The MAC had a very good 2016 with Western Michigan earning the Group of 5 bid. WMU should still be good but not 2016-good. Expect the MAC to take a step back, perhaps the worst conference, but still capable of its usual early Big Ten upsets.
East
| Team | Record (Conf) | Win-Shares (Conf) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bowling Green | 6-6 (5-3) | 5.72 (4.15) | 3.26 |
| 2. Miami (OH) | 6-6 (4-4) | 7.01 (5.03) | 3.38 |
| 3. Ohio | 7-5 (4-4) | 6.33 (4.2) | 3.20 |
| 4. Akron | 5-7 (4-4) | 5.33 (3.8) | 3.11 |
| 5. Buffalo | 5-7 (3-5) | 5.15 (3.3) | 2.93 |
| 6. Kent State | 3-9 (2-6) | 3.98 (2.93) | 2.73 |
West
| Team | Record (Conf) | Win-Shares (Conf) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Western Mich | 9-3 (7-1) | 7.83 (5.48) | 3.62 |
| 2. Northern Ill | 7-5 (6-2) | 7.03 (4.91) | 3.57 |
| 3. Toledo | 7-5 (4-4) | 6.41 (4.41) | 3.48 |
| 4. Central Mich | 5-7 (4-4) | 5.43 (3.83) | 3.15 |
| 5. Ball State | 5-7 (3-5) | 5.34 (3.29) | 2.86 |
| 6. East Mich | 3-9 (2-6) | 3.89 (2.67) | 2.73 |
Bowling Green sneaks through the East; Western Michigan dominates the West and wins the championship. 5 bowl teams.