July 24, 2002

DEFENDING DIVISION CHAMPION NIU FOOTBALL TEAM TABBED FOURTH IN 2002 PRESEASON MAC POLL
DETROIT, MI - In order to take that next step towards a Mid-American Conference championship, the Northern Illinois University football team will have to leap over three teams in the West Division according to the MAC News Media Association. In the league's official preseason poll, the MAC NMA picked the Huskies fourth in the West Division as announced by conference commissioner Rick Chryst at the Mid-Am's 2002 football preview on Tuesday (July 23).

Northern Illinois received 201 points in the balloting, its second-highest total since returning to the league in 1997, finishing four points behind third-place Western Michigan University. West Division newcomer, Bowling Green State University, who made the switch this year with the addition of University of Central Florida to the league and the East, was picked to win the division with 283 points. The Falcons collected 25 first place votes to edge the University of Toledo by 17 points as the defending MAC champions received 266 markers.

Completing the balloting in the West were Ball State University at 188 points, while Central Michigan University collected 118 with Eastern Michigan University rounding out the voting at 55 points. Voters saw the West as a wide open race with five of the seven teams garnering first places votes. Bowling Green State took 53 percent of the first-place nods, followed by Toledo (13), Northern Illinois (4), Western Michigan (3) and Ball State (2).

Coming off the first back-to-back winning season since the 1989 and 1990 campaigns, the Huskies return 44 letterwinners and 18 starters - including All-America candidates in placekicker Steve Azar (Colorado Springs, CO / Highlands Ranch) and tailback Thomas Hammock (Fort Wayne, IN / Bishop Luers). NIU opens its 12-date 2002 football schedule by hosting Wake Forest University on Thursday, August 29, in a 6:35 p.m. (CDT) kickoff. The Demon Deacons represent the first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent to visit Northern Illinois in football.

In the East division Marshall University was the overwhelming favorite as the Thundering Herd captured 43 of the 47 first-place votes for a total of 324 points. The two main challengers to Marshall appear to be Miami (OH) University and league newcomer Central Florida as the only other schools in the East to receive first-place votes. The RedHawks captured three first-place votes as part of their 257 points, while the Golden Knights garnered 248 points and the remaining first-place nod. Completing the East voting was Kent State University (174), the University of Akron (136), Ohio University (111) and the University at Buffalo (66).

With the MAC Championship Game on December 7 hosted by the East Eivision winner, Marshall collected 41 votes to win the title, followed by Miami (OH) and Toledo with two votes apiece. Bowling Green State and Central Florida each received a single vote.

Also announced was an new agreement with the GMAC Bowl. The December 18 game now has the option to choose from the bowl-eligible teams in the MAC and Western Athletic Conference to face the No. 2 team from Conference USA. If the GMAC Bowl selects a WAC school, then a MAC school is guaranteed to play in either the Silicon Valley or Humanitarian Bowl.

2002 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE PRESEASON FOOTBALL POLL
(Conducted by the MAC News Media Association)

West Division (first-place votes) Points
Bowling Green State (25) 283
Toledo (13) 266
Western Michigan (3) 205
Northern Illinois (4) 201
Ball State (2) 188
Central Michigan 118
Eastern Michigan 55

East Division (first-place votes) Points
Marshall (43) 324
Miami (OH) (3) 257
Central Florida (1) 248
Kent State 174
Akron 136
Ohio 111
Buffalo 66

MAC Championship Game Winner: Marshall (41), Miami (OH) 2, Toledo (2), Bowling Green St. (1), Central Florida (1).

-Copy by Michael Smoose

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