Since 1997, the Mid-American Conference has sent one team, its champion, to a bowl game -- the Motor City Bowl. Meanwhile, other quality MAC teams have been shut out of the bowl picture. Last season Toledo -- which finished 10-1, beat Penn State 24-6 in Happy Valley and beat Marshall 42-0 -- didn't advance to postseason action. In 1998, the same thing happened to a 10-1 Miami (Ohio) team.

This season, however, the MAC will send two teams to the postseason. The GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., has agreed to take the top selection from the MAC to play against the No. 2 team from Conference USA, while another MAC team will go to the Motor City Bowl.

EAST Division
MARSHALL
The Thundering Herd has been developing a much stronger non-conference schedule. The Herd play at Florida and TCU this season; at Virginia Tech in 2002; at Tennessee and LSU in 2003; at Georgia in 2004; at Virginia Tech again in 2005; and at Tennessee again in 2006. Finally, in 2009, they will host Tennessee, the first major Division I-A power to visit Marshall in school history. Until then, they will be road warriors against big-time opponents. No one can now say the Thundering Herd don't play a representative non-conference schedule. Their road games are as difficult as anybody's.

The key entity for Marshall is quarterback Byron Leftwich. The Thundering Herd have had quality signal callers like Eric Kresser and Chad Pennington. But now it's Leftwich, who was exceptional last year despite having to play through minor injuries and with a sub-par offensive line. He was sacked 30 times. It was amazing he played so well considering the struggles of the offensive line. Leftwich threw for 3,358 yards and 21 TDs, was intercepted only nine times and completed 61.7 percent of his passes.

The running-back situation will be by committee. Franklin Wallace, their leading rusher last year, averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Chanston Rodgers had a knee injury last year, but he's 100 percent. Brandon Carey had an outstanding preseason camp. At receiver, there's no Randy Moss, James Williams or Nate Poole. The star receiver now is sophomore Darius Watts. He's a great talent who averaged 20.3 yards per catch last season and is one of the top receivers in the country.

The 4-4 defense should be fine, with pass rusher Ralph Street and linebacker Max Yates, a Butkus Award candidate. The big concern is cornerback, where inexperienced players will replace Maurice Hines and Danny Derricott, two key graduation losses. Nevertheless, Marshall is the favorite to win the East division.

OHIO
The Bobcats should be a close second to Marshall. They have to play at Marshall on Nov. 17 in a game that should decide the East division title. Ohio has a new coach in Brian Knorr, who replaces Jim Grobe, now at Wake Forest. Even though Grobe has moved on, the Bobcats remain committed to the option attack.

The Bobcats were second in the nation last season in rushing, averaging 323 yards per game. They also averaged 31.2 points per game. The offense has a chance again to control the football and score a lot of points. Teams can't simulate a wishbone option attack in practice because no one else in the conference runs it. They may catch a lot of teams by surprise. Keep in mind: Ohio last year beat Minnesota on the road, 23-17. The Bobcats have proven they can upset some teams. They are a quality, well-coached team.

Ohio will even try to make the wishbone part of the offense to get outstanding running backs Chad Brinker and Jamel Patterson on the field at the same time. The Bobcats also have an outstanding option quarterback in Dontrell Jackson and three returning starters on the offensive line.

Defensively, they return eight starters on a unit that allowed an average of only 19 points per game and didn't allow any opponent to score 30-plus points. The key players are Tom Weilbacher (team leader in tackles last season) and Matt Weikert (team leader in tackles for loss and sacks). Weilbacher is the heart and soul of the defense. And Bop White is the best cover corner in the MAC. A 6-foot, 178-pound junior, White had only three interceptions because no one throws in his direction. This year, though, he will lock onto the opposing team's primary receiver, so teams won't be able to throw away from him.

Punter Dave Zastudil averaged 44.3 yards per punt last year. He had 19 punts inside the 20-yard line and only six touchbacks. Zastudil could end up being a second-round NFL draft choice and has already been invited to the Hula Bowl. He is the best punter in college football and a great weapon. Because Zastudil is athletic and a former high school quarterback, the Bobcats have opportunities out of punt formation to run some fakes.

AKRON
The Zips' strength is at the skill positions. They have a great tailback in Brandon Payne and good overall depth at running back. Jake Schifino is arguably the best receiver in the MAC. Quarterback Nick Sparks is mobile and athletic, and left tackle Konrad Dean is excellent.

The defense is keyed by three players -- Marques Hayes, a linebacker last year who now plays defensive end; defensive tackle Chris Smith; and linebacker Ed March. Akron figures to be the third-best team in what is a very competitive East division.

BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons have a new coach, Urban Meyer, who was the receivers coach at Notre Dame. He has worked under Earle Bruce, Bob Davie, Sonny Lubrick and Lou Holtz, so he comes to Bowling Green with a good resumé. Meyer has already recruited an excellent freshman class, led by Cole Manger, a quarterback/receiver who was the Alaska Player of the Year. Meyer has injected the program with discipline and work ethic.

Bowling Green has a quality receiver corps with David Bautista, Robert Redd and Kirk Gerling, who is ahead of schedule in his rehab from a spring-practice knee injury. Andy Sahm and Josh Harris are battling for the starting quarterback job. The defense has two excellent players -- inside linebacker Khary Campbell and cornerback Janssen Patton.

Last season against MAC East division competition, Bowling Green was either winning or had a chance in the fourth quarter of every game. The Falcons lost to Akron 27-21, Marshall 20-13 and Ohio 23-21. The key will be adjusting to a new coach and competing during a brutally tough schedule -- at Missouri, at South Carolina, vs. Temple, at Marshall, at Western Michigan, at Akron and home against Toledo.

MIAMI (OHIO)
The RedHawks are also battling for the third spot in the division. The strength is their two lines. They return four starters on the offensive line and three on the defensive line.

They have a new quarterback, redshirt freshman Ben Roethlisberger, who is a solid No. 1. The RedHawks also have a mobile QB behind him, Ryan Hawk. Roethlisberger (6-4, 210) was considered to be much like Chad Pennington and could be one of the MAC's stars of the future. But he has yet to take a snap from center, and Hawk has only had three snaps. The defense is led by defensive tackle Ryan Terry and cornerback Milt Bowen.

BUFFALO
Jim Hofher, formerly the coach at Cornell, is the new coach at Buffalo. He has worked under Johnny Majors, Dick MacPherson and John Mackovic. Buffalo has been 2-20 the last two years. The Bulls need a win or two in September to gain some confidence.

Hofher has some talent to work with. The offense has good skill people in quarterback Joe Freedy, who had a strong preseason camp and threw for more than 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. He also threw 18 interceptions, but he can make a play in the passing game.

Along with Freedy, the Bulls have some solid offensive components. Andre Ford is an outstanding receiver. The Bulls also have contrasting styles with their two running backs -- Albert Grundy, a powerful player at 6-2, 230; and Marquis Dwarte, a cat-quick, shifty, change-of-pace type.

Defensively, defensive tackle Omari Jordan has had a dominating fall camp. A 6-6, 300-pound junior, Jordan is a future NFL prospect. Sophomore Mark Graham (6-1, 190) emerged with two interceptions in the final three games last season and has great tools. Defensive end Duane Williams (6-4, 250) has shifted to outside linebacker, where he will use his 4.6 speed.

KENT STATE
The Golden Flashes may only be as good as the sixth-best team in the East. Their strength is the linebacking corps, with James Harrison, Rashan Hall and Pierre Wilson, a transfer from Michigan State. They are moving to a 3-4 scheme to get all their linebackers on the field. The big question is the secondary.

Jeff Valentino will likely open as the starting quarterback, but two other players are competing for the job -- Ben McDaniels and freshman Joshua Cribbs. Chante Murphy will be one of the primary running backs.

WEST Division
TOLEDO
The Rockets are the team to keep an eye on in the West division. With Gary Pinkel moving on to Missouri, Tom Amstutz is the new coach, shifting over from defensive coordinator to take over a veteran team. Quarterback Taveras Bolden is the team's strength, along with Chester Taylor, one of the best running backs in college football. The question is who the receivers will be. Center Nick Otterbacher ( 6-1, 280) anchors the offensive line.

Defensively, the Rockets are deep, with six seniors on the defensive line. Seven defensive linemen have started at least four games. The defense is led by Brandon Hefflin, one of the nation's best cornerbacks. Toledo has a chance to get some national recognition.

WESTERN MICHIGAN
Gary Darnell was the MAC Coach of the Year last season. The Broncos, the top challenger to Toledo in the West, are 31-15 under Darnell the last four years. Western Michigan has some offensive weapons. Junior tight end Mobolaji Asariogun is one of the best in the nation, and veteran quarterback Jeff Welsh will get him the ball. Receiver Josh Bush doubles as a great punt returner. Running backs Charles Woods and Philip Reed are new.

The team's strength, though, is a pair of quick defensive ends, Chris Browning and Anthony Allsbury. The big question is the kicking game and inexperience at linebacker. The Broncos play at Virginia Tech on Sept. 8 and at Michigan on Sept. 15. But they will battle Toledo for the West title. The division should be decided Nov. 6, when Western Michigan plays at Toledo.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS
The Huskies, the division's dark horse, averaged a school-record 37 points per game last season. They host Western Michigan on Oct. 20, and it's conceivable that the Huskies could finish as high as second in the division.

Receiver Darrell Hill is solid and fast. Even though they lost Justin McCareins to the NFL, Hill is faster than McCareins. Running backs Thomas Hammock and Michael Turner were outstanding last season. Quarterback Chris Finlen is a three-year starter. The offense should excel, even without McCareins.

The defense is questionable, but should be fine with right cornerback Vince Thompson, a free safety last season, and Larry Williams, a strong player at linebacker.

BALL STATE
The Cardinals have an outstanding sophomore quarterback, Talmadge Hill, who was 5-2 as a starter last season. He ended their 21-game losing streak last Oct. 7. He's very mobile, can run the option and is a tremendous athlete. Hill is an up-and-coming star. Ball State is strong at the offensive skill positions, with Hill, receiver David Westbrook and running back Marcus Merriweather.

The concerns are the offensive line and the kicking game, areas that need to be shored up if the Cardinals hope to compete for the West's third spot. Ball State used two placekickers last year and both struggled. The kicker is Thomas Pucke, who was 3-of-7 on field-goal attempts last season. The punting average last season was only 36.3 yards, so they need punter Reggie Hodges to improve.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The Chippewas are a team to watch in 2002, not this season. New coach Mike DeBord was the offensive coordinator under Lloyd Carr at Michigan, including the national championship season in 1997. For now Central Michigan is unproven at receiver and running back. Quarterback Derrick Vickers started the last five games. He's a scrambling, athletic player with big-play potential. Left tackle Matt Brayton (6-6, 310) anchors an experienced offensive line that returns all five starters.

The defense has some good players -- nose tackle Marvin Smith (6-1, 270), who had 75 tackles last year and 10 tackles for loss; linebacker Darvin Lewis, who had 113 tackles last season; and cornerback Tedaro France.

DeBord, in his second year, is building a very solid program. If the Chippewas can win four games this year, they may be somewhat satisfied coming off a two-win season in 2000. In 2002, though, I wouldn't be surprised if Central Michigan emerged as one of the West's favorites. They may be the team of the future.

EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Eagles still have to settle on a quarterback. The competition is down to Troy Edwards and juco transfer Jeff Crooks. Ashantti Watson leads a decent running-back corps. The top offensive player is receiver Kevin Walter.

The defense features outstanding linebackers Kenny Philpot and Scott Russell -- and the defense must hold up. A big concern is the offense's ability to control the football, with the question mark at quarterback. If the quarterbacks struggle, Eastern Michigan's thin defense will have some problems.