My biggest beef with this MAC business is that everyone seems to be jumping on a Ball State bandwagon that seems undeserved. Even the CBS rankings had them in the 30s last season. Sure, they went 10-3, but that's not necessarily hard to come by when you play E Michigan (2-10), W Michigan (1-11), Kent State (4-8), Miami (OH) (0-12), Army (3-9), Akron (5-7), and Virginia (2-10) and an FCS team. The other teams they played weren't spectacular either. Additionally they were beaten by a (decent) Ark St. team in the bowl game.
But the biggest problem with them of all? UNT was the only other regular season opponent to beat them besides Northern Illinois! Take N Illinois from that conference and they're probably worse than the Sun Belt.