Two stagnant programs, four with division title aspirations. The MAC East title race could be one of FBS' more intriguing if: Kent State makes a few more stops, Miami overcomes a brutal road slate and Ohio is as strong as last season's tiny sample suggested.
There's also a chance that Buffalo is just too good for the field. Lance Leipold's Bulls won the East in 2018 and 2020 and were four points shy of the division title in 2019 as well; SP+ deems them favorites once again. Still, more than half of this division is on a strong trajectory.
Every week through the summer, Bill Connelly will preview another division from the Group of 5 and Power 5 exclusively for ESPN+, ultimately including all 130 FBS teams. The previews will include 2020 breakdowns, 2021 previews and a brief history of each team in one handy chart. The series has thus far covered the Conference USA East and West.
Jump to a team: Bowling Green | Akron | Kent State | Miami (Ohio) | Ohio | Buffalo
Bowling Green Falcons
Although brief, Scot Loeffler's second season in charge offered no more promise than his first. After an 0-5 campaign, he's now 3-14 overall.
2021 Projections
Projected SP+ rank: 125th
Projected record: 3-9 (2-6)