In the upper reaches of the Mid-American Conference, the script pretty much remained the same.

Marshall breezed through the regular season and Toledo, despite a late-season brain cramp, will face the Herd on Saturday for the league championship. No discrepancies, no surprises there. The real story is how also-rans like Bowling Green, Kent State and Northern Illinois moved closer to the league's upper tier.

The MAC's Best

MVP Some will place Toledo tailback Chester Taylor here or even jazzy Marshall wideout Darius Watts, but no one was as consistent as Marshall QB Byron Leftwich. The 300-yard day became passé to Leftwich and he was the first player in league history to pass for 400-plus yards in three consecutive games. He says he won't turn pro after this season and if he doesn't, Marshall will be even better in 2002. If he does, perhaps some NFL defense will learn how to stop him. Coach of the Year Urban Meyer, Bowling Green. Who else could it be? He took a group of disgruntled players with a good mix of experienced defenders and turned them into winners. Some would argue for Kent State's Dean Pees but when the Falcons took out Northwestern and Toledo in consecutive weeks, Meyer iced it. Now BG has to figured out a way to hold on to him. Biggest Surprise Kent State. From 1-10 to 6-5. The Flashes won five of their last six for their first winning season since 1987. Biggest Disappointment Ohio returned 17 starters from a team that went 7-4 in 2000 including consecutive wins over Bowling Green and Marshall to end the season. They continued to roll up the yards on the ground but injuries, especially to quarterback Dontrell Jackson, made this a season to forget.

Bowling Green was a team in such disarray following a two-win 2000 season that a coaching change had to be made. They brought in Urban Meyer and the Falcons were supposed to be respectable in about a season or two. They were not supposed to sweep away Missouri, Northwestern and Toledo like empty paper cups.

Kent State was supposed to be mediocre, again. Like they were when they finished with one win in 2000, and the year before that and almost every year since about the Reagan administration. They spent so much time in the cellar that they were still covered in cobwebs when they knocked off Northern Illinois, Ball State and Miami to finish the season at 6-5.

On the flip side, Ohio was supposed to challenge Marshall for the East Division crown, with an experienced quarterback and an option attack that stirs up migraines. They were not supposed to be 1-10. Or how good could Western Michigan had been if it had a healthy Jeff Welsh starting at quarterback for the entire season? We'll never know after a collapsed lung ended the career of the clever fifth-year senior.

Individually, it was as strong a year as ever, especially at quarterback. In terms of all-around ability few quarterbacks in the nation, if any, were better than Marshall flamethrower Byron Leftwich. And how about the crop of freshmen QBs? Take your pick: Miami's Ben Roethlisberger? Kent State Josh Cribbs? Akron's Charlie Frey? How about the guys with experience like Northern Illinois' Chris Finlen and Toledo's Tavares Bolden?

With the national focus slowly shifting and the entire league upgrading talent, expect more of the same in 2002.

Akron
The Zips perhaps bit off a little more than they could chew. They played their most challenging schedule in school history but back-to-back non-league games against Ohio State and Purdue in addition to road games against conference foes Western Michigan, Miami and Marshall was too much to ask. Akron did, however, end the season on a high note with a thrilling 65-62 triple overtime win.

MVP: Quarterback Charlie Frye. One of the league's best freshmen after passing for more than 2,000 yards and establishing a school record for first-year passers. He posted a final efficiency rating of 124.62, fifth highest in the MAC.

Biggest Disappointment: West Virginia transfer Nick Sparks was supposed to be the athletic quarterback the Zips needed to make noise in the East Division but an early-season injury and the play of Frye meant Sparks was destined for wide receiver.

Did You Know: Kicker Zac Derr closed his career with 266 points, including 75 this season. He finished 15-of-18 on field goals and a perfect 30-for-30 on extra points.

Ball State
Despite a losing overall record, Ball State tied for the West title, and along the way defeated a Top 25 team in Toledo. The 5-6 finished earned coach Bill Lynch a contract extension. But with 17 starters returning from 2000, there are some who say the Cardinals underachieved.

MVP: Some would give the nod to defensive lineman Evan Triggs who had eight sacks and 10 tackles for a loss but junior tailback Marcus Merriweather was one of the better RBs in the league. He averaged 124.4 yards per game and scored 12 touchdowns. His 1,244 yards rushing was two yards more than Toledo's Chester Taylor.

Biggest Disappointment: In many ways, sophomore quarterback Talmadge Hill was better as a freshman when he earned freshmen of the year honors. Because he was a first-year player last season, you could excuse the 12 interceptions he threw but not the 15 he tossed this year.

Did You Know: In the 35-31 win over Western Michigan in the season finale, Merriweather set the school's single-season rushing record with 1,244 yards, which broke the previous school mark of 1,210 set by Tony Nibbs in 1994.

Bowling Green
In a sense, the Falcons' season wasn't that shocking. They returned 18 starters including nine on defense. Then Meyer came, set some demanding standards, and the Falcons took flight.

MVP: Senior nose guard Brandon Hicks led a defense awash with seniors with seven sacks and 14 tackles for a loss.

Biggest Disappointment: The emergence of Robert Redd meant that senior wide receiver David Bautista didn't have the same numbers as a year ago. Of course, most receivers in the MAC would sellout for Bautista's numbers: 52 receptions, 661 yards and four touchdowns.

Did You Know: Quarterback Josh Harris accounted for 12 of Bowling Green's touchdowns over the last two weeks.

Buffalo
The Bulls took a small step forward in their rebuilding project by winning three games and was often impressive on defense. The offense played as quarterback Joe Freedy played and he had an uneven season. But coach Jim Hofher is high on the freshmen, especially tailback Aaron Leeper and defensive back Kevin Concepcion. The Bulls could move up another notch if redshirt freshmen quarterback Randall Secky improves or the staff lands a talented junior college prospect.

MVP: Senior free safety Craig Rohlfs was the pulse of the defense and he earned second-team all-league honors because of his field savvy more than anything. He was sorely missed in the Bulls season finale against Akron. Special mention goes to linebacker Bobby Johnson who after shifting from defensive back led the team in tackles.

Biggest Disappointment: On paper, senior tailback Albert Grundy has all the tools -- size, speed and power -- but the intangibles were missing and his potential was never fulfilled.

Did You Know: The Bulls ranked 48th in the nation in total defense, ahead of notables like Florida State, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Washington State, Alabama, Washington and BYU, among others.

Central Michigan
Like Buffalo, there was a small celebration after a one-game improvement from a year ago. And like the Bulls, the coaching staff is pointing toward the future as Central Michigan returns all but 10 seniors and picks up 17 members of the freshmen class who were redshirted this fall. Forty of the 60 players who traveled to Boise State in the regular season finale loss were sophomores or freshmen, and 11 more were juniors.

MVP: Who else but punishing sophomore tailback Terrence Jackson? Jackson rushed for 1,194 yards, scored 10 touchdowns and had a string of seven 100-yard rushing games end at Boise State. Biggest Disappointment: If the Chippewas are to take another step in the standings, their cheesy run defense has to be addressed. Central Michigan allowed 208.0 yards a game and 267.6 last season.

Did You Know: Redshirt freshman James King blocked his seventh punt of the season at Boise State to finish with seven - one short of the NCAA record. He also had a blocked extra point at Boise to end up with eight blocks. The old team mark for blocks was five.

Eastern Michigan
This is yet another team in the rebuilding mode and coach Jeff Woodruff played numerous freshmen and sophomore in key roles so the future is bright. The Eagles won one less game than last season, which was perhaps a direct result of uncertainty at quarterback.

MVP: Linebacker Kenny Philpot finished the season with 14 solo tackles including eight tackles for a loss in the loss to Akron. He'll be missed next season.

Biggest Disappointment: Woodruff expected big things from quarterback Jeff Crooks but injures robbed the former junior college standout of this season.

Did You Know: Quarterback Kainoa Akina's six touchdowns in the loss to Akron is a school record.

Kent State
Until this season, Kent State appeared destined to be frozen in mediocrity, but a string of five wins in its last six games assured a winning season for the first time since 1987. The main reason for the rejuvenated season was an exciting offense led by freshman quarterback Josh Cribbs.

MVP: It's amazing what one player can do for a program. Cribbs is equally as dangerous in the air or on ground and has drawn comparisons to former Virginia Tech All-American Michael Vick. The scary part is that he has three years remaining. Biggest Disappointment: The 14-10 loss at Akron threatened to ruin the Flashes' season but after a loss to Bowling Green, Kent State lost one more game the remainder of the season.

Did You Know: Josh Cribbs became the first freshman quarterback in NCAA history to run and pass for more than 1,000 yards.

Marshall
There are some coaches around the MAC who believe Bob Pruett deserves some mention as coach of the year. At the beginning of the season, Toledo was picked to dominate the league but not only did the Herd run the table, Pruett had to juggle his lineup weekly because of NCAA suspensions. It helps, of course, to have the best talent in the league.

MVP:
Byron Leftwich. If voters can look past the league he plays in, he should garner serious consideration for the Heisman Trophy in 2002.

Biggest Disappointment: The Herd's showing at Florida. Sure it's nearly impossible to beat the Gators in The Swamp, but the blowout loss on national television didn't help the perception that the MAC is a weak league.

Did You Know: Since taking over in 1996, Bob Pruett has compiled an impressive 68-10 record.

Miami
It's hard to tuck away the way the RedHawks finished the season, but overall it was good. Following losses to Michigan and Iowa, Miami won its next seven before losing to Marshall, Hawaii and Kent State to end the season. Even after the Thundering Herd game, there were some who were pushing Miami for an at-large bowl bid but the three-game losing streak flushed away those hopes.

MVP: If it wasn't for Leftwich, Ben Roethlisberger would probably be the player of the year in the league. Only a redshirt freshman, Roethlisberger will rewrite the Miami and MAC record books before he's done. How far would Ohio State go if this guy were in a Buckeye uniform?

Biggest Disappointment: Obviously the final three games of the season after winning seven in a row. To add to the RedHawks' pain, all three losses were in heartbreaking fashion.

Did You Know: Roethlisberger broke the school record for most touchdown passes in a season, eclipsing Mike Bath's 1999 mark of 24. It also ties for the sixth-most touchdown passes in MAC history. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 11 of 12 games this season.

Northern Illinois
At midseason, Northern Illinois was finished after consecutive losses to Toledo, Marshall and Kent State, but a strong finish gave the Huskies a share of the West Division title with Toledo and Ball State. With back-to-back 6-5 seasons, a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title, and seven newly all-league performers, the Huskies are creeping closer to the top of the league.

MVP: Thomas Hammock can easily get lost in the mix of solid MAC tailbacks but he's a 1,000-yard rusher for the second straight year, ranks fourth in league rushing and 25th nationally.

Biggest Disappointment: While Novak insists he didn't lose faith in his team, the three-game losing streak in the middle of the season was disappointing considering the Huskies it cost them a shot at the league championship game.

Did You Know: Kicker Steve Azar ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in field goals (1.82 per game and is a national semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.

Ohio
The most disappointing team in the MAC. The Bobcats were expected to go toe-to-toe with Marshall for the East Division crown after finishing 7-4 last season. They ended up losing six straight to end the season and finished its worst season since going 0-11 in 1994.

MVP: Senior punter Dave Zastudil, a Ray Guy candidate, was second in the nation in punting with a 45.6-yard average. He had 18 kicks over 50 yards and 14 inside the 20. He is a four-time first-team All-MAC selection and has an NFL leg. Too bad the Ohio defense didn't know what to do with the field position Zastudil created.

Biggest Disappointment: Ohio's defense allowed nearly 30 points a game, despite returning eight starters.

Did You Know: The Bobcats' option attack produced the nation's fifth rated rushing offense.

Toledo
The Rockets were the trendy pick to break Marshall's championship streak, and they did nothing to disappoint during the first five weeks of the season. Toledo's switch to the spread offense produced scores like 52-28 over Central Michigan and 48-41 over Ohio, the Rockets cracked the Top 25 and tailback Chester Taylor became a Heisman darkhorse. But something happened on the way to running the table. The first indication was an upset loss to Ball State and they didn't look much better in a 21-20 over hapless Navy. Last week's loss at Bowling Green was almost shocking. Still a Motor City Bowl berth awaits, probably against Cincinnati.

MVP: Taylor Heisman dreams were a longshot at best, but he put up some impressive numbers including scoring 18 touchdowns. He also finished his career as the Rockets career-rushing leader.

Biggest Disappointment: There's nothing wrong with the Motor City Bowl bid- the Rockets didn't gain a bowl bid last season after finishing with a 10-1 record - but the season still ended in a whimper.

Did You Know: Until Bowling Green's 56-21 win over Toledo, the Rockets hadn't allowed more than 50 points since a 61-20 loss to Louisiana Tech in 1959.

Western Michigan
The Broncos started the season with title visions but injuries, notably quarterback Jeff Welsh, hit hard and Western Michigan ended the season 5-6 after winning the last two championships in the West Division.

MVP: Welsh had a sad ending to his career, but he still managed to throw 15 touchdown passes and only four interceptions before suffering a collapsed lung injury.

Biggest Disappointment: A healthy Welsh means Western Michigan challenges Toledo for the West Division crown and the way the Rockets ended the season, the Broncos may have won it.

Did You Know: The Broncos ranked last in the league in rushing at 99.9 yards per game.

Rodney McKissic covers the MAC for the Buffalo News.