MAC Football Championship Game
Football game
The MAC Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
History
Locations of the full members of the Mid-American Conference.
The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions. For the 2024 season the MAC eliminated divisions and the game now features the teams with the best conference records.[ 1] A new tiebreaker system was established to compare teams with the same conference record.[ 2] The winner of the game is guaranteed a berth in a bowl game which the MAC has contractual obligations to field a team. Unlike the MAC's Group of Five contemporaries, which hold their respective championship games on campus sites, the MAC Championship Game is held at a neutral site. Ford Field in Detroit has been the venue since 2004 and is scheduled to host through at least 2025.[ 3] [ 4]
In 2000, 2001, and 2007, due to an unbalanced conference schedule, the team with best division record within each division was awarded that division's championship game berth. In other years, the teams with the best overall conference records received a berth. Starting in 2024 the MAC will eliminate divisions and include the two teams with the best overall conference records.[ 5]
The game is held on the first Saturday in December, on the same weekend that other NCAA Division I FBS conferences hold their championship games.
Results
Below are the results from all MAC Football Championship Games played. The winning team appears in bold font, on a background of their primary team color. Rankings are from the AP Poll released prior to the game.
From 1997 through 2003, the championship game was played at campus sites. Since 2004, the game has been played at Ford Field in Detroit where it is scheduled to be held through at least 2025.[ 6]
Year
West
East
Site
Attendance
1997
Toledo Rockets
14
Marshall Thundering Herd
34
Marshall University Stadium • Huntington, WV
28,021
1998
Toledo Rockets
17
Marshall Thundering Herd
23
28,085
1999
Western Michigan Broncos
30
11 Marshall Thundering Herd
34
28,069
2000
Western Michigan Broncos
14
Marshall Thundering Herd
19
24,816
2001
Toledo Rockets
41
20 Marshall Thundering Herd
36
Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH
20,025
2002
Toledo Rockets
45
24 Marshall Thundering Herd
49
Marshall University Stadium • Huntington, WV
24,582
2003
20 Bowling Green Falcons
27
13 Miami RedHawks
49
Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH
24,813
2004
Toledo Rockets
35
Miami RedHawks
27
Ford Field • Detroit, MI
22,138
2005
Northern Illinois Huskies
30
Akron Zips
31
12,051
2006
Central Michigan Chippewas
31
Ohio Bobcats
10
25,483
2007
Central Michigan Chippewas
35
Miami RedHawks
10
25,013
2008
12 Ball State Cardinals
24
Buffalo Bulls
42
12,871
2009
Central Michigan Chippewas
20
Ohio Bobcats
10
23,714
2010
24 Northern Illinois Huskies
21
Miami RedHawks
26
12,031
2011
Northern Illinois Huskies
23
Ohio Bobcats
20
13,052
2012
19 Northern Illinois Huskies
44 2OT
18 Kent State Golden Flashes
37
18,132
2013
16 Northern Illinois Huskies
27
Bowling Green Falcons
47
21,106
2014
Northern Illinois Huskies
51
Bowling Green Falcons
17
15,110
2015
Northern Illinois Huskies
14
Bowling Green Falcons
34
16,425
2016
13 Western Michigan Broncos
29
Ohio Bobcats
23
45,615
2017
Toledo Rockets
45
Akron Zips
28
16,225
2018
Northern Illinois Huskies
30
Buffalo Bulls
29
10,255
2019
Central Michigan Chippewas
21
Miami RedHawks
26
22,427
2020
Ball State Cardinals
38
23 Buffalo Bulls
28
0‡
2021
Northern Illinois Huskies
41
Kent State Golden Flashes
23
10,317
2022
Toledo Rockets
17
Ohio Bobcats
7
15,550
2023
Toledo Rockets
14
Miami RedHawks
23
20,200
Year
No. 1 seed
No. 2 seed
Site
Attendance
2024
Ford Field • Detroit, MI
‡ 2020 game attendance was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Results by team
Appearances
School
Wins
Losses
Win %
Year(s) Won
Year(s) Lost
9
Northern Illinois Huskies
5
4
.556
2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2021
2005, 2010, 2013, 2015
8
Toledo Rockets
4
4
.500
2001, 2004, 2017, 2022
1997, 1998, 2002, 2023
6
Marshall Thundering Herd
5
1
.833
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002
2001
6
Miami RedHawks
4
2
.667
2003, 2010, 2019, 2023
2004, 2007
5
Ohio Bobcats
0
5
.000
2006, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2022
4
Central Michigan Chippewas
3
1
.750
2006, 2007, 2009
2019
4
Bowling Green Falcons
2
2
.500
2013, 2015
2003, 2014
3
Buffalo Bulls
1
2
.333
2008
2018, 2020
3
Western Michigan Broncos
1
2
.333
2016
1999, 2000
2
Akron Zips
1
1
.500
2005
2017
2
Ball State Cardinals
1
1
.500
2020
2008
2
Kent State Golden Flashes
0
2
.000
2012, 2021
Eastern Michigan is the only team currently in the conference to have not qualified for a Championship Game. Marshall is the only Championship Game Winner to not be a current member of the MAC. Bowling Green is the only team that has represented both the East and West Divisions in the Championship Game (was a member of the West Division prior to Marshall's departure from the MAC). Temple , UCF and UMass were previously in the conference during this era and never reached the championship game; UMass will return to the MAC in 2025.
Common matchups
Matchups that have occurred more than once:
# of Times
East Division
West Division
Record
Years played
4
Marshall
Toledo
Marshall, 3–1
1997, 1998, 2001, 2002
3
Bowling Green
Northern Illinois
Bowling Green, 2–1
2013, 2014, 2015
2
Marshall
Western Michigan
Marshall, 2–0
1999, 2000
2
Ohio
Central Michigan
Central Michigan, 2–0
2006, 2009
2
Miami
Central Michigan
Tied, 1–1
2007, 2019
2
Buffalo
Ball State
Tied, 1–1
2008, 2020
2
Kent State
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois, 2–0
2012, 2021
MVPs
Game records
Team
Record, Team vs. Opponent
Year
Most points scored (one team)
51, Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
2014
Most points scored (losing team)
45, Toledo vs. Marshall
2002
Fewest points scored (winning team)
17, Toledo vs. Ohio
2022
Fewest points scored
7, Ohio vs. Toledo
2022
Most points scored (both teams)
94, Marshall (49) vs. Toledo (45)
2002
Fewest points scored (both teams)
24, Toledo (17) vs. Ohio (7)
2022
Most points scored in a half
35, Buffalo (2nd half) vs. Ball State Ball State (1st half) vs. Buffalo
2008 2020
Most points scored in a half (both teams)
49, Marshall vs. Toledo (2nd half)
2002
Largest margin of victory
34, Northern Illinois (51) vs. Bowling Green (17)
2014
Smallest margin of victory
1, Akron (31) vs. Northern Illinois (30)
2005
Total yards
576, Miami (440 passing, 136 rushing) vs. Bowling Green
2003
Rushing yards
334, Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
2014
Passing yards
440, Miami vs. Bowling Green
2003
First downs
30, Western Michigan vs. Marshall Ball State vs. Buffalo
1999 2008
Fewest yards allowed
224, Central Michigan vs. Ohio (137 passing, 87 rushing)
2006
Fewest rushing yards allowed
37, Western Michigan vs. Ohio
2016
Fewest passing yards allowed
102, Kent State vs. Northern Illinois
2021
Individual
Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent
Year
All-purpose yards
448, Ben Roethlisberger , Miami vs. Bowling Green
2003
Touchdowns (all-purpose)
5, Matt Johnson , Bowling Green vs. Northern Illinois
2013
Rushing yards
270, Garrett Wolfe , Northern Illinois vs. Akron
2005
Rushing touchdowns
4, Trinity Dawson, Toledo vs. Marshall
2002
Passing yards
440, Ben Roethlisberger , Miami vs. Bowling Green
2003
Passing touchdowns
5, Matt Johnson , Bowling Green vs. Northern Illinois
2013
Receiving yards
191, Damien Linson, Central Michigan vs. Ohio
2006
Receiving touchdowns
4, Denero Marriott, Marshall vs. Toledo
2001
Tackles
16, shared by: Noah Keller, Ohio vs. Central Michigan Boomer Mays, Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
2009 2015
Sacks
2, shared by nine players, most recent: Tyrece Woods Jr., Buffalo vs. Ball State
2020
Interceptions
2, Dechane Durante, Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
2014
Long Plays
Record, Player, Team vs. Opponent
Year
Touchdown run
96, Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan vs. Ohio
2006
Touchdown pass
86, Randy Moss from Chad Pennington , Marshall vs. Toledo
1997
Kickoff return
64, Clint Stephens, Bowling Green vs. Northern Illinois
2014
Punt return
48, Danzel McKinley-Lewis, Toledo vs. Akron
2017
Interception return
64, Shawun Lurry, Northern Illinois vs. Bowling Green
2015
Fumble return
92, Mike Newton , Buffalo vs. Ball State
2008
Punt
75, Curtis Head, Marshall vs. Toledo
2001
Field goal
52, shared by: Chris Nendick, Northern Illinois vs. Akron Tyler Tate, Bowling Green vs. Northern Illinois
2005 2013
Miscellaneous
Record, Team vs. Team
Year
Game attendance
45,615, Ohio vs. Western Michigan
2016
Source:[ 7]
Photo gallery
See also
References
^ Ramsey, Jared (November 30, 2023). "MAC to replace divisions with new system for 2024" . Detroit Free Press . Retrieved October 16, 2024 .
^ "MAC Announces New Football Tiebreaker Procedures" . MAC . September 18, 2024. Retrieved October 16, 2024 .
^ "MAC Announces Three Year Contract Extension With Ford Field" . getsomemaction.com . Mid-American Conference . July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022 .
^ Kelly, Kyle (November 30, 2023). "MAC signs three-year extension to keep football title game at Ford Field" . FBS Schedules. Retrieved December 5, 2023 .
^ Paul, Tony (November 30, 2023). "Mid-American Conference to go to pods alignment for 2024" . Detroit News. Retrieved December 5, 2023 .
^ Kelly, Kevin (2023-11-30). "MAC Championship Game to remain in Detroit through 2025 season" . FBS Schedules . Retrieved 2024-05-13 .
^ "C-USA Records Master" (PDF) . conferenceusa.com . pp. 35–36. Retrieved December 3, 2021 .
Current teams Future teams Championships and awards Seasons
Mid-American Conference championships
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