MAC Football: Power rankings, top 5 players and key games for 2022

The MAC is always one of the most chaotic conferences to predict. With four different champions in the last five years, underdogs can rise quickly in this league. This 2022 MAC football preview will explore all the things that fans should know heading into this season.

Northern Illinois was not supposed to win the MAC football championship last year. Far from it, actually, as the preseason MAC media poll picked the Huskies to finish last in their own division in 2021.

A funny thing happened though; the Huskies turned out to be a good football team. With a very young team, they started out the year with a major upset over Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and all the pieces came together from there. Michigan State transfer quarterback Rocky Lombardi led the way, and NIU would go on to claim the conference crown.

Yet, the team was lucky. NIU was 7-3 in one-score games, suggesting that this young roster may suffer some regression this year.

Waiting in the wings may be Toledo and Central Michigan. Toledo had the best point differential in the league in 2021 and has a dynamic star in quarterback DeQuan Finn. While Central Michigan loses two amazing tackles in Bernhard Raimann and Luke Goedeke, they still have Lew Nichols III, who was the nation’s leading rusher last season.

Eastern Michigan, too, may lead the charge. They have a dynamic stud at receiver in Hassan Beydoun, as well as first-team All-MAC offensive lineman Sidy Sow back.