ford Field. Watching it go from school to school on the jumbotrons was also thrilling. Sitting down looking over notes and enjoying breakfast I took in the atmosphere. Knowing I had to interview the local guys (Bowling Green and Toledo), I also wanted to include Kent State in my expedition. What I regret however is not talking with Akron. As we all had leisure time before commissioner Jon Steinbrecher gave his remarks. I left to clean up. Before heading over to the opposite end of the stadium, I saw a familiar face. Head BGSU football coach Eddie George, along with new quarterback Drew Pyne, and defensive end Eriq George walked in. I introduced myself to the group. We had a discussion on astro-turf. We also talked about how George played on the surface during his time with the Tennessee Titans.

After walking around and undertsanding the amosphere, it was time for Commissioner Steinbrecher to speak with us all. He spoke highly of the MAC in how the conference is in a new era. What he highlighted was the academic excellence. Stating the purpose of all Mid American Conference Athletes is to eventually gain a college degree. After his remarks, we disbanded. Everyone scattered whether their athletes would speak 1 one 1 with media, or film promotional content. My job was to interview our Bowling Green student athletes and here is what I learned.

Drew Pyne, who graduated from Notre Dame, and has been around in college football ever since 2020. Afterward he spent a year at Arizona State then Missouri before finally landing in Northwest Ohio. He spoke highly of Coach George and the offense. He said that the offensive line is a veteran staff. He knows he can put his trust into them. As for classes, he still takes them seriously. Even as a grad student; Pyne takes his academic career seriously as well. Now for Eriq George, entering his junior season after playing with Tennessee State under his father. He finds the academic side of college football is as serious as his play. The Bowling Green defense looks to be strong this season, and with George gaining a roster spot. The Falcons will rely heavily on their lines. Coach George, who is one of 6 new head coaches in the Mid American Conference. Discussed his expectations for the student athletes, as well as what he expects on the football field. In the classroom, Coach George wants his players in the first two rows. He insights as well they should not be wearing hoodies to make themselves presentable in a learning environment. He also expects Falcon football to “Leave places better than we found it”.

Talking with all of the players, media, and coaching staff. It was an honor getting to know their stories and backgrounds . Other notable athletes I talked with were Tucker Gleason and Emmanual McNeil-Warren, both of whom are with the Toledo Rockets. As for coaching I met not only Eddie George, but also Mark Carney who is the interim head coach with Kent State. I was fortunate enough to meet the broadcast crew for ESPN+. I also met other local broadcasters and reporters. As the day began to end, I noticed some of my connections with WTOL 11. It is a local CBS affiliated tv station based out of Toledo. While they were on the field, I asked if I could help. I was fortunate enough to hang out with them for a few minutes. Capturing the photo for this article and being in an NFL endzone were experiences I will never forget. As I left, I felt proud of all the work I have done. I realized that the best is yet to come. Now for the final announcement you have all been waiting for.

I will be the writer for all MAC content this fall. I will give you weekly articles about the conference. You will also get updates on how all the teams are doing. Join us as we prepare to begin the 2025-2026 academic year, Go Falcons!

Will NIL Deals Be the Reason Student Athletes Can’t Transfer Anymore?

Wisconsin – When thinking of controversial topics in sports, transfers and the transfer portal is becoming a big one. So to add even more controversy such as tampering, things can get tricky fast.

Xavier Lucas, college football player, has seemingly broken his contract with Wisconsin to go to Miami, so Wisconsin has taken legal actions against the university. Lucas just signed a contract with Wisconsin in December, and school officials claim that representatives from Miami visited Lucas’ home and offered him money to switch schools before the 2 year contract came to an end, when Wisconsin refused to put his name into the portal. 

Now the question is if the NIL, name-image-likeness, deals can be the reason a student athlete gets held back at their schools and it does not have to be a deal where the university pays them. 

One of Wisconsin’s big reasons for filing the suit is that they believe that the one of the only ways to keep making sure the NCAA sport scene can stay a level playing, is if all of the universities can respect and uphold each other’s contracts that they have. Without schools respecting each other, things could turn into chaos quickly with money being thrown at student athletes all around NCAA.

Of course there are a lot of opinions, and personally being a sport management major and business minor, we have researched the effects of the transfer portal. To me, it is something I think needs some regulation. You see athletes go to 2, 3, 4, and even larger numbers of different schools during their time at college. This not only affects their education, but it can affect their mental health. While your mental health can be a reason for wanting to switch schools, I think it is clear that these young adults just rush into making college decisions based solely on money and not thinking about what they truly want. 

I am sure this will not be the last time we see more headlines such as this one in the near future.