If you’ve just read my article on Week 1 for the Big Ten, welcome! In this post, I’m talking about the Mid-American Conference. Is there a slim chance the league champion could sneak into the four-team playoff? Here’s who each MAC school is playing this weekend.

East

Most MAC teams are opening 2014 with FCS opponents, including Akron, which starts Year 3 of the Terry Bowden era Thursday against Howard. Defending champion Bowling Green travels to Western Kentucky on Friday, with new coach Dino Babers now in charge of the Falcons, who are picked to repeat as MAC champs. Ohio and Kent State will open their seasons against each other at Dix Stadium; the Golden Flashes have won four of the last five meetings in the series. Miami hosts Conference USA favorite Marshall, who boast a potential Heisman candidate in QB Rakeem Cato. Buffalo welcomes Duquesne on Saturday, while UMass begins its third year in the MAC with new head coach Mark Whipple, and a home opener with Boston College.

West

After losing in both the MAC Championship Game and the Poinsettia Bowl to finish 2013, Northern Illinois opens its 2014 season against FCS foe Presbyterian on Thursday; Central Michigan welcomes Chattanooga to Mount Pleasant that night, too. As mentioned in my last post, Western Michigan pays a visit to Purdue Saturday, while Eastern Michigan faces Morgan State that evening. The Broncos are the only West team to play a non-FCS opponent this weekend, because Ball State plays Colgate and Toledo will host New Hampshire. The Rockets are division favorites after just missing out on a bowl bid, but it’ll be interesting to see how they play against UNH, with Missouri visiting the Glass Bowl in Week 2.

MACtion is back, MAC fans! Who has the best chance to win the league and perhaps sneak into the playoff?