Mid-American Conference

Top story lines

By Howard Smith, US Presswire

Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Nick Harwell, eluding two Temple defenders to score Nov. 9, had 97 catches and nine TDs in 2011 and could be just as productive this season.

By Howard Smith, US Presswire

Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Nick Harwell, eluding two Temple defenders to score Nov. 9, had 97 catches and nine TDs in 2011 and could be just as productive this season.

Ohio is the overwhelming favorite in the East Division, but the West seems wide open. …Terry Bowden returns to Division I coaching at Akron. … Temple has left the MAC, and Massachusetts joins as a football-only member.

Top players

Offense: QB Tyler Tettleton (Ohio), 6-0, 200. Passed for 28 TDs and ran for 10 scores in 2011.

Defense: DT Roosevelt Nix (Kent State), 5-11, 245. Has 14½ career sacks and was MAC defensive player of the year in 2010 as a freshman.

From the top down

East Division

Ohio: Confidence still high after last year's 24-23 bowl win against Utah State.

Bowling Green: Falcons lead MAC with 20 returning starters.

Miami (Ohio): Zac Dysert-to-Nick Harwell (97 catches, 1,425 yards, nine TDs) connection should be among nation's best.

Kent State: Nix leads what should be an improved defense.

Buffalo: With 18 returning starters, there is true hope for improvement.

Akron: Running back Jawan Chisholm leads offense that has some promise with eight returning starters.

Massachusetts: Charley Molnar brings 28 years of coaching experience.

West Division

Toledo: Quarterbacks Austin Dantin and Terrance Owens combined to complete 68.5% of their passes last season.

Northern Illinois: Huskies' nine-game winning streak is nation's longest.

Western Michigan: Broncos lost 10 starters but still have quarterback Alex Carder, who led MAC in passing yards (322 a game) last season.

Ball State: There are eight starters back on offense, including quarterback Keith Wenning.

Eastern Michigan: Sixteenth-best running game in nation last season. Could be a sleeper.

Central Michigan: Chippewas are 6-18 in last two seasons under Dan Enos.

Top men

Frank Solich, Ohio, eighth season

Bill Cubit, Western Michigan, eighth

Ron English, Eastern Michigan, fourth

Dave Clawson, Bowling Green, fourth

Jeff Quinn, Buffalo, third

Dan Enos, Central Michigan, third

Dave Doeren, Northern Illinois, second

Pete Lembo, Ball State, second

Don Treadwell, Miami (Ohio), second

Darrell Hazell, Kent State, second

Terry Bowden, Akron, first

Matt Campbell, Toledo, first

Charley Molnar, Massachusetts, first

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Mountain West Conference 2012 football preview

Top story lines

By Hans Pennink, AP

San Diego State cornerback Leon McFadden, right, breaking up a pass in a game against Army last season, is a two-time all-Mountain West first-team pick.

By Hans Pennink, AP

San Diego State cornerback Leon McFadden, right, breaking up a pass in a game against Army last season, is a two-time all-Mountain West first-team pick.

It's the last season in the league for San Diego State, a charter member of the Mountain West, and Boise State, a newcomer that's also headed out the door for the Big East. Chris Petersen will try to guide the Broncos to their first — and only — MWC title now that TCU is out of the league. The Broncos have lost three league games in the last six years. Boise State, however, will have to contend with former league colleagues from its Western Athletic Conference days in newcomers Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada.

Top players

Offense: QB Derek Carr (Fresno State), 6-3, 210. Brother of NFL quarterback David Carr, the first overall pick in the 2002 draft, was second-team all-WAC last season.

Defense: CB Leon McFadden (San Diego State), 5-10, 190. Would be the fifth Aztec in program history to earn first-team all-conference honors three consecutive years.

From the top down

Boise State: Five starters are back from the nation's fifth-best scoring offense, but not record-setting quarterback Kellen Moore. It's the school's second and final season in the MWC — might as well go out strong, right?

Nevada: There's a drop-off in this league after the Broncos, but the Wolf Pack's schedule should allow them to get to a bowl game.

Fresno State: For the first time in 15 years, Pat Hill is not at the helm. Can the Bulldogs make the successful transition to new schemes offensively and defensively?

Wyoming: Fourteen returning starters, including eight on defense.

San Diego State: Losing your leading passer and rusher isn't good.

Air Force: Good schedule — no Boise State, and TCU's gone — but the non-conference slate isn't a cakewalk.

Hawaii: Keep an eye on Norm Chow in his first season as a head coach.

Colorado State: Tough schedule and a first-year coach.

UNLV: No bowl games since 2000.

New Mexico: A lot of damage done during the Mike Locksley era. Won't be all fixed in Bob Davie's first season.

Top men

Chris Ault, Nevada, 28th season

Chris Petersen, Boise State, seventh

Troy Calhoun, Air Force, sixth

Dave Christensen, Wyoming, fourth

Bobby Hauck, UNLV, third

Rocky Long, San Diego State, second

Tim DeRuyter, Fresno State, first

Norm Chow, Hawaii, first

Jim McElwain, Colorado State, first

Bob Davie, New Mexico, first

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