MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE PREVIEW

updated 11:11 p.m. ET Aug. 5, 2008

No one appreciates what Central Michigan has accomplished more than the other Mid-American Conference teams the Chippewas have beaten.

“That’s a tremendous program,” Ball State coach Brady Hoke said at the conference football meetings while shaking his head. “They’ve done what everyone else in this room wants to do.”

It takes some prodding, but even the two-time defending MAC champions’ biggest rival grudgingly gives them their due.

“It’s been tough to watch Central do this,” Western Michigan wide receiver Jamarko Simmons said. “But they deserve it.”

The Chippewas haven’t exactly been a juggernaut — their record was just 8-6 last year — but they’ve come up big against the MAC. They’ve weathered a coaching change (Brian Kelly left for Cincinnati and was replaced by Butch Jones) to win 16 of their last 18 games against conference opponents.

More bad news for each of the MAC’s 12 other members: Central may have lost a couple of quality linebackers and wide receivers, but their leading man returns. Dan LeFevour became just the second player in Bowl Subdivision history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season. The other guy to pull it off? Vince Young of Texas.

“I still have a lot of ways where I think I can improve,” said LeFevour, who accounted for six TDs (four passing, two running) in a 51-48 loss to Purdue in the Motor City Bowl. “I feel leaner and faster coming into this season, but we’ll see if I still feel that way after training camp.”

The junior will be on display when the Chippewas take their act on the road on Sept. 6 against highly touted Georgia. The MAC doesn’t shy away from playing the big boys, with other games against Ohio State (Ohio), Missouri (Buffalo) Wisconsin (Akron), Tennessee (Northern Illinois), Illinois (Western), Penn State (Temple), Nebraska (Western), and Michigan (Miami of Ohio, Toledo).

A capsule look at the teams in predicted order of finish:

WESTERN DIVISION
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Key players: QB LeFevour, Jr.; WR Bryan Anderson, Jr.; DE Frank Zombo, Jr. Returning starters: 8 offense, 8 defense.

Notes: Jones came to Mount Pleasant, Mich., after serving as an assistant to Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia.

BALL STATE
Key players: QB Nate Davis, Jr.; WR Dante Love, Jr.; LB Bryant Haines, Sr. Returning starters: 11 offense, 7 defense.

Notes: Davis has 5,642 yards passing and 48 TD passes two years into his career.

WESTERN MICHIGAN
Key players: LB Boston McCornell, Sr.; QB Tim Hiller, Jr.; CB Londen Fryar, Sr. Returning starters: 7 offense, 10 defense.

Notes: Broncos open season at Nebraska and play Illinois in Detroit in November. ... Eleven of last season’s top 12 tacklers return.

TOLEDO
Key players: WR Stephen Williams, Jr.; S Barry Church, Jr. Returning starters: 6 offense, 9 defense.

Notes: After averaging nine wins in his first five years on the job, coach Tom Amstutz has won 10 games total the past two seasons.

EASTERN MICHIGAN
Key players: MLB Daniel Holtzclaw, Sr.; QB Andy Schmitt, Jr. Returning starters: 7 offense, 8 defense.

Notes: Went from 1-11 to 4-8 a year ago. ... Eagles must find a replacement for TB Pierre Walker.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Key players: RB Justin Anderson, Jr.; DT Larry English, Jr. Returning starters: 10 offense, 11 defense.

Notes: New coach Jerry Kill won big at Southern Illinois, transforming a playoff subdivision program that won one game his first year to winning 50 the last five. He takes over for Joe Novak, who retired.

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