West Division
1. Central Michigan 154 points
2. Western Michigan 126 points
3. Northern Illinois 103 points
4. Toledo 71 points
5. Ball State 58 points
6. Eastern Michigan 34 points
East Division
1. Buffalo 155 points
2. Temple 144 points
3. Akron 128 points
4. Ohio 116 points
5. Bowling Green 101 points
6. Kent State 51 points
7. Miami 33 points
DETROIT — The Miami University football team apparently has a lot to prove to the Mid-American Conference media, which predicted that the RedHawks would finish last for a second straight year in the MAC East Division.
Miami, guided by first-year head coach Mike Haywood, received only 33 total points in voting by the league’s media contingent, the fewest points of any of the MAC’s 13 teams.
The MAC Football Preseason Poll, which was announced Friday, July 31, during the MAC Football Preview at Ford Field, tabbed defending champion Buffalo as the favorite to repeat as the East Division champion.
Haywood said he doesn’t take preseason polls too seriously. “Well, they had us first last year,” he said with a grin.
The RedHawks finished 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the MAC last fall. Miami will open its season Sept. 5 against Kentucky at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and will play its MAC opener Sept. 19 at Western Michigan.
“You have to look forward to our opener against Kentucky and direct all your attention toward that,” Haywood said. “The only thing that’s important is the first game, and you have to make sure your players understand that.”
Miami junior safety Jordan Gafford apparently understands.
“You glance at (the poll),” he said, “but it doesn’t mean anything until you start playing a game.”
Gafford wasn’t shocked by Miami’s low poll standing.
“We have to earn their respect, and we understand that,” he said. “We want to get Miami back to where it belongs. We take pride in our history. We talk about it all the time. We carry that with us.”
Buffalo received 155 points overall, followed by Temple (144), Akron (128), Ohio (116), Bowling Green (101), Kent State (51) and Miami.
Central Michigan was picked to win the West Division title. Ball State, which compiled a 12-0 regular-season record last year before losing to Buffalo 42-24 in the MAC Championship Game, was relegated to fifth place in the poll.
Central Michigan totaled 154 points, followed by Western Michigan (126), Northern Illinois (103), Toledo (71), Ball State (58) and Eastern Michigan (34).
Central Michigan also is the favorite to win this season’s MAC Championship Game, garnering 18 of the 26 votes cast. Western Michigan received four votes, and Buffalo and Temple each got two.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
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