2016 MARATHON MAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Western Michigan (12-0, 8-0 MAC) vs. Ohio (8-4, 6-2 MAC)
Friday, December 2, 2016 • 7:00 pm ET • Detroit, Mich. • Ford Field
ESPN2 Announcers: Adam Amin (play-by-play), Mack Brown (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline reporter)
Watch Live on ESPN2; ESPN3 and Watch ESPN app
The 2016 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game will feature the West Division Champion Western Michigan Broncos against the East Division Champion Ohio Bobcats on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:00 pm ET in front of a national television audience on ESPN2. This contest will mark the 20th annual championship game for the MAC and will mark the 13th neutral site game at Ford Field in downtown Detroit, Mich.
Ohio Bobcats -
Watch Press Conference;
Game Notes;
Press Conference Transcript
Western Michigan -
Watch Press Conference;
Game Notes;
Press Conference Transcript
Marathon MAC Football Championship -
Game Notes;
2016 All-MAC Teams and Postseason Awards
Western Michigan (12-0, 8-0 MAC) clinched the MAC West Division title with a 55-35 win over Toledo on Nov. 25. Western Michigan is one of only two teams undefeated in FBS this season (Alabama, 12-0) and its current 14-game winning streak is the second current longest winning streak in the nation behind Alabama (24). Western Michigan is ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, No. 14 in the Amway/USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 17 in the College Football Playoff Ranking.
Ohio (8-4, 6-2 MAC) clinched the MAC East Division title with a 9-3 win over Akron on Nov. 22. Ohio won four of its final five regular season games to win the MAC East and had the tiebreaker over Miami (6-2) with a 17-7 win at Miami on Oct. 1. Ohio and Western Michigan last faced each other in Athens on Oct. 17, 2015 with a Western Michigan 49-14 win at Ohio.
MAC Notes
• Western Michigan (12-0, 8-0 MAC) is making its first appearance in a neutral site Marathon MAC Football Championship Game. The Broncos did make two appearances in MAC Championship games in 1999 (L, 34-30 at Marshall) and 2000 (L, 19-14 at Marshall) when the games were held on campus. The Broncos only MAC Championship came during the 1988 season.
• Ohio (8-4, 6-2 MAC) won the MAC East Division and will be making their first trip to the Marathon MAC Football Championship since 2011. Ohio is 0-3 in its previous three trips to Detroit for the MAC title game (2006, 2009 and 2011). Ohio has won the MAC Championship on four occasions (1968, 1963, 1960, 1953).
• Western Michigan is ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 14 in the Amway/USA Today Coaches Poll. The No. 13 AP ranking is the highest in the MAC since Ball State was ranked No. 12 on Nov. 30, 2008 after a 12-0 start.
• The Broncos were also ranked No. 17 in the fifth College Football Playoff ranking on Nov. 29. Western Michigan is one of only two teams (Alabama 12-0) that remain undefeated. Western Michigan is bowl eligible for the third straight year.
• The MAC has six teams bowl eligible -- Western Michigan (12-0), Toledo (9-3), Ohio (8-4), Eastern Michigan (7-5), Central Michigan (6-6) and Miami (6-6).
• The 2016 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game will end the streak of three consecutive MAC Championship Games (2013, 2014, 2015) of having Northern Illinois as West Champion face Bowling Green as the East Champion at Ford Field.
WESTERN MICHIGAN’S COREY DAVIS SETS FBS MARK
Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis ended the regular season with eight receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown in a 55-35 win over Toledo on Nov. 25. Davis entered the game already as the MAC career leader in receiving yards, receptions and touchdown receptions. Davis promptly set the FBS career receiving yards record with 5,068 career yards, surpassing the career mark of 5,005 yards receiving set by Trevor Insley of Nevada from 1996-99. For his career, Davis holds the MAC career receiving records in receptions (318), yards (5,068) and touchdowns (50). Davis also leads the nation with 17 touchdown receptions this year.
BRONCOS CONTINUE TO GARNER NATIONAL ATTENTION
No. 13/14 Western Michigan (12-0) joins Alabama (12-0) as the only two programs that remain undefeated in FBS football this season. The Broncos have now won a program-record 14 straight games, which is the second longest current winning streak in the country behind Alabama (24). Western Michigan is 19-2 in its last 21 games, which is also the best record over 21 games in program history. Western Michigan’s 28 wins over the last three years are the most in a three-year span in program history.
On Saturday, Nov. 19, Western Michigan hosted ESPN College GameDay, college football’s longest running and most-celebrated pregame show, for only the second time in MAC history. The ESPN GameDay crew with host Rece Davis, analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack, as well as contributors Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica, Samantha Ponder, Tom Rinaldi, George Whitfield and Gene Wojciechowski, were joined in Kalamazoo by Western Michigan and NFL alum Greg Jennings. The previous visit by ESPN College GameDay to a MAC campus came in 2003 with Northern Illinois at Bowling Green.
WOODSIDE & TERRELL RANK 2ND & 3RD IN PASS EFFICIENCY
Key quarterback play continues to be on display each week with some of the elite MAC football programs. The MAC features two of the top three quarterbacks in the country in pass efficiency.
Toledo junior quarterback Logan Woodside ranks second in the nation with a 183.9.0 pass efficiency rating as the Rockets finished second in the MAC West with a 9-3 overall record, 6-2 in the MAC. Woodside has thrown for 3,882 yards on 271-392 passing for 43 touchdowns. Woodside leads the nation with his 43 passing touchdowns.
Western Michigan quarterback Zach Terrell ranks third in the country with a 183.7 rating. The Broncos won the West Division and Terrell has the Bronco offense cruising with his 228-318 passing for 3,086 yards and 30 touchdowns.
MIAMI SIX-GAME WIN STREAK SETS FBS HISTORY
Miami is riding a six-game winning streak to end the regular season bowl eligible with a 6-6 overall record, 6-2 in the MAC. Miami set the record as the only program in FBS history to begin a season 0-6, then win six consecutive games to finish 6-6 overall. Miami is bowl eligible for the first time since the 2010 season.
FOUR MAC STUDENTS CLIMB CAREER RECORD BOOK
Four MAC seniors 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, Toledo senior running back Kareem Hunt and Western Michigan senior wide receiver Corey Davis, who has set the MAC career receiving records for receptions, yards and touchdowns this 2016 season. Davis already has set the MAC career receiving records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Central Michigan QB Cooper Rush
• Total Offense – 12,546 yards (3rd MAC history)
• Career Attempts – 1,598 (5th MAC history)
• Career Completions – 997 (5th MAC history)
• Career Yards Passing – 12,646 (2nd MAC history)
• Career Passing TDs – 90 (6th MAC history)
• Career Pass Completion % - 62.4 (997-1,598) (22nd MAC history)
Toledo RB Kareem Hunt
• Career Yards Rushing – 4,825 (4th MAC history)
• Career Rushing TDs – 42 (14th MAC history)
• Career Rushing Attempts – 760 (19th MAC history)
Western Michigan QB Zach Terrell
• Total Offense – 12,234 yards (4th MAC history)
• Career Attempts – 1,328 (15th MAC history)
• Career Completions – 880 (10th MAC history)
• Career Yards Passing – 11,641 (5th MAC history)
• Career Passing TDs – 93 (4th MAC history)
• Career Pass Completion % - 66.26 (880-1,328) (3rd MAC history)
Western Michigan WR Corey Davis
• Career Receptions – 318 (1st MAC history)
• Career Receiving Yards – 5,068 (1st MAC history)
• Career TD Receptions – 50 (1st MAC history)
MAC EAST VS. MAC WEST
This season the East and West Divisions will once again face each other in 18 crossover regular season games. So far this season, the West Division is 12-56 against the East Division. Over the previous eight years (2008-2015), the MAC West has had the upper hand in crossover regular season games against the MAC East, winning the head-to-head regular season series in seven of the last eight years as the West holds a 101-43 (.701%) regular season record in crossover games over the East during that span.
However, the East and West Division split the series as each has won four Marathon MAC Football Championship games during this eight-year span. From the West Division, Northern Illinois (2011, 2012, 2014) and Central Michigan (2009) have won the Conference Championship, while the East Division has won four crowns with Bowling Green (2015, 2013), Miami (2010) and Buffalo (2008).
Year, Regular Season East vs. West, MAC Champion
2016 West 12-6; TBD on Dec. 2, 2016
2015 West 11-7; Bowling Green (East) def. NIU (West), 34-14.
2014 West 15-3; NIU (West) def. Bowling Green (East), 51-17.
2013 West 12-6; Bowling Green (East) def. NIU (West), 47-27.
2012 West 12-6; NIU (West) def. Kent State (East) 44-37 in 2 OT.
2011 West 14-4; NIU (West) def. Ohio (East), 23-20.
2010 West 12-6; Miami (East) def. NIU (West), 26-21.
2009 East 11-7; Central Michigan (West) def. Ohio (East), 20-10.
2008 West 14-4; Buffalo (East) def. Ball State (West), 42-24.
MAC WITH 14 FBS WINS DURING 2016 SEASON
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. 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.
OHIO’S SOLICH MOVING UP MAC CAREER WINS LIST
Ohio head coach Frank Solich and his Bobcats finished 2016 with an 8-4 overall record. Solich continues to rise up the MAC career head coaching win list with 88 wins, which ranks third most in MAC history. 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 88-64.
Most MAC Head Coaching Wins, Career
1. 110, Herb Deromedi, Central Michigan, 1978-93
2. 108, Bill Hess, Ohio, 1958-77
3. 88, 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, 36, is one of the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I (FBS). Fleck is in his fourth year at the helm of the Broncos and won the West Division with a perfect 12-0 record and a 29-21 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.
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 35 (11-11-81)
P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan 36 (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)
Bryan Harsin, Boise State 39 (11-1-76)
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.)
