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Eleven of the MAC’s 12 current teams have reached the conference championship game at some point. Nine have won it. If you are a fan of raw and ridiculous parity, the Mid-American Conference is the league for you. While FBS non-independents played an average of 3.6 conference games that were decided by one score last season, MAC teams averaged 4.8. Those midweek MACtion games we all love in November? Eleven of 17 finished within a touchdown. This is a conference based on drama and evenness, and that might have never been more true than in 2022.

Mind you, the MAC could stand to be a little better. It has had the worst average SP+ rating for five straight years, and MAC teams went just 2-19 against power-conference opponents last season. (Their victims were Arizona State and Northwestern, which combined to go 4-20.) Smallish budgets and a packed-in recruiting area force teams to make great hires to stand out, but those great hires leave, and when their replacements are merely decent, the product suffers.

Mediocre or no, the product could be pretty even again in the East in 2023. But if there’s a standout, the best odds are on either Miami, Buffalo or defending champ Ohio. Let’s preview the MAC East!

Every week through the offseason, Bill Connelly will preview another division from the Group of 5 and Power 5 exclusively for ESPN+, ultimately including all 133 FBS teams. The previews will include 2022 breakdowns, 2023 previews and burning questions for each team.

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Tampa named host city for 2029 CFP title game

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Tampa named host city for 2029 CFP title game

Tampa will host the College Football Playoff national championship game at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 22, 2029, the CFP announced Wednesday.

Tampa will become the fourth city to host the CFP title game for a second time, joining Atlanta, New Orleans and Miami Gardens, Fla.

“We are excited to bring the College Football Playoff National Championship back to Tampa Bay in 2029,” CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a news release. “The city has established itself as an exceptional host for world-class sporting events, and its vibrant downtown, beautiful waterfront, and proven commitment to excellence make it an ideal setting for college football’s greatest night. We look forward to partnering with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and local leaders to deliver a national championship experience worthy of college football’s biggest stage.”

The 2029 game will be the 15th national championship game in the CFP era, which went into effect following the 2014 college football season.

Miami will host the next national championship game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium, a game that will feature the winners of the Fiesta and Peach bowls, which will host the semifinals.

The 2027 site will be Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, followed by the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans in 2028.

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Sources: Cincy leading rusher Pryor out vs. Utah

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Sources: Cincy leading rusher Pryor out vs. Utah

Cincinnati senior running back Evan Pryor will be officially listed as out with an ankle injury on the Big 12 availability report for the game at No. 24 Utah on Saturday, per sources.

There’s hope Pryor can return for No. 17 Cincinnati’s Nov. 15 game at home against Arizona, per sources.

Pryor suffered the ankle injury against Baylor last week. Pryor, an Ohio State transfer, is the leading rusher for the Bearcats with 478 yards, and he averages 7.2 yards per carry.

Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield said earlier this week that Pryor was expected to be out this week.

At Utah on Saturday night, Cincinnati is expected to lean on Wisconsin transfer Tawee Walker, who has 466 yards and averages 5.2 yards per carry.

Cincinnati has a bye after the game at Utah.

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Just like old times? Orgeron talks LSU return

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Just like old times? Orgeron talks LSU return

LSU football has a high-profile coaching vacancy, and a familiar face has thrown his hat into the ring.

Ed Orgeron, who was ousted by LSU less than two years after coaching the Tigers to a national championship, said he “would love” to return to the school as Brian Kelly’s replacement.

LSU fired Kelly in stunning fashion Sunday, citing the “high hopes” that the program failed to reach under his leadership and announcing that a “national search” was underway for the Tigers’ new coach.

Three days later, during an interview Wednesday with ESPN’s “UnSportsmanLike,” Orgeron was asked whether he wanted his old job back.

“I’d love to,” Orgeron responded. “Are you kidding me? Hey, I’m one phone call away. I just gotta get in my truck; I could be there today.”

One of the top coaches currently linked to the LSU job is Ole Miss‘ Lane Kiffin, who also worked with Orgeron at USC.

Orgeron, who has been out of coaching since leaving LSU in 2021, was asked Wednesday if he would consider returning to the program as an assistant under Kiffin.

“Yeah, I’d consider it,” he said. “I love LSU. I still got my home in Baton Rouge. I loved when I was coaching for Coach Miles being the defensive line coach. I love the Tigers, and if I’m getting back into coaching, for sure I’d consider it. No doubt.”

Orgeron’s tenure as LSU’s head coach ended after the 2021 season in what he described as a mutual decision between himself and the school. He went 51-20 in his six years at LSU, highlighted by the Tigers’ 15-0 run in a 2019 season punctuated by an NCAA championship.

Orgeron, who grew up rooting for the Tigers in nearby Larose, Louisiana, said LSU’s next head coach must embrace being a part of the state’s culture — something he says Kelly never did.

“I think that’s one of the things — whether it’s true or not — the look from the outside, Brian Kelly never embraced the state of Louisiana,” he said. “When you get those guys on your side, it’s very powerful. I think getting everybody to pull in the same direction, like Pete Carroll did, like we did, one team, one heartbeat, is gonna be the key for the next coach.”

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