College Football will be here before we know it, and while Colby Dant and Moneyline Mac are kicking out team preview episodes, we’re breaking down conference previews! The season starts in a little over a month with Week 0 on August 27th. Today we are previewing the MAC because everybody loves a little MACTION! Let’s dive into the MAC preview, take a look at the odds, and share a few best bets.
MAC Conference Preview
The MAC enters 2026 with major realignment, coaching turnover, and heavy transfer-portal activity compared to 2025. The conference remains at 13 teams with no divisions. Northern Illinois left for the Mountain West after the 2025 season. It’ll be the first year without the Huskies since 1997. Sacramento State, previously in the FCS, joins the MAC as well. Sac State brings recent FCS success, including multiple Big Sky titles and playoff appearances.
Biggest Changes
Four head-coaching changes hit the league from the start of the 2025 season. Toledo lost Jason Candle to UConn, and Mercer FCS coach Mike Jacobs now takes over. Ohio promoted defensive coordinator John Hauser after Brian Smith’s termination. Kent State made Mark Carney permanent after his interim stint. Sacramento State hired Alonzo Carter after Brennan Marion left for Colorado’s OC job.
Veterans like Chuck Martin (Miami OH), Lance Taylor (Western Michigan—the defending champs), Pete Lembo (Buffalo), and Chris Creighton (Eastern Michigan) provide some continuity, but only a handful of coaches had three-plus years in their current roles entering 2026.
The portal drove massive roster turnover. Toledo saw the biggest disruption after Candle’s exit as dozens of players followed him to UConn, including QB Kalieb Osborne, DT Esean Carter, RB Kenji Christian, and multiple skill players and defensive backs. Jacobs responded with one of the top-ranked MAC transfer classes, including a big Mercer contingent headlined by DE Andrew Zock (2025 FCS Defensive Player of the Year).
Sacramento State had heavy two-way traffic in its FBS jump, losing several pieces, but adding around 27 transfers ranks them highly in the conference. Buffalo lost First-Team All-MAC WR Nik McMillan to Kansas. Western Michigan did a strong job retaining its core. That includes quarterback Broc Lowry and running back Jalen Buckley.
Other Changes And Continuity
Western Michigan is the team to beat in this conference. The defending champions retained key pieces under Lance Taylor and look strong. Continuity is their biggest edge in a parity-heavy league.
Miami (OH) remains dangerous under Chuck Martin. They are always in the mix for title games and posted one of the stronger transfer rankings and should contend again. Toledo is the high-upside, high-variance wild card. The massive portal haul under Mike Jacobs (including FCS stars) offsets the heavy losses to UConn, but chemistry is the question mark.
Ohio gets a permanent coach in John Hauser after his interim success in what will likely feel like a transitional year. Central Michigan under Matt Drinkall is capable of a surprise. However, they don’t look to be one of the top teams in the league. Buffalo and Eastern Michigan look like competitive mid-tier teams, with Buffalo dealing with the loss of its top receiver and EMU addressing offensive line and defense questions due to the portal. Bowling Green under Eddie George and Kent State under permanent Mark Carney sit with limited ceilings. Sacramento State’s FBS transition plus brutal travel points to a decline in success. Akron, Ball State, and UMass round out the bottom and face steeper rebuilds.
Odds to Win MAC Championship
Western Michigan +300
Miami (OH) +350
Toledo +400
Ohio +700
Central Michigan +900
Buffalo +1200
Eastern Michigan +1400
Bowling Green +2000
Kent State +2500
Sacramento State +4000
Akron +5000
Ball State +6000
UMass +8000
| Akron | Miami (OH) |
| Ball State | Ohio |
| Bowling Green | Sacramento State |
| Buffalo | Toledo |
| Central Michigan | UMass |
| Eastern Michigan | Western Michigan |
| Kent State |
2026 MAC Best Bets
Western Michigan To Win The Conference (+300)
The Broncos are the clear favorite for a reason. They retained the most important pieces from their 2025 title team, including quarterback Broc Lowry and key contributors on both sides of the ball. Lance Taylor has the program humming with better continuity than almost anyone else in the league.
In a no-division MAC where the top two meet at Ford Field on December 5th, that experience edge matters. At +300, they’re still priced like a slight favorite rather than a lock. I’ll take it and expect them to handle business in a projected title-game rematch with Miami (OH).
Toledo Over 7.5 Wins (+115)
This is the high-variance play of the conference. Yes, Candle’s departure triggered a major exodus to UConn. But Mike Jacobs responded with one of the (or the) top transfer classes in the MAC, bringing in roughly 36–37 players. That includes FCS Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Zock and a boatload of Mercer talent, plus other all-conference-caliber additions.
Chemistry is the risk, but the sheer volume of talent and Jacobs’ pedigree make 8+ wins realistic. The number is still sitting at 7.5 in most books, and I’m on the over while the market digests the roster overhaul.
Sacramento State Under 4.5 Wins (-120)
Welcome to FBS life. Sac State brings FCS success and a solid portal class, but the jump is real. Especially with the travel demands of a California-to-Massachusetts conference. They’re projected near the bottom of the coaches poll (12th) for a reason.
A 4-8 transition year feels about right. Going under 4.5 gives a little cushion and still offers solid value as the market prices in some optimism around the talent infusion. Root against them weekly if you take the number. Adjustment years in the MAC are rarely smooth. These MAC college futures sure have me fired up for fall Wednesday night MACtion!
