While the MAC East has seen its share of volatility in recent years, it pales in comparison to the constant upheaval in the MAC West. In the eight seasons since 2016, all but one of the West’s representatives have earned a division crown. The lone exception, Eastern Michigan, has been to six bowl games during that span – tied with Toledo for the most of any West program.

That gets right to the core of the division’s constant commotion: Every program here expects to be good. Ball State has ha…