KALAMAZOO, MI - If the opinions of Mid-American Conferences football coaches are accurate, Western Michigan will be in a tight race to represent the West Division in the conference title game.
The MAC released its preseason coaches poll Monday, and Northern Illinois is the pick to win the West, with Toledo narrowly coming in second, followed by WMU in third.
NIU collected 61 points and five first-place votes, while defending conference champ Toledo had 60 points and three first-place votes.
WMU gathered 45 points and one first-place vote, followed by in-state rivals Eastern Michigan (35 points, one first-place vote) and Central Michigan (33 points, one first-place vote).