MAC Power Rankings 2023: Toledo Rockets to the top 

Are you ready for some MACtion? Of course, like us, you are ready for some MACtion and what better to get you excited for the return of everybody's favorite conference than our 2023 MAC Power Rankings, breaking down the very best -- and not so best -- the conference has in store for the upcoming season.

MAC Power Rankings 2023

Our MAC Power Rankings for the 2023 college football season takes into account a number of factors. Overall roster, coaching staff changes, schedule, and predicted record all play a part in ranking the nine MAC programs from first to worst.

1) Toledo Rockets

Where better to start our MAC Power Rankings for the 2023 college football season than the reigning champions? Defending a title doesn't give you an automatic slingshot into the new season, but there are plenty of returning reasons as to why the Toledo Rockets can be the frontrunner in the conference. It starts with head coach Jason Candle and trickles down through to the roster.

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Dequan Finn and Jerjuan Newton might just be the best QB/WR duo in the conference. Jacquez Stuart is no slouch at running back. The return of former Ohio State LB Dallas Gant and interceptor-extraordinaire Quinyon Mitchell help mitigate the loss of Desjuan Johnson on defense. Avoiding Ohio and their toughest games being at home gives Toledo a clear run back in the MAC.

2) Ohio Bobcats

We'll never know if the presence of Kurtis Rourke might have helped the Ohio Bobcats flip the result of the 2022 MAC Championship Game, but his return to Athens for the 2023 college football season certainly carries weight in our MAC Power Rankings. College Football Network's top-ranked QB in the conference gives Tim Albin's team a natural advantage this year.

College football is more than the QB position, and Rourke isn't the only talent on the roster helping push the Bobcats up the MAC. Sieh Bangura and Sam Wiglusz rank third in their positional rankings while leading tackler Keye Thompson and backfield dominator Vonnie Watkins both return. It's not inconceivable that out-of-conference Iowa State is the only game they lose this fall.

3) Buffalo Bulls

After a dicey first campaign under Maurice Linguist in 2021, the Buffalo Bulls rebounded to finish with the tied second-best record in the MAC last fall. The upward trajectory is set to continue in 2023, although their schedule features a road game against Toledo and a visit from Ohio on consecutive midweeks that has the potential to cap their ascent in our MAC Power Rankings.

The optimism starts with quarterback Cole Snyder, who threw for over 3,000 yards in 2022, a rarity in recent seasons. The passing game is bolstered by a triple-headed monster at running back. Almost all the most productive members of a defense that ranked fourth in the MAC for scoring defense last year return, led by linebacker Shaun Dolac -- the national leader in solo tackles.

4) Eastern Michigan Eagles

Head coach Chris Creighton has had a transformative impact on the Eastern Michigan Eagles program, ensuring they're a consistent feature in the race for a MAC title. Despite the loss of standout defensive lineman Jose Ramirez, Creighton should be able to guide the Eagles through their MAC gauntlet -- where they importantly don't face Ohio -- to be one of the top teams.

There are some quarterback questions to answer, but when you can hand the ball off to Samson Evans and let him run behind Brian Dooley, those questions are critical to your offensive identity. Ramirez is almost irreplaceable, but Mikah Coleman can make a backfield impact and they have playmakers at linebacker and in the secondary who they can rely on this season.

5) Northern Illinois

2022 wasn't a vintage year for the Northern Illinois Huskies, leading to calls from some dark areas of social media for the team to replace head coach Thomas Hammock. Just one year removed from winning a MAC championship, Hammock isn't going anywhere and he welcomes back the QB that helped guide the Huskies to that 2021 success in Rocky Lombardi.

Northern Illinois' place in our MAC Power Rankings suggests a bounce-back year and with the return of Lombardi and fellow injured absentee from last season Trayvon Rudolph, the Huskies have the making of an exciting offense. Ultimately, they'll need the defense to step up to overcome a schedule that features a road trip to face Toledo and Ohio coming to De Kalb.

6) Miami (OH) RedHawks

Once considered the worst team in football, the Miami (OH) RedHawks have become a symbol of consistency under Chuck Martin. Their schedule features the top three teams in our MAC Power Rankings, which is ominous for any chance of a conference title, but they should still have the talent to continue a run of eight seasons finishing at .500 or above in the conference.

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Two returners on offense hold the key to success, with quarterback Brett Gabbert and offensive tackle Sam Vaughan expected to return to full health. If the offense can hold up then watch out MAC because the defense returns most of the talent that helped the RedHawks to have the conference's stingiest defense. Linebacker Matthew Salopek is the engine that drives it.

7) Bowling Green Falcons

It wasn't quite the Dave Clawson or Dino Babers era, but Scott Loefler returned the Bowling Green Falcons to bowl eligibility last fall after a six-year absence. The Bowling Green head coach also engineered a five-win season in MAC play, the program's best since 2015. A route to a similar result with Toledo, Ohio, and Buffalo on schedule is tough, but six wins overall are achievable.

With Odieu Hiliare being joined by former Alabama A&M teammate Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Bowling Green has the best WR duo in the MAC, giving new QB Connor Bazelak the weapons to shine in the conference. The return of RB Terion Stewart after missing all of 2022 is huge for offensive balance. LB Darren Anders needs to rally a porous defense around him to succeed.

8) Western Michigan

The Western Michigan Broncos hired Lance Taylor to replace Tim Lester, a coach with a history of developing exceptional running back talents at a program that has been at its most dangerous when led by a dominant running back. Keeping Sean Tyler would have been ideal for the former Louisville offensive coordinator, but he'll need to build around incoming talent this year.

Former Old Dominion QB Hayden Wolff is not a dual-threat by any stretch of the imagination, but his presence should help open up the ground game for an RB room presumably led by Keshawn King while freshman CJ Hester finds his college football feet. Western Michigan's biggest issue could be replicating defensive success with the departure of several highly productive parts.

9) Ball State Cardinals

After winning their first MAC title since 1996 in 2020 with just one loss, the Ball State Cardinals slumped to below .500 both overall and in the conference last season after a similarly disappointing 2021 campaign. As our 2023 MAC Power Rankings suggest, things might not be much better in Muncie this fall, with several key departures paving the way for a difficult campaign.

The Cardinals face Toledo, but at home, and they avoid Ohio and Buffalo which is a MAC schedule blessing for an out-of-conference campaign that starts with two SEC teams -- including Georgia. Carson Steele was their entire offensive identity last fall, and he's gone. Returning Clayton Coll and Cole Pearce is important for a defense that loses both starting cornerbacks.

10) Central Michigan Chippewas

Last year was the worst season under Jim McElwain for the Central Michigan Chippewas, and our MAC Power Rankings don't offer much promise for the program this fall. A tough out-of-conference will likely see them 1-3 before MAC play begins, where they'll travel to Buffalo and Ohio, closing out the season by welcoming Toledo to Mount Pleasant. Suboptimal scheduling.

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Central Michigan's success -- or failure -- in the 2023 college football season is intrinsically tied to Bert Emanuel Jr. He's one of the most dynamic dual-threats in the nation, but will need to develop his passing game to a) fight off Jase Bauer and b) lead this team to more than three wins. Kyle Moretti and Donte Kent give them defensive playmakers, but there are questions there too.

11) Akron Zips

The past four seasons have been difficult for the Akron Zips, with the program rooted to the foot of the conference. Can year two under Joe Moorhead provide a more positive experience for the program? The season-opener against Temple could be a good indicator of how much progress this team has made this offseason while winning a clash with Central Michigan is key.

The Zips made an eye-opening transfer portal move, snagging former five-star Lorenzo Lingard to boost their ground game. However, it's the presence of quarterback DJ Irons that offers the most excitement in all phases of offense with his ability to change a game with his arms or legs. Moorhead added a raft of defensive transfers to try and shore up their porous unit.

12) Kent State Golden Flashes

After inheriting a 2-10 team in 2018, Sean Lewis took the Kent State Golden Flashes to a MAC Championship Game in 2021. Now, he's gone to Colorado to be the OC, and a sizeable chunk of last season's production has gone with him. In his first season as a head coach, Kenny Burns has his work cut out for him, reflected in the Golden Flashes' place in our MAC Power Rankings.

Almost 20 players have departed since Dec. 2022, with QB Collin Schlee, RB Marquez Cooper, and WRs Devontez Walker, Dante Cephas, and Ja'Shaun Poke absolutely gutting the offense. The defense didn't fair much better, headlined by Montre Miller's transfer to West Virginia. Adding insult to injury, Kent State begins its 2023 campaign with two Power Five opponents.