Ohio-Virginia Tech: After 39 Years, Bobcats Eye a MAC Title

Among all the midmajor conferences in college football, one of the most overlooked year-in and year-out is the Mid-America Conference (MAC).

For most football fans, the MAC is nothing more than teams from the Midwest who fight for a single bowl bid each year.

But for fans of MAC football, it's much more than that.

This year, the Ohio Bobcats are favored to take home the conference title. Traditionally, OU has been a subpar program, but former Nebraska coach Frank Solich and outstanding senior tailback Kalvin McRae have the Bobcats ready to rock and roll.

After two solid victories against Gardner-Webb and Louisiana-Lafayette, Ohio rolls into Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech this weekend. If the Hokies can't stop McRae on the ground, an upset may be in the making.

McRae, a 1000-yard rusher in 2005 and 2006, has 226 yards and five touchdowns on 44 carries this season.

As the Bobcats seek their first conference title in 39 years, every game is important. After key road matchups at Buffalo, Bowling Green, and Akron, Ohio hopes to head into the season finale against the arch-rival Miami Redhawks with nine or ten victories.

If the Bobcats offense can stay the course (they've scored 36 and 31 points in the first two games), a conference title and bowl bid should be no problem.

A first-ever bowl victory would be just what the doctor ordered for Frank Solich and the rest of Athens.