2018 Mid-American Conference football season
Sports season
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The 2018 Mid-American Conference football season will be the 73rd season for the Mid-American Conference (MAC). and is part of the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season will begin on August 30 and will end on November 24. The entire schedule was released on February 22.[1][2] The MAC Championship Game will be held on November 30, 2018.
| 2018 Mid American Conference football season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision |
| Sport | Football |
| Duration | August 30, 2018 – January 2019 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | Tyree Jackson |
| East Division champions | Buffalo |
| West Division champions | Northern Illinois |
| MAC Championship Game | |
| Champions | Northern Illinois |
| Runners-up | Buffalo |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo x | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (OH) | 6 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akron | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kent State | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Illinois x$ | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Michigan | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan | 0 | – | 8 | 1 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preseason
Preseason poll
The MAC Preseason Media Poll was released at the MAC Media Day on July 24, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan.[3]
East
- Ohio (21)
- Buffalo (1)
- Miami (2)
- Akron
- Bowling Green
- Kent State
West
- Northern Illinois (15)
- Toledo (7)
- Western Michigan (1)
- Eastern Michigan
- Central Michigan (1)
- Ball State
(first place votes)
MAC Championship
Ohio received 13 votes as the predicted 2018 MAC Championship Game winner. Toledo (5), Northern Illinois (4), Miami (1), and Central Michigan (1) also received votes.
Head coaches
Coaching changes
On November 22, 2018, one day after Kent State's final game of the season against Akron, the school fired head coach Paul Haynes after five losing seasons.[4][5] On December 19, the school hired Sean Lewis as head coach.[6][7]
Coaches
| Team | Head coach | Previous job | Years at school | Overall record | MAC record | MAC titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | Terry Bowden | North Alabama | 7 | 31–44 (.413) | 21–27 (.438) | 0 |
| Ball State | Mike Neu | New Orleans Saints (QB Coach) | 3 | 6–18 (.250) | 1–15 (.063) | 0 |
| Bowling Green | Mike Jinks | Texas Tech (Assist. Head Coach) | 3 | 6–18 (.250) | 5–11 (.313) | 0 |
| Buffalo | Lance Leipold | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 4 | 13–23 (.361) | 8–16 (.333) | 0 |
| Central Michigan | John Bonamego | Detroit Lions (Special Teams Coordinator) | 4 | 21–18 (.538) | 15–9 (.625) | 0 |
| Eastern Michigan | Chris Creighton | Drake | 5 | 15–34 (.306) | 8–24 (.250) | 0 |
| Kent State | Sean Lewis | Syracuse (Co-Off. Coordinator) | 1 | 0–0 (–) | 0–0 (–) | 0 |
| Miami | Chuck Martin | Notre Dame (Off. Coordinator) | 5 | 16–33 (.327) | 14–18 (.438) | 0 |
| Northern Illinois | Rod Carey | Northern Illinois (Off. Coordinator) | 6 | 44–24 (.647) | 33–8 (.805) | 1 |
| Ohio | Frank Solich | Nebraska | 14 | 97–71 (.577) | 60–40 (.600) | 0 |
| Toledo | Jason Candle | Toledo (Off. Coordinator) | 3 | 21–7 (.750) | 13–3 (.813) | 1 |
| Western Michigan | Tim Lester | Purdue (QB coach) | 2 | 6–6 (.500) | 4–4 (.500) | 0 |
Notes:
- All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only.
- Records are through the beginning of the 2018 season only.
Schedule
Regular season
| Index to colors and formatting |
|---|
| MAC member won |
| MAC member lost |
| MAC teams in bold |
Week One
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | 7:00 p.m. | Central Connecticut | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN | ESPN+ | W 48–6 | 9,801 | |
| August 31 | 6:00 p.m. | Syracuse | Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI | CBSSN | L 42–55 | 20,628 | |
| August 31 | 6:30 p.m. | Monmouth | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI | ESPN+ | W 51–17 | 14,357 | |
| September 1 | 12:00 p.m. | Kent State | Illinois | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | BTN | L 24–31 | 31,898 | |
| September 1 | 2:00 p.m. | Howard | Ohio | Peden Stadium • Athens, OH | ESPN+ | W 38–32 | 18,275 | |
| September 1 | 3:30 p.m. | Marshall | Miami (OH) | Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH | ESPN+ | L 28–35 | 15,827 | |
| September 1 | 3:30 p.m. | Central Michigan | Kentucky | Kroger Field • Lexington, KY | ESPNU | L 20–35 | 49,138 | |
| September 1 | 3:30 p.m. | Northern Illinois | Iowa | Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA | BTN | L 7–33 | 67,510 | |
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | Delaware State | Buffalo | UB Stadium • Amherst, NY | ESPN3 | W 48–10 | 17,959 | |
| September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | VMI | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH | ESPN3 | W 66–3 | 24,136 | |
| September 1 | 8:00 p.m. | Akron | Nebraska | Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE | FOX | Cancelled | ||
| September 1 | 8:00 p.m. | Bowling Green | No. 24 Oregon | Autzen Stadium • Eugene, OR | P12N | L 24–58 | 50,112 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Akron at Nebraska was canceled following a three-hour delay for lightning and thunderstorms.[8]
Players of the week:[9]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tyree Jackson | Buffalo | Jim Jones | Kent State | DL Knock | Ohio |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| D'Wayne Eskridge | Western Michigan | Devonni Reed | Central Michigan | Cody Thompson | Toledo |
Week Two
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 8 | 12:00 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | Purdue | Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN | BTN | W 20–19 | 47,661 | |
| September 8 | 12:00 p.m. | Western Michigan | Michigan | Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | FS1 | L 3–49 | 110,814 | |
| September 8 | 3:00 p.m. | Kansas | Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI | ESPN+ | L 7–31 | 18,127 | |
| September 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Morgan State | Akron | InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH | ESPN+ | W 41–7 | 18,413 | |
| September 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Buffalo | Temple | Lincoln Financial Field • Philadelphia, PA | ESPN3 | W 36–29 | 25,511 | |
| September 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Howard | Kent State | Dix Stadium • Kent, OH | ESPN+ | W 54–14 | 15,242 | |
| September 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Ball State | No. 8 Notre Dame | Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN | NBC | L 16–24 | 77,622 | |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | Maryland | Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH | ESPN+ | L 14–45 | 16,142 | |
| September 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Utah | Northern Illinois | Huskie Stadium • DeKalb, IL | ESPNews | L 6–17 | 16,762 | |
| September 8 | 8:00 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Cincinnati | Paul Brown Stadium • Cincinnati, OH (Victory Bell) | ESPN3 | L 0–21 | 16,062 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[10]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tyree Jackson | Buffalo | Cameron Lewis | Buffalo | Nick Gasser | Akron |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tyler Wiegers | Eastern Michigan | Sutton Smith | Northern Illinois | Chad Ryland | Eastern Michigan |
Week Three
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15 | 12:00 p.m. | Ball State | Indiana | Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN | BTN | L 10–38 | 40,240 | |
| September 15 | 12:00 p.m. | Kent State | No. 11 Penn State | Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA | FS1 | L 10–63 | 106,528 | |
| September 15 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 21 Miami (FL) | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH | ESPN2 | L 24–49 | 28,117 | |
| September 15 | 3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Minnesota | TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, MN | BTN | L 3–26 | 41,162 | |
| September 15 | 3:30 p.m. | Central Michigan | Northern Illinois | Huskie Stadium • DeKalb, IL | ESPN+ | NIU 24–16 | 12,354 | |
| September 15 | 4:15 p.m. | Ohio | Virginia | Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, TN[a] | ESPN2 | L 31–45 | 5,438 | |
| September 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Akron | Northwestern | Ryan Field • Evanston, IL | BTN | W 39–34 | 40,014 | |
| September 15 | 4:00 p.m. | Eastern Kentucky | Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH | ESPN3 | W 42–35 | 17,542 | |
| September 15 | 6:00 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | Buffalo | UB Stadium • Amherst, NY | ESPN+ | UB 35–28 | 18,384 | |
| September 15 | 7:00 p.m. | Delaware State | Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI | ESPN+ | W 68–0 | 23,244 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
- Moved from Scott Stadium in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.
Players of the week:[11]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| K. J. Osborn | Buffalo | Alvin Davis | Akron | Michael Farkas | Ohio |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Diontae Johnson | Toledo | Malik Fountain | Central Michigan | Jake Julien | Eastern Michigan |
Week Four
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 22 | 12:00 p.m. | Kent State | Ole Miss | Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | SECN | L 17–38 | 50,417 | |
| September 22 | 12:00 p.m. | Buffalo | Rutgers | High Point Solutions Stadium • Piscataway, NJ | BTN | W 42–13 | 34,574 | |
| September 22 | 12:00 p.m. | Akron | Iowa State | Jack Trice Stadium • Ames, IA | FSN | L 13–26 | 54,028 | |
| September 22 | 12:00 p.m. | Ohio | Cincinnati | Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH | ESPNU | L 30–34 | 35,220 | |
| September 22 | 12:00 p.m. | Nevada | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH | CBSSN | W 63–44 | 23,675 | |
| September 22 | 2:00 p.m. | Western Michigan | Georgia State | Georgia State Stadium • Atlanta, GA | ESPN+ | W 34–15 | 15,264 | |
| September 22 | 3:00 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH | ESPN+ | MIOH 38–23 | 14,380 | |
| September 22 | 3:00 p.m. | Western Kentucky | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN | ESPN3 | L 20–28 | 15,873 | |
| September 22 | 3:00 p.m. | Maine | Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI | ESPN+ | W 17–5 | 16,474 | |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | Northern Illinois | Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL | ESPNU | L 19–37 | 65,633 | |
| September 22 | 10:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | San Diego State | SDCCU Stadium • San Diego, CA | CBSSN | L 23–20 OT | 30,898 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[12]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Alonzo Smith | Miami (OH) | Khalil Hodge | Buffalo | Nick Gasser | Akron |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Mitchell Guadagni | Toledo | Maxx Crosby | Eastern Michigan | Gavin Peddie | Western Michigan |
Week Five
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | 12:00 p.m. | Bowling Green | Georgia Tech | Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA | ACCRSN | L 17–63 | 40,740 | |
| September 29 | 12:00 p.m. | Army | Buffalo | UB Stadium • Amherst, NY | CBSSN | L 13–42 | 23,671 | |
| September 29 | 12:00 p.m. | Central Michigan | No. 21 Michigan State | Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI | FS1 | L 20–31 | 73,752 | |
| September 29 | 2:00 p.m. | UMass | Ohio | Peden Stadium • Athens, OH | ESPN3 | W 58–42 | 19,056 | |
| September 29 | 3:00 p.m. | Kent State | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN | ESPN+ | BALL 52–24 | 9,367 | |
| September 29 | 3:30 p.m. | Western Michigan | Miami (OH) | Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH | ESPN+ | WMU 40–39 | 15,012 | |
| September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI | ESPN+ | NIU 26–23 3OT | 14,779 | |
| September 29 | 10:30 p.m. | Toledo | Fresno State | Bulldog Stadium • Fresno, CA | ESPNU | L 49–27 | 33,401 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[13]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Nathan Rourke | Ohio | Khalil Hodge | Buffalo | Maurice Thomas | Miami (OH) |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Jayden Reed | Western Michigan | Antonio Jones-Davis | Northern Illinois | Jake Julien | Eastern Michigan |
Week Six
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 6 | 12:00 p.m. | Buffalo | Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI | CBSSN | UB 34–24 | 14,044 | |
| October 6 | 12:00 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy) | ESPN+ | WMU 27–24 | 24,282 | |
| October 6 | 3:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN (Bronze Stalk Trophy) | ESPN3 | NIU 24–16 | 7,159 | |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Akron | InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH | ESPN+ | MIOH 41–17 | 22,437 | |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Bowling Green | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH (Battle of I-75 Trophy) | ESPN+ | TOL 52–26 | 24,685 | |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Ohio | Kent State | Dix Stadium • Kent, OH | ESPN+ | OHIO 27–26 | 20,062 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[14]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Nathan Rourke | Ohio | Brad Koenig | Miami (OH) | Matthew Trickett | Kent State |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Eli Peters | Toledo | Ralph Holley | Western Michigan | Jake Julien | Eastern Michigan |
Week Seven
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 13 | 12:00 p.m. | Akron | Buffalo | UB Stadium • Amherst, NY | CBSSN | UB 24–6 | 19,506 | |
| October 13 | 12:00 p.m. | Toledo | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI | ESPN+ | EMU 28–26 | 17,998 | |
| October 13 | 2:30 p.m. | Kent State | Miami (OH) | Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH | ESPN+ | MIOH 31–6 | 5,003 | |
| October 13 | 3:00 p.m. | Western Michigan | Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH | ESPN+ | WMU 42–35 | 18,551 | |
| October 13 | 3:00 p.m. | Ball State | Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI | ESPN3 | BALL 24–23 | 10,255 | |
| October 13 | 3:30 p.m. | Ohio | Northern Illinois | Huskie Stadium • DeKalb, IL | ESPN+ | NIU 24–21 | 12,138 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[15]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Kenny Young | Miami (OH) | Khalil Hodge | Buffalo | Michael Farkas | Ohio |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Jamauri Bogan | Western Michigan | Sutton Smith | Northern Illinois | Morgan Hagee | Ball State |
Week Eight
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 20 | 12:00 p.m. | Buffalo | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH | ESPN+ | UB 31–17 | 18,114 | |
| October 20 | 12:00 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Army | Michie Stadium • West Point, NY | CBSSN | L 30–31 2OT | 38,016 | |
| October 20 | 2:00 p.m. | Bowling Green | Ohio | Peden Stadium • Athens, OH | ESPN3 | OHIO 49–14 | 19,492 | |
| October 20 | 3:00 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN | ESPN+ | EMU 42–20 | 14,022 | |
| October 20 | 3:30 p.m. | Western Michigan | Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy/Victory Cannon) | ESPN+ | WMU 35–10 | 10,097 | |
| October 20 | 3:30 p.m. | Akron | Kent State | Dix Stadium • Kent, OH (Wagon Wheel) | ESPN+ | AKR 24–23 OT | 18,774 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[16]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Nathan Rourke | Ohio | Brad Koenig | Miami (OH) | Derek Adams | Kent State |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tyler Wiegers | Eastern Michigan | Alex Grace | Western Michigan | Jake Julien Bailey Flint |
Eastern Michigan Toledo |
Week Nine
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 25 | 7:00 p.m. | Ball State | Ohio | Peden Stadium • Athens, OH | CBSSN | OHIO 52–14 | 13,774 | |
| October 25 | 7:00 p.m. | Toledo | Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI | ESPN2 | TOL 51–24 | 11,389 | |
| October 27 | 12:00 p.m. | Central Michigan | Akron | InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH | ESPN3 | AKR 17–10 | 17,582 | |
| October 27 | 12:00 p.m. | Army | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI | CBSSN | L 22–37 | 22,627 | |
| October 27 | 2:30 p.m. | Northern Illinois | BYU | LaVell Edwards Stadium • Provo, UT | ESPNU | W 7–6 | 51,084 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[17]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| A. J. Ouellette | Ohio | John Lako | Akron | Louie Zervos | Ohio |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Cody Thompson | Toledo | Mykelti Williams | Northern Illinois | Matt Ference | Northern Illinois |
Week Ten
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 30 | 8:00 p.m. | Kent State | Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH (Anniversary Award) | ESPNU | KENT 35–28 | 13,131 | |
| October 30 | 8:00 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Buffalo | UB Stadium • Amherst, NY | ESPN2 | UB 51–42 | 15,682 | |
| October 31 | 7:30 p.m. | Ball State | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH | ESPN2 | TOL 45–13 | 15,214 | |
| November 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois | Akron | InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH | CBSSN | NIU 36–26 | 16,401 | |
| November 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Ohio | Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI | ESPNU | OHIO 59–14 | 11,935 | |
| November 3 | 12:00 p.m. | Central Michigan | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy/rivalry) | ESPN3 | EMU 17–7 | 13,468 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[18]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tyree Jackson | Buffalo | Dalton Hicks | Kent State | Alvin Floyd | Ohio |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tre Harbison | Northern Illinois | Jalen McKie | Northern Illinois | Jameson Vest | Toledo |
Week Eleven
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Kent State | Buffalo | UB Stadium • Buffalo, NY | ESPNU | UB 48–14 | 15,078 | |
| November 7 | 7:00 p.m. | Ohio | Miami (OH) | Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH (Battle of the Bricks) | ESPNU | MIOH 30–28 | 15,975 | |
| November 7 | 8:00 p.m. | Toledo | Northern Illinois | Huskie Stadium • DeKalb, IL | ESPN2 | NIU 38–15 | 5,887 | |
| November 10 | 12:00 p.m. | Akron | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI | ESPN3 | EMU 27–7 | 12,403 | |
| November 10 | 3:00 p.m. | Bowling Green | Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI | ESPN+ | BGSU 24–13 | 8,041 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[19]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Jaret Patterson | Buffalo | Justin Brandon | Buffalo | Kyle Kramer | Miami (OH) |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tre Harbison | Northern Illinois | Maxx Crosby | Eastern Michigan | Sutton Smith | Northern Illinois |
Week Twelve
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 13 | 6:00 p.m. | Western Michigan | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN | ESPN2 | BALL 42–41 OT | 5,503 | |
| November 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Buffalo | Ohio | Peden Stadium • Athens, OH | ESPN2 | OHIO 52–17 | 13,839 | |
| November 14 | 8:00 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Northern Illinois | Huskie Stadium • DeKalb, IL | ESPNU | MIOH 13–7 | 4,878 | |
| November 15 | 6:00 p.m. | Toledo | Kent State | Dix Stadium • Kent, OH | CBSSN | TOL 56–34 | 5,387 | |
| November 17 | 3:30 p.m. | Bowling Green | Akron | InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH | ESPN3 | BGSU 21–6 | 17,742 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[20]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| A. J. Ouellette | Ohio | Rucker Furlow | Miami (OH) | Sam Sloman | Miami (OH) |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Drew Plitt | Ball State | Josh Corcoran | Northern Illinois | Diontae Johnson | Toledo |
Week Thirteen
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Ball State | Miami (OH) | Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH | ESPN+ | MIOH 42–21 | 17,639 | |
| November 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illiniois | Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI | ESPNU | WMU 28–21 | 18,278 | |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | Akron | Ohio | Peden Stadium • Athens, OH | CBSSN | OHIO 49–28 | 12,938 | |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | Buffalo | Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH | ESPNU | UB 44–14 | 10,518 | |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | Kent State | Dix Stadium • Kent, OH | ESPN3 | EMU 28–20 | 6,125 | |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | Central Michigan | Toledo | Glass Stadium • Toledo, OH | ESPN3 | TOL 51–13 | 15,521 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players of the week:[21]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Alonzo Smith | Miami (OH) | Brad Koenig | Miami (OH) | Kylan Nelson | Ohio |
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Ian Eriksen | Eastern Michigan | Sutton Smith | Northern Illinois | Jake Julien | Eastern Michigan |
Week Fourteen
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1 | 12:00 p.m. | Akron | South Carolina | Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC | SECN | L 3–28 | 53,420 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
This game was added after Akron's game vs Nebraska was canceled due to lightning and South Carolina's game vs Marshall was canceled due to Hurricane Florence.
MAC Championship Game
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 30 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois | Buffalo | Ford Field • Detroit, MI | ESPN2 | NIU 30–29 | 10,255 | |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Mountain Time. | ||||||||
Postseason
Postseason awards
- Offensive Player of the Year: Tyree Jackson, QB, Buffalo
- Defensive Player of the Year: Sutton Smith, DE, Northern Illinois
- Special Teams Player of the Year: Diontae Johnson, KR/PR, Toledo
- Coach of the Year: Lance Leipold, Buffalo
- Freshman of the Year: Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo
- Vern Smith Leadership Award: Sutton Smith, DE, Northern Illinois
All-Conference Teams
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Bowl games
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| MAC win | |
| MAC loss | |
| Bowl game | Date | Site | Television | Time (EST) | MAC team | Opponent | Score | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camellia Bowl | December 15 | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | ESPN | 5:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan | Georgia Southern | 21–23 | 17,710 |
| Boca Raton Bowl | December 18 | FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL | ESPN | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois | UAB | 13–37 | 22,614 |
| Frisco Bowl | December 19 | Toyota Stadium • Frisco, TX | ESPN | 8:00 p.m. | Ohio | San Diego State | 27–0 | 11,029 |
| Bahamas Bowl | December 21 | Thomas Robinson Stadium • Nassau, Bahamas | ESPN | 12:30 p.m. | Toledo | FIU | 32–35 | 13,510 |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | December 21 | Albertsons Stadium • Boise, ID | ESPN | 4:00 p.m. | Western Michigan | BYU | 18–49 | 18,711 |
| Dollar General Bowl | December 22 | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPN | 7:00 p.m. | Buffalo | Troy | 32–42 | 31,818 |
Home game attendance
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Game 7 | Total | Average | % of Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field | 27,881 | 18,413 | 22,437 † | 17,582 | 16,401 | 17,742 | 92,757 | 18,515 | 66.4% | ||
| Ball State | Scheumann Stadium | 22,500 | 9,801 | 15,873 † | 9,367 | 7,159 | 14,022 | 5,503 | 61,725 | 10,288 | 45.7% | |
| Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium | 24,000 | 16,142 | 17,542 | 14,380 | 18,551 † | 13,131 | 10,518 | 90,264 | 15,044 | 62.7% | |
| Buffalo | UB Stadium | 29,013 | 17,959 | 18,384 | 23,671 † | 19,506 | 15,682 | 15,078 | 110,280 | 18,380 | 63.4% | |
| Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium | 30,255 | 18,127 † | 16,474 | 14,044 | 10,255 | 10,097 | 8,041 | 66,941 | 11,157 | 36.9% | |
| Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium | 30,200 | 14,357 | 14,779 | 17,998 | 22,627 † | 13,468 | 12,403 | 95,632 | 15,939 | 52.8% | |
| Kent State | Dix Stadium | 25,319 | 15,242 | 20,062 † | 18,774 | 5,387 | 6,125 | 65,590 | 13,118 | 51.8% | ||
| Miami (OH) | Yager Stadium | 24,286 | 15,827 | 15,012 | 5,003 | 15,975 | 17,639 † | 69,456 | 13,891 | 57.2% | ||
| Northern Illinois | Huskie Stadium | 24,000 | 16,762 † | 12,354 | 12,138 | 5,887 | 4,878 | 52,019 | 10,404 | 43.3% | ||
| Ohio | Peden Stadium | 24,000 | 18,275 | 19,056 | 19,492 † | 13,774 | 13,839 | 12,938 | 97,374 | 16,229 | 67.6% | |
| Toledo | Glass Bowl | 26,248 | 24,136 | 28,117 † | 23,675 | 24,685 | 18,114 | 15,214 | 15,521 | 124,777 | 17,825 | 67.9% |
| Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium | 30,200 | 20,628 | 23,244 | 24,282 † | 11,389 | 11,935 | 18,278 | 98,021 | 16,337 | 54.1% | |
Bold – Exceed capacity
†Season High