Mid-American Conference

MAC WITH FIVE BOWL INVITATIONS IN 2017 BOWL SEASON

Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today that five programs have accepted bowl invitations as invitations to the 2017 bowl season were extended Sunday afternoon.
 
Toledo (Dollar General Bowl), Akron (Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl), Ohio (Bahamas Bowl), Northern Illinois (Quick Lane Bowl) and Central Michigan (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) will represent the MAC in bowl games this season.
 
This also marks the 10th time in MAC history to have five or more programs receive a bowl invitation (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) in a single-season.
 
2017 MAC Bowl Schedule:
Akron vs. Florida Atlantic (Conference USA), Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl, Dec. 19, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Ohio vs. UAB (Conference USA), Bahamas Bowl, Dec. 22, 12:30 pm ET (ESPN)
Central Michigan vs. Wyoming (Mountain West), Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 22, 4:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Toledo vs. Appalachian State (Sun Belt), Dollar General Bowl, Dec. 23, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Northern Illinois vs. Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference), Quick Lane Bowl, Dec. 26, 5:15 pm ET (ESPN)
 
“I am extremely proud of the students, coaches and fans at the five MAC member institutions that have received bowl invitations and our collective accomplishments as a Conference this season,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference.  “The commitment of our students to excel has earned them this opportunity. I am very pleased with our bowl lineup and I look forward to watching the MAC teams compete. I also want to thank our bowl partners, as I speak for the entire conference, we appreciate these partnerships. The students, coaches and fans from our programs are going to have wonderful experiences.”
 
The complete MAC bowl schedule is as follows:  All times are Eastern.
 
Dec. 19:  Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl – Boca Raton, Fla.  7:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Akron (7-6, 6-2) vs. Florida Atlantic (10-3, 8-0, Conference USA)
Note:  Akron won the MAC East Division with a 7-6 overall record, 6-2 in the MAC and made its first trip to the Marathon MAC Championship Game in Detroit since 2005.  Akron suffered a 45-28 loss to Toledo on Dec. 2nd in the 2017 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game. Six-year head coach Terry Bowden will be leading his Zips to the program’s second bowl appearance in the last three seasons, which is a program best.  Bowden led the Zips to the program’s first-ever bowl win in 2015 with a 23-21 win over Utah State in the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
 
Dec. 22:  Bahamas Bowl – Nassau, Bahamas 12:30 pm ET (ESPN)
Ohio (8-4, 5-3) vs. UAB (8-4, 6-2, Conference USA)
Note:  Ohio ended the regular season second in the MAC East Division with a 5-3 league-record, 8-4 overall. Bobcats head coach Frank Solich is in his 13th year leading the Ohio football program and is the third-winningest head coach in MAC history with an 96-71 record at Ohio. Last season Ohio suffered a 28-23 loss to Troy in the Dollar General Bowl. The Bobcats have been bowl eligible in 11 of the 13 years under Solich and will be making their ninth bowl appearance during his coaching tenure. Overall, Ohio will be making its 11th bowl appearance in school history.
 
Dec. 22:  Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – Boise, Ida.  4:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Central Michigan (8-4, 6-2) vs. Wyoming (7-5, 5-3, Mountain West)
Note: Central Michigan wrapped up the 2017 season on a five-game winning streak to finish 8-4 overall, 6-2 in the MAC West Division. Third-year head coach John Bonamego led the Chippewas this season to a non-conference win over Kansas. The program will be making its fourth consecutive bowl appearance, its fifth in the last six years and the ninth in the last 12 seasons. Last season Central Michigan suffered a 55-10 loss to Tulsa in the Miami Beach Bowl.
 
Dec. 23:  Dollar General Bowl – Mobile, Ala. 7:00 pm ET (ESPN)
Toledo (11-2, 7-1) vs. Appalachian State (8-4, 7-1, Sun Belt Conference)
Note:  Toledo won the 2017 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game with a 45-28 win over Akron on Dec. 2, the program’s first MAC Championship since 2004. Toledo completed the season with a 11-2 overall record, 7-1 in the MAC West. Second-year head coach Jason Candle led Toledo to another successful season and will be leading the Rockets to his third-bowl game, as in 2015 Candle replaced Matt Campbell as Toledo defeated Temple, 32-17, in the Marmot Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 22, 2015. Last season Toledo lost a 31-28 decision to Appalachian State in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. Toledo will be making its fourth consecutive bowl appearance (2016 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl; 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl; 2014 GoDaddy Bowl) and its seventh bowl game in the last eight years (2016 Raycom Media Camellia Bowl; 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl; 2015 GoDaddy Bowl; 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; 2011 Military Bowl; 2010 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl). Toledo will be making its Conference leading 17th bowl appearance in program history (11-5 record in bowl games).
 
Dec. 26:  Quick Lane Bowl – Detroit, Mich. 5:15 pm ET (ESPN)
Northern Illinois (8-4, 6-2) vs. Duke (6-6, 3-5, Atlantic Coast Conference)
Note: Northern Illinois finished the 2017 season in second-place in the MAC West Division with a 6-2 league record, 8-4 overall. The Huskies return to the bowl season after missing a bowl appearance last year, which snapped a MAC record streak of eight consecutive bowl appearances (2008-15). Fifth year head coach Rod Carey and the Huskies defeated Nebraska from the Big Ten earlier this season. Northern Illinois will be making its 12th bowl appearance as a member of the MAC (4-7 record in bowl games).