DETROIT -- For six straight seasons, Northern Illinois has played in the Mid-American Conference championship game. The Huskies havent always won, but theyve always made it there, no matter how strong a challenge theyve faced from others in their division.This year its Western Michigan that looks ready to provide the sternest test. The Broncos were overwhelming favorites to win the conference in the preseason media poll, although WMU coach P.J. Fleck was quick to steer attention back toward Northern Illinois.We have a team in the West thats won six straight championships and they dont get picked. You got to be kidding me. Theyve won six straight, Fleck said. I dont understand that.Western Michigan went 8-5 last season and returns quarterback Zach Terrell and receiver Corey Davis. WMU lost only two conference games in 2015 -- against Northern Illinois and Bowling Green, the two teams who played for the MAC title.NIU has won the conference three times during its streak of six title-game appearances. Bowling Green beat the Huskies for the championship last season and in 2013. In fact, Bowling Green is working on its own streak of three trips to the title game in Detroit.Western Michigan hasnt played in the MAC championship game since 2000 and hasnt won the conference since 1988. Fleck has been WMUs coach for three seasons, and the Broncos improved quickly after going 1-11 in 2013.THE FAVORITESEast: Bowling Green finished two points ahead of Ohio in the preseason poll, and the teams play at Ohio on Oct. 8. Bowling Green must replace star quarterback Matt Johnson, and its schedule also includes road games against Northern Illinois and Toledo.West: The key game in this division could come the same day as in the East. Western Michigan hosts Northern Illinois on Oct. 8. The Huskies reached the title game last year despite an injury to quarterback Drew Hare. Toledo and Central Michigan round out a foursome that actually finished tied for the division title last season.CMU plays WMU, NIU and Toledo in October, meaning the league race could take several turns before Halloween.TOP PLAYERSShawun Lurry, DB, Northern Illinois. Third-team All-American had nine interceptions a season ago.Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan. Caught 90 passes for 1,436 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo. Rushed for 973 yards in only nine games in 2015 after running for 1,631 the previous season.Cooper Rush, QB, Central Michigan. Completed 66 percent of his passes last year for 3,848 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.Austin Valdez, LB, Bowling Green. Had 144 tackles and two interceptions in 2015.Joel Bouagnon, RB, Northern Illinois. Rushed for 1,285 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.NEW FACESJason Candle, Toledo. Took over as coach of the Rockets after Matt Campbell went to Iowa State. Toledo was favored to unseat Northern Illinois in the West last year but couldnt do it.Mike Jinks, Bowling Green. The former Texas Tech assistant is now the coach of the defending MAC champions.Mike Neu, Ball State. The Cardinals are trying to bounce back from a 3-9 season, and they hired one of their former players as coach. Neu played quarterback at Ball State from 1990-93.ON THE HOT SEATPaul Haynes, Kent State. The Golden Flashes lost only one starter on offense, and this is the fourth season in charge for Haynes, who has gone 9-26 so far at Kent State.PREDICTIONEast: Ohio takes advantage of a more favorable schedule than Bowling Green and returns to the MAC title game for the first time since 2011.West: Western Michigan ends Northern Illinois run in the division and wins the league championship, cementing Flecks status as a young coach on the rise.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org Paco Alcacer Jersey . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. Abdou Diallo Jersey .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. http://www.footballdortmundpro.com/Kids-Mario-Gotze-Jersey/ . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Dzenis Burnic Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Julian Weigl Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014.BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari will have all of his top players available for the Confederations Cup semifinal against South American rival Uruguay on Wednesday. The Brazilian federation said Monday that defender David Luiz and defensive midfielder Paulinho will recover from injuries in time for the decisive match in Belo Horizonte. Paulinho missed the group stage match against Italy because of a left ankle sprain, while David Luiz was replaced in the first half because of a right leg injury. Brazil beat Italy 4-2 to win Group A and set up the matchup with the regional rivals. Italy will play World Cup champion Spain on Thursday. The hosts have won two consecutive Confederations Cups, and three overall. It hasnt won a significant competition since the 2009 title in South Africa. Paulinho, touted to move to Tottenham when the transfer window opens in July, injured his ankle in Brazils second game in the World Cup warm-up competition, against Mexico. Doctors said he would have been able to play against Italy, but Brazil had already secured a place in the semifinals in advance and Scolari decided to keep him out so he could fully recover for the semifinal. Chelsea defender David Luiz had been doubtful to start against Italy after breaking his nose against the Mexicans, but the injury didnt keep him from playing. What kept him from finishing the match was a bruised right leg sustained early in the game. He had to leave the field before halftime and the injury was still bothering him on Sunday.dddddddddddd. Reserve striker Bernard injured his right foot in the teams first training session ahead of the match at the Mineirao, but both David Luiz and Paulinho practiced regularly. They are considered key for the Brazilian defence when the team faces some of the tournaments top strikers in Diego Forlan, Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez. "They are all very good strikers, they can be decisive," Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar said on Monday. "We will need all the help we can get because we will be playing against a very strong attack. We will have to be very careful because they can decide the match in the blink of an eye." The Brazilian defence did well in the opener against Japan and in the second match against Mexico, keeping their attackers at bay and not conceding any goals. But without Paulinho and David Luiz against Italys attack led by Mario Balotelli, the Brazilians conceded two goals. Brazil hadnt conceded goals in three straight matches, including in the friendly against France just before the Confederations Cup. "We let in the goals at the right time, they didnt matter much in the end," Julio Cesar said. "We have improved a lot in defence but we know that we still havent found the right balance. We have to keep working hard to improve in that area as well as in others." Uruguay is the defending South American champion but Brazil has won the last two times the teams faced each other, both in World Cup qualifiers in 2010. ' ' '
