The MAC has not had a repeat champion in college football since 2012. According to Bovada, that streak will continue in 2018 with the most wide open race of any of the Group of Five conferences.
The favorite, by the slimmest of margins, is Ohio. The Bobcats are looking to win their first conference championship since 1968. There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful in Athens this season.
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More 2018 G5 Conference Odds:
AAC | C-USA | MWC | Sun Belt |
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Ohio returns their starting quarterback, Nathan Rourke. The junior passed for 17 touchdowns and rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 21 scores. Along with Rourke, the Bobcats return the majority of an offense that averaged 39.1 points per game in 2017. While there are holes to fill on the defensive side, Ohio's explosive offense has made them the favorites.
Right on its tail is Northern Illinois, defending champ Toledo and Western Michigan. All three represent the West region which many believe could be anyone's division to win. The Huskies return most of their players back from a defensive unit that finished 26th nationally. On offense, the entire line returns to provide stability in front of sophomore quarterback Marcus Childers. The Rockets and Broncos have question marks, most notably quarterback for Toledo and inexperience (only nine seniors) for Western Michigan.
At +1200, Buffalo could be a sleeper pick touting the most explosive offensive player in the conference, Anthony Johnson. The senior returns in 2018 as the nation's returning leader in yards and second in the nation in TDs
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| School | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ohio | +245 |
| Northern Illinois | +325 |
| Toledo | +450 |
| Western Michigan | +650 |
| Miami | +900 |
| Buffalo | +1200 |
| Eastern Michigan | +1800 |
| Akron | +2000 |
| Bowling Green | +3300 |
| Central Michigan | +4000 |
| Ball State | +4500 |
| Kent State | +8000 |
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