Central Michigan, LeFevour lead MAC attack

No one appreciates what Central Michigan has accomplished more than the other Mid-American Conference teams the Chippewas have beaten.

"That's a tremendous program," Ball State coach Brady Hoke said at the conference football meetings while shaking his head. "They've done what everyone else in this room wants to do."

It takes some prodding, but even the two-time defending MAC champions' biggest rival grudgingly gives them their due.

"It's been tough to watch Central do this," Western Michigan wide receiver Jamarko Simmons said. "But they deserve it."

The Chippewas haven't exactly been a juggernaut - their record was just 8-6 last year - but they've come up big against the MAC. They've weathered a coaching change (Brian Kelly left for Cincinnati and was replaced by Butch Jones) to win 16 of their last 18 games against conference opponents.

More bad news for each of the MAC's 12 other members: Central may have lost a couple of quality linebackers and wide receivers, but their leading man returns. Dan LeFevour became just the second player in Bowl Subdivision history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season. The other guy to pull it off? Vince Young of Texas.

"I still have a lot of ways where I think I can improve," said LeFevour, who accounted for six TDs (four passing, two running) in a 51-48 loss to Purdue in the Motor City Bowl. "I feel leaner and faster coming into this season, but we'll see if I still feel that way after training camp."

The junior will be on display when the Chippewas take their act on the road on Sept. 6 against highly touted Georgia. The MAC doesn't shy away from playing the big boys, with other games against Ohio State (Ohio), Missouri (Buffalo) Wisconsin (Akron), Tennessee (Northern Illinois), Illinois (Western), Penn State (Temple), Nebraska (Western), and Michigan (Miami of Ohio, Toledo).

A capsule look at the teams in predicted order of finish:

Western Division

CENTRAL MICHIGAN - Key players: QB LeFevour, Jr.; WR Bryan Anderson, Jr.; DE Frank Zombo, Jr. Returning starters: 8 offense, 8 defense.

Notes: Jones came to Mount Pleasant, Mich., after serving as an assistant to Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia.

BALL STATE - Key players: QB Nate Davis, Jr.; WR Dante Love, Jr.; LB Bryant Haines, Sr. Returning starters: 11 offense, 7 defense.