Mid-American Conference

 
This Week’s MAC Schedule
Saturday, October 8
Bowling Green at Ohio, 2:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
Ball State at Central Michigan, 3:00 pm ET (American Sports Network/ESPN3)
Miami at Akron, 3:00 pm ET (ESPN3)
Toledo at Eastern Michigan, 3:00 pm ET (BCSN/Time Warner Cable SportsChannel/ESPN3)
Kent State at Buffalo, 3:30 pm ET (ESPN3)
NIU at Western Michigan, 6:30 pm ET (CBS Sports Network)

*Ball State at Central Michigan at 3:00 PM ET (American Sports Network affiliate listings)
Illinois:  CSN Chicago Plus in Chicago, Champaign, Peoria, Quincy and Rockford; Champaign (WBUI CW)
Indiana:  CSN Chicago Plus in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette, South Bend and Terre Haute; Evansville (WJTS (Youtoo America); South Bend (WHME (Independent)
Michigan:  Flint (WBSF (CW); Lansing (WHTV (MyTV)
New York:  Albany (WCWN (CW); Buffalo (WNYO (MyTV); Buffalo WNYO-2 (ASN); New York (WRNN-2 (ASN); Rochester (WHAM-2 (CW); Syracuse (WTVH-2 (Grit)
Ohio:  Cincinnati (WKRC-2 (CW); Cincinnati (WKRC-3 (ASN); Cleveland (WEWS-2 (Cozi); Cleveland WQDI D-4 (DTV America); Columbus (WSYX-2 (MyTV/This TV); Columbus (WTTE-3 (ASN); Dayton (WKEF-2 (ASN); Toledo (WNWO-2 (ASN); Youngstown (WYTV-2 (My TV)
*Check your local listings
 
MAC WEEK SIX NOTES
• Week 6 of college football will feature the MAC in full league play with six MAC games on Saturday, Oct. 8th. Last week, with five MAC games the road team was victorious in all five contests.
• Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis set the MAC all-time career receiving yards record on Saturday night in Western Michigan’s 49-10 win at Central Michigan. Davis added 72 yards on six receptions and two touchdowns for 4,252 career receiving yards. Davis eclipsed former Bronco Jordan White (4,187, 2006-11) and now ranks 11th all-time in FBS history. Davis is 753 yards away from the FBS all-time career receiving record.
• The MAC concluded its non-conference regular season schedule with 14 FBS wins, which tied for second most for the MAC since 2000. The MAC posted 16 FBS wins in 2012, while this year’s 14 FBS wins matched the 2008 mark (14 FBS wins) and surpassed last year’s total of 12 FBS wins.
• Among the ‘Group of Five’ Conferences this year, the MAC posted a 3-2 regular season record vs. both Conference USA and the Sun Belt Conference, while sporting a 3-3 record vs. the Mountain West and a 0-3 mark vs. the American Athletic Conference.
• Western Michigan defeated Central Michigan, 49-10, to remain undefeated as the 5-0 start is the Broncos best since 1994. The win was the largest for the Broncos over the Chippewas since 1970, while the crowed of 30,411 at Central Michigan was the second largest crowd at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
 
Western Michigan earned its first ranking in program history as the Broncos are No. 25 in the USA Today/Amway Coaches Poll. Western Michigan also received 76 votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. This season Western Michigan became the fourth MAC program in Conference history to win two games against Big Ten opponents in the same regular season.

    • 2016: Western Michigan 34-10 win at Illinois; 22-21 win at Northwestern
    • 2015: Bowling Green wins at Maryland; at Purdue
    • 2013: Northern Illinois wins at Iowa; at Purdue
    • 2003: Bowling Green win at Purdue; vs. Northwestern (Motor City Bowl)
 
• Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside set a Rockets single-game record with 505 yards passing on 30-38 passing and five touchdowns in a 55-53 loss at BYU.  Woodside topped Bruce Gradkowski’s previous mark of 461 yards in 2003, while the 505 yards passing is tied for seventh best in MAC single-game history.
• Eastern Michigan defeated Bowling Green 28-25 for the program’s first MAC opening win since 2005. The Eagles are 4-1 for the first time since 1995.
• Akron junior quarterback Tra’Von Chapman stepped in to start under center for injured Thomas Woodson on the road in a Akron at Kent State rivalry game in his hometown of Kent, Ohio. Chapman led a 31-27 win, including the game-winning 57 yards scoring drive capped with a three-yard touchdown pass to Mykel Traylor-Bennett. Chapman finished 11-28 passing for 237 yards and two touchdowns, all career-highs, while adding 39 rushing yards.
• Kent State junior Nick Holley started at quarterback and made his first appearance under center since his senior year of high school in 2012. Holley completed 19 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 117 yards and one touchdown in a 31-27 loss to Akron. His 402 yards of offense marked the first Kent State player to top 400-yards of offense since 2004 (Josh Cribbs). Holley also became the first Kent State player since 2008 (Julian Edelman) to have 100 yards passing (285) and 100 yards rushing (117) in the same game. Since 2013, Holley had played both running back and wide receiver.
• This season the MAC also has four ‘Power Five’ wins -- Northwestern, Illinois from the Big Ten and Oklahoma State and Kansas from the Big 12.
 
BRONCOS AND ROCKETS GET VOTES IN NATIONAL POLLS
Western Michigan earned its first ranking in program history, as the Broncos are now No. 25 in the USA Today Amway Coaches Poll. The Broncos earned the ranking after becoming 5-0 following its 49-10 victory over rival Central Michigan on Saturday in the Battle for the Cannon. In addition, the Broncos received 76 votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the most of any football program not ranked in the Top 25.
 
Western Michigan’s 5-0 start is the best in program history since 1994, when the team also started 5-0. The start includes wins over Big Ten teams Northwestern and Illinois, giving the Broncos two wins over Power 5 schools for the first time in team history. It is also just the fourth time in MAC history a school has beaten two Big Ten opponents in the same season.
 
THREE MAC STUDENTS CLIMB CAREER RECORD BOOK
Three MAC seniors have the opportunity to continue to climb up the MAC career record book this 2016 season. Senior quarterbacks Cooper Rush (Central Michigan) and Zach Terrell (Western Michigan) rank among career leaders in total offense, attempts, completions, yards passing, touchdowns and completion percentage. Also, Western Michigan senior wide receiver Corey Davis set the MAC career receiving yards record on Oct. 1st with 72 yards receiving.
 
Central Michigan QB Cooper Rush
• Total Offense – 10,776 yards (11th MAC history)
• Career Attempts – 1,358 (13th MAC history)
• Career Completions – 852 (11th MAC history)
• Career Yards Passing – 10,884 (8th MAC history)
• Career Passing TDs – 81 (9th MAC history)
• Career Pass Completion % - 62.7 (852-1,358) (22nd MAC history)
 
Western Michigan QB Zach Terrell
• Total Offense – 10,101 yards (16th MAC history)
• Career Attempts – 1,129 (23rd MAC history)
• Career Completions – 735 (20th MAC history)
• Career Yards Passing – 9,618 (14th MAC history)
• Career Passing TDs – 75 (11th MAC history)
• Career Pass Completion % - 65.1 (735-1,129) (t-5th MAC history)
 
Western Michigan WR Corey Davis
• Career Receptions – 265 (10th MAC history)
• Career Receiving Yards – 4,252 (1st MAC history)
• Career TD Receptions – 39 (t-2nd MAC history)
 
TWO MAC RECEIVERS LEAD NATION IN RECEPTION STREAK
The MAC is home to two of the top 10 wide receivers with the longest current reception streak in the nation. Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis (41 games) is tied for first in the country, while Bowling Green’s Ronnie Moore (35 games) ranks eighth in the nation. Also, Toledo wideout Corey Jones (29 games) is tied for 16th in the country in this category.
 
MAC BOWL NOTES
• The MAC tied a Conference record with seven teams bowl eligible during the 2015 bowl season. The seven MAC bowl invitations for Bowling Green (10-4), Northern Illinois (8-6), Toledo (10-2), Ohio (8-5), Central Michigan (7-6), Western Michigan (8-5) and Akron (8-5) matched the Conference record for programs receiving a bowl invitation in a single season, which also occurred during the 2012 bowl season.
• Bowling Green (GoDaddy), Northern Illinois (San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia), Toledo (Marmot Boca Raton), Ohio (Raycom Media Camellia), Central Michigan (Quick Lane), Western Michigan (Popeyes Bahamas) and Akron (Famous Idaho Potato) represented the MAC during the 2015 bowl season.
• This marked the eighth time in MAC history for the Conference to have five or more programs receive a bowl invitation (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) in a single-season.
• In the previous five bowl seasons, the MAC has a record of 11-18 in 29 bowl games – 2015 (3-4); 2014 (2-3); 2013 (0-5); 2012 (2-5); 2011 (4-1) – as 11 different MAC programs have appeared in a bowl game in that span (2011-15).
 
MAC 2015-16 BOWL RESULTS
• Raycom Media Camellia Bowl: Appalachian State 31, Ohio 29
• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Akron 23, Utah State 21
• Marmot Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo 32, Temple 17
• San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia: Boise State 55, NIU 7
• GoDaddy Bowl: Georgia Southern 58, Bowling Green 27
• Popeyes Bahamas: Western Michigan 45, Middle Tennessee 31
• Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota 21, Central Michigan 14
 
MAC PROGRAMS IN BOWL GAMES
In the last five bowl seasons, 11 different MAC programs have received a bowl invitation, as Northern Illinois leads the MAC with five invitations during this span. Bowling Green (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015), Ohio (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015) and Toledo (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015) rank second with four invitations. Central Michigan (2012, 2014, 2015), and Western Michigan (2011, 2014, 2015) each received three invitations in the last five years. Ball State (2012, 2013) had two bowl appearances, while Akron (2015), Buffalo (2013), Kent State (2012) and former MAC-member Temple (2011) received one bowl invite during the last five seasons. The only two members to not receive a bowl invitation in the last five years are Eastern Michigan and Miami.
 
OHIO’S SOLICH MOVING UP MAC CAREER WINS LIST
Ohio head coach Frank Solich and his Bobcats finished 2015 with an 8-5 overall record. Solich continues to rise up the MAC career head coaching win list with 83 wins, which ranks third most in MAC history. Last year he surpassed former Toledo head coach, Gary Pinkel (73 career victories), former Bowling Green head coach Doyt Perry (77 career wins) and former Marshall head coach Bob Pruett (79 career wins) on this list.
 
Solich has been the recent model for consistency in coaching in the MAC. Solich arrived in Athens, Ohio in 2005 and now in his 12th season running the Bobcats program has garnered a bowl appearance in six of the previous 10 seasons. During his coaching career at Ohio, Solich has a record of 83-63.
 
Most MAC Head Coaching Wins, Career
1. 110, Herb Deromedi, Central Michigan, 1978-93
2. 108, Bill Hess, Ohio, 1958-77
3. 83, Frank Solich, Ohio, 2005-present
4. 79, Bob Pruett, Marshall, 1997-03
 
FLECK SECOND YOUNGEST FBS HEAD COACH
For the fourth consecutive year, Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck, 35, is one of the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I (FBS). Fleck is in his fourth year at the helm of the Broncos with this year’s team off to a 5-0 start and a 22-21 overall record as head coach. In 2016 Fleck is the second youngest head coach at the FBS level, only to Memphis’ new head coach Mike Norvell. The previous three seasons (2013-15) Fleck was the youngest head coach at the FBS level.
 
Fleck led the Broncos to the program’s first ever bowl win with a 45-31 win over Middle Tennessee in the 2015 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl and finished the season with an 8-5 overall record, 6-2 in the MAC with a tie for first place in the West Division. Western Michigan was bowl eligible for the second consecutive year for the first time in program history. In 2014, Western Michigan posted an impressive turnaround season with an 8-5 overall record, including an invitation to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, after a 1-11 record in 2013.
 
Coach, School, Age (Date of Birth)
Mike Norvell, Memphis 34 (11-11-81)
P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan 35 (11-29-80)
Neal Brown, Troy 36 (3-11-80)
Kliff Klingsbury, Texas Tech 36 (8-9-79)
Matt Campbell, Iowa State 36 (11-29-79)
 
MAC VS BIG TEN OPPONENTS
Western Michigan’s 34-10 win at Illinois (9/17) and 22-21 win over Northwestern (9/3), the MAC has won a regular season game vs. Big Ten opponents in each of the last 11 consecutive seasons (2006-2016), the longest streak in MAC history. During this 11-year span, MAC teams have defeated 10 different Big Ten teams—Illinois (3); Indiana (5); Iowa (3); Maryland (1); Michigan (1); Michigan State (1); Minnesota (2); Northwestern (2); Penn State (1) and Purdue (5) -- for 24 wins during this span.
 
2006: Ohio beat Illinois
2007: BGSU beat Minnesota; WMU defeated Iowa
2008: WMU beat Illinois; CMU beat Indiana; Toledo beat Michigan; Ball State beat Indiana
2009: NIU beat Purdue; Central Michigan beat Michigan State
2010: Toledo beat Purdue; NIU beat Minnesota
2011: Ball State beat Indiana
2012: Ohio beat Penn St.; Ball State beat Indiana; CMU beat Iowa
2013: NIU beat Purdue; NIU beat Iowa
2014: BGSU beat Indiana; NIU beat NW; CMU beat Purdue
2015: BGSU beat Maryland and Purdue
2016: WMU beat Northwestern and Illinois
 
This year the MAC is 2-5 vs. Big Ten opponents. In 2015, the MAC finished with a 2-10 overall record against Big Ten opponents -- with two wins by Bowling Green over Purdue and Maryland. In 2014, the MAC had three wins vs. Big Ten opponents — Purdue, Northwestern and Indiana, which marked the fourth time in MAC history with three wins vs. Big Ten opponents (2000, 2003, 2012 and 2014). The most wins in a single season by the MAC over Big Ten opponents is four games (2008).
 
MAC 2016 BOWL PARTNERS
In 2014 the MAC announced the creation of newly created bowl games in Boca Raton, Fla., Nassau, Bahamas and Miami Beach, Fla. for a six-year period (2014-2019), in addition to the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. These new bowl games increase the guaranteed bowl invitations for the MAC to five each football season.
 
The Marmot Boca Raton Bowl, Popeyes Bahamas Bowl and Raycom Media Camellia Bowl join MAC bowl partners Dollar General Bowl (Mobile, Ala.) and Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Ida.) as primary bowl partners. The MAC is a partner with the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl as a primary partner in 2017 and 2019, and a secondary partner in 2016 and 2018 bowl seasons. The MAC will play the Mountain West in both the 2017 and 2019 bowl seasons, played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. In the fall of 2014, the MAC announced a six-year (2014-9) backup agreement with the newly-formed Quick Lane Bowl, owned and operated by the Detroit Lions and Ford Field. The MAC also is a backup to various ESPN owned and operated bowl games (St. Petersburg, Fla.; Birmingham, Ala.).
 
2016 Bowl Season:
Dollar General Bowl (Mobile, Ala.; vs. Sun Belt)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Ida.; vs. Mountain West)
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.; vs. Sun Belt)
Miami Beach Bowl (Miami, Fla.; vs. American Athletic)
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (Nassau, Bahamas; vs. AAC/C-USA)
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Fla., vs. AAC/C-USA)
*Secondary in San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
*Secondary to ESPN owned and operated bowl games
*Secondary to Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit, Mich.)
 
WINS OVER NON-CONFERENCE FBS OPPONENTS
This season the MAC has earned 14 non-conference FBS wins and topped last season’s total of 12 FBS wins. This year’s 14 FBS wins ranks tied for second-most since the 2000 season. The MAC set the Conference single-season record with 16 wins over FBS opponents during the 2012 season. Dating back to the 2000 season, the previous mark for MAC’s number of wins vs. FBS opponents was 14 regular season wins in the 2008 season.
 
Regular Season Wins vs. non-conference FBS opponents:
Year: Wins; FBS Opponents Defeated:
2016: 14; Northwestern, Arkansas State, Georgia State; Oklahoma State; Kansas; Illinois; Fresno State; UNLV; Marshall; Charlotte; Army; Florida Atlantic; Georgia Southern; Wyoming
2015: 12; Arkansas; Maryland; Iowa State; Purdue; FAU; Marshall; Wyoming; UNLV; Idaho; Arkansas State; Louisiana; FIU
2014: 8; Purdue; Northwestern; Indiana; Idaho (2); UNLV, Pitt; Army
2013: 10; Iowa; Purdue; Virginia; UConn; Tulsa; Marshall; Army; North Texas; Idaho; Navy
2012: 16; Penn State; Wyoming; Idaho; New Mexico St.; Army (4); UConn; Marshall; Indiana; Iowa; South Florida; Kansas; Cincinnati; Rutgers
2011: 10; Indiana; Army (4); UConn; Idaho; New Mexico State; Marshall; Maryland
2010: 7; Minnesota; Purdue; Marshall; Colorado State; UConn; Army; Louisiana-Lafayette
2009: 9; Michigan State; Purdue; Colorado; Florida International; Troy; UTEP; North Texas; Army; Navy
2008: 14; Navy; Indiana (2); Western Kentucky; Michigan; Idaho; Illinois; Syracuse; Army (3); Pittsburgh; Wyoming; UTEP
2007: 10; Navy; Army (2); Idaho; Iowa State (2); Iowa; Minnesota; Syracuse; La-Lafayette
2006: 11; Temple (5); Kansas; Virginia; North Carolina State; North Texas; FIU; Illinois
2005: 9; Army; Louisiana-Lafayette; Temple (4); Pittsburgh; Middle Tennessee State; Cincinnati
2004: 3; Temple (2); Kentucky
2003: 9; Kansas State; Northwestern; Colorado State; Cincinnati; Purdue; Maryland; Alabama; Iowa State; Pittsburgh
2002: 10; Rutgers; Troy; North Carolina; Cincinnati; UConn; Missouri; Kansas; Wyoming; Wake Forest; UNLV
2001: 11; UConn (2); Army; Cincinnati; Missouri; Temple (2); Minnesota; Northwestern; South Florida; Navy
2000: 9; Central Florida (2); Vanderbilt; Minnesota; UConn (2); Navy; Penn State; Iowa
 
MAC HEAD COACHES IN HIGH DEMAND
Football programs continue to take notice of MAC head coaches. There are 12 former head coaches from the MAC in a current FBS head coaching position–including each of the last two National Champion’s with 2015 Alabama’s Nick Saban (Toledo) and 2014 Ohio State’s Urban Meyer (Bowling Green), and nearly one-third of the ACC (four total). For the 2016 season, 25 of the 128 FBS coaches (19.5%) will be either current or former MAC head coaches. The 25 current FBS coaches include the current 12 MAC head football coaches and 13 former MAC head football coaches.
 
ACC – Steve Addazio-Boston College (Temple), Dave Doeren-NC State (Northern Illinois), Dave Clawson-Wake Forest (Bowling Green), Dino Babers-Syracuse (Bowling Green).
Big Ten – Urban Meyer-Ohio State (Bowling Green), Darrell Hazell-Purdue (Kent State).
Big 12 – Jim Grobe-Baylor (Ohio), Matt Campbell-Iowa State (Toledo).
Ind. – Brian Kelly-Notre Dame (Central Michigan), Mark Whipple (UMass).
SEC-Nick Saban-Alabama (Toledo), Butch Jones-Tennessee (Central Michigan)
Sun Belt – Doug Martin-New Mexico State (Kent State).