Is it too early for season previews? No according to ESPN. Here is the paywalled article about the MAC West:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/in...e-players.
theyve got us with a bowl odds of 40%
Here's what else they have to say:
Has Chris Creighton topped out at EMU? First things first: Making .500 feel slightly disappointing at EMU is a miracle. The Eagles hadn't enjoyed a winning record since 1995 before Creighton, the former Drake head coach, took over in 2014, and they hadn't been to a bowl since 1987. They won a total of 15 games in the seven seasons before 2016's breakthrough, when they went 7-6 and went to the Bahamas Bowl. They've managed three more bowl appearances since then, not to mention three wins over Big Ten opponents.
Since peaking in 2018 with the 7-6 team that finished 86th in SP+ and nearly won the West, though, the Eagles have regressed. They've ranked between 101st and 107th all three seasons, and last year's 7-6 season was stained by blowout losses to CMU and Liberty to end the season. Quarterback Ben Bryant transferred back to Cincinnati after throwing for 3,121 yards in a one-year cameo, and while veteran Troy transfer Taylor Powell arrives to take his place and most of the receiving corps returns, Bryant set the efficiency bar high.
The bigger concern is on a defense that has averaged a No. 122 ranking in defensive SP+ for three seasons. Fourteen of 22 players with 200-plus snaps return, but outside of edge rusher Jose Ramirez there are almost no proven playmakers. The offense will give the Eagles a shot at a bowl, but defense should again weigh them down, and 2018 is beginning to feel pretty far away in the rearview mirror.
Favorite Players:
Slot Hassan Beydoun, EMU. Another slot worth mentioning, Beydoun had 12 catches for 197 yards in the win over Toledo. In his last 19 collegiate games, he's averaging 7.7 catches and 86.1 yards per game.