Thundering Herd Predicted to Win Fourth Straight League Title
DETROIT, Mich. (July 25, 2000) -- Should the preseason poll as conducted among members of the MAC News Media
Association hold, Marshall University would become the first school in league history to win four consecutive
league championships. Five other teams, however, also received recognition that they could walk away with
the MAC Championship trophy in the title game slated for Dec. 2 at 1 p.m., live on ABC, from Marshall
Stadium in Huntington, W.Va. The results were compiled and released at today's Mid-American Conference
Football Media Day held at Cobo Hall.
The Thundering Herd returns only 11 starters, but five of those were first team all-MAC performers in 1999.
Marshall has a national best 18-game winning streak and is coming off a 13-0 record and a No. 10 national
ranking. Toledo is the team most likely, according to the poll, to unseat the Herd. The Rockets have 18
returning starters, including 10 on offense. Both teams earned 45 first-place votes in their respective divisions,
but Marshall was listed on 34 of the 61 ballots to return to the Motor City Bowl. Toledo received 15 votes,
Western Michigan five, Ohio three and Miami and Akron two each to win the league's championship game.
After Marshall in the East, Akron, Miami and Ohio finished a very close second, third, and fourth,
respectively. Bowling Green is slotted for the fifth position, Kent State sixth and Buffalo seventh. The Zips
garnered six first-place votes, Ohio five and Miami four.
The Rockets were selected by a wide margin to dethrone defending champion Western Michigan and return
the West title trophy to the Glass Bowl. The Broncos gained 13 first-place votes and Northern Illinois three
while no other West team gained such lofty notice. Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Ball State were
predicted to finish fourth, fifth and six, respectively.
East Division
Team (first place votes) Points
Marshall (45) 403
Akron (7) 310
Miami (4) 305
Ohio (5) 281
Bowling Green 188
Kent State 126
Buffalo 66
West Division
Team (first place votes) Points
Toledo (45) 408
Western Michigan (13) 328
Northern Illinois (3) 293
Central Michigan 240
Eastern Michigan 214
Ball State 154
MAC Championship Game Winner:
Marshall (34), Toledo (15), Western Michigan (5), Ohio (3), Akron (2),
Miami (2).
Note: Points awarded on the basis of 7 for first place, 6 for second place, 5 for third, 4 for fourth, 3 for fifth, 2
for sixth and one for seventh.