MAC ANNOUNCES 2019 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Features 14 November nationally televised games on ESPN Platforms-CBS Sports Network
LISTEN HERE -- MAC Commissioner, Jon Steinbrecher and Deputy Commissioner/Chief Operating Officer, Bob Gennarelli discuss highlights of the 2019 schedule and background toward the creation of the football schedule.
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced today the 2019 football schedule. Highlighting the schedule are 14 games available nationally during the last month of the regular season, slated for ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, ESPN3 and CBS Sports Network as the conference race unfolds in both the East and West divisions.
An updated MAC 2019 football schedule will be released in June with kick times and a television schedule for the first three weeks of the regular season and midweek games during November. All other game kick times and television will be announced 12 days prior to the scheduled game.
The regular season will conclude with the 23rd Marathon MAC Football Championship game on Saturday, Dec. 7 (time/television TBA) from Ford Field in Detroit. This will mark the 16th Marathon MAC Football Championship game at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, Super Bowl XL, and the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four.
The MAC will be the only collegiate football conference to host a game on the 150th anniversary of college football – Wednesday, Nov. 6 – as the Miami RedHawks travel to face the Ohio Bobcats at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio on ESPN2.
In addition, three MAC rivalry games will kickoff on Saturday’s in late September, with Central Michigan at Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 28, and early October, with Kent State at Akron and Toledo at Bowling Green both on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Included in the 2019 schedule, the MAC will play five Saturday games during November, with the potential of a sixth game as Miami at Ball State, which is currently scheduled for Friday, Nov. 29, has a flex opportunity and may move to Saturday, Nov. 30. The move is pending a national television opportunity.
For the 12th year in a row, league schools will face a formidable non-conference slate of opponents from the following Football Bowl Subdivision conferences – ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC, Notre Dame and BYU. In addition, the Conference will also face opponents from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt Conference and Independents Liberty, New Mexico State and UMass.
MAC programs will face eight non-conference foes that finished in the final AP Top 25 poll: Ohio State (3), Notre Dame (5), Kentucky (12) twice, Syracuse (15), Penn State (17), Cincinnati (24) and Iowa (25).
A total of ten non-conference games will feature a Big Ten opponent (Illinois (2); Indiana; Iowa; Michigan State; Nebraska; Ohio State; Penn State; Wisconsin (2)). The MAC will face foes from the ACC (4—Miami (Fla.), North Carolina State, Pitt, Syracuse), SEC (4—Auburn, Kentucky (2), Vanderbilt), Pac-12 (2-Arizona State, Utah), Big 12 (1—Kansas State); and Independent Notre Dame, BYU, Liberty, New Mexico State and UMass.
The MAC will also face opponents from the American Athletic Conference (2— Cincinnati, Temple), Mountain West (1—Colorado State), Conference USA (4—Florida Atlantic, La. Tech, Marshall, UAB) and Sun Belt Conference (4—Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Troy).
This season the MAC will host 10 games against FBS non-conference opponents.
MAC Home Games vs. FBS Non-Conference opponents:
-Indiana (Big Ten) at Ball State on Aug. 31 (at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.)
-UAB (C-USA) at Akron on Sept. 7
-Florida Atlantic (C-USA) at Ball State on Sept. 14
-Georgia State (Sun Belt) at Western Michigan on Sept. 14
-La. Tech (C-USA) at Bowling Green on Sept. 14
-La.-Lafayette (Sun Belt) at Ohio on Sept. 21
-Temple (American Athletic) at Buffalo on Sept. 21
-Troy (Sun Belt) at Akron on Sept. 21
-BYU (Ind.) at Toledo on Sept. 28
-New Mexico State (Ind.) at Central Michigan on Oct. 12
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of ten members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five (5) states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
Current MAC schools that hold full membership and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.
2019 MAC Football Schedule (composite by date)
All times listed ET
*Conference Game
Aug. 29 – Thursday
Albany at Central Michigan
Kent State at Arizona State
Morgan State at Bowling Green
Robert Morris at Buffalo
Aug. 31 – Saturday
Akron at Illinois
Eastern Michigan at Coastal Carolina
Illinois State at NIU
Indiana at Ball State (at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Miami at Iowa
Monmouth at Western Michigan
Rhode Island at Ohio
Toledo at Kentucky
Sep. 7 – Saturday
Bowling Green at Kansas State
Buffalo at Penn State
Central Michigan at Wisconsin
Eastern Michigan at Kentucky
Fordham at Ball State
Kennesaw at Kent State
NIU at Utah
Ohio at Pitt
Tennessee Tech at Miami
UAB at Akron
Western Michigan at Michigan State
Sep. 14 – Saturday
*Akron at Central Michigan
Buffalo at Liberty
Eastern Michigan at Illinois
Florida Atlantic at Ball State
Georgia State at Western Michigan
Kent State at Auburn
Louisiana Tech at Bowling Green
Miami at Cincinnati
Murray State at Toledo
NIU at Nebraska
Ohio at Marshall
Sep. 21 – Saturday
Ball State at North Carolina State
*Bowling Green at Kent State
Central Connecticut State at Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan at Miami (Fla.)
Louisiana-Lafayette at Ohio
Miami at Ohio State
Temple at Buffalo
Toledo at Colorado State
Troy at Akron
Western Michigan at Syracuse
Sep. 28 – Saturday
Akron at UMass
BYU at Toledo
*Buffalo at Miami
*Central Michigan at Western Michigan
NIU at Vanderbilt
Oct. 5 – Saturday
*Ball State at NIU
Bowling Green at Notre Dame
*Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan
Kent State at Wisconsin
*Ohio at Buffalo
*Western Michigan at Toledo
Oct. 12 – Saturday
*Ball State at Eastern Michigan
*Kent State at Akron
*Miami at Western Michigan
New Mexico State at Central Michigan
*NIU at Ohio
*Toledo at Bowling Green
Oct. 19 – Saturday
*Buffalo at Akron
*Central Michigan at Bowling Green
*Kent State at Ohio
*NIU at Miami
*Toledo at Ball State
*Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan
Oct. 26 – Saturday
*Akron at NIU
*Bowling Green at Western Michigan
*Central Michigan at Buffalo
*Eastern Michigan at Toledo
*Miami at Kent State
*Ohio at Ball State
Nov. 2 – Saturday
*Akron at Bowling Green
*Buffalo at Eastern Michigan
*NIU at Central Michigan
Nov. 5 – Tuesday
*Ball State at Western Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)
*Kent State at Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)
Nov. 6 – Wednesday
*Miami at Ohio (ESPN2)
Nov. 12 – Tuesday
*Eastern Michigan at Akron (ESPN2/ESPNU)
*Western Michigan at Ohio (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 13 – Wednesday
*Bowling Green at Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU)
*NIU at Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 14 – Thursday
*Buffalo at Kent State (CBS Sports Network)
Nov. 16 – Saturday
*Central Michigan at Ball State
Nov. 19 – Tuesday
*Eastern Michigan at NIU (ESPN2/ESPNU)
*Ohio at Bowling Green (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 20 – Wednesday
*Akron at Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU)
*Toledo at Buffalo (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 23 – Saturday
*Ball State at Kent State
Nov. 26 – Tuesday
*Ohio at Akron (ESPNU or ESPN+ or ESPN3)
*Western Michigan at NIU (ESPNU or ESPN+ or ESPN3)
Nov. 29 – Friday
*Bowling Green at Buffalo
*Kent State at Eastern Michigan
*Miami at Ball State
*Toledo at Central Michigan
Dec. 7 – Saturday
2019 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game
East Division Champion vs. West Division Champion
Marathon MAC Championship Game, (Time and Television TBA)
Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
2019 MAC Football Schedule (composite by school)
All times listed ET
*Conference Game
EAST DIVISION
Akron
Aug.
31 at Illinois
Sep.
7 UAB
14 *at Central Michigan
21 Troy
28 at UMass
Oct.
12 *Kent State
19 *Buffalo
26 *at NIU
Nov.
2 *at Bowling Green
12 *Eastern Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU)
20 *at Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU)
26 *Ohio (ESPNU or ESPN+ or ESPN3)
Bowling Green
Aug.
29 Morgan State
Sep.
7 at Kansas State
14 Louisiana Tech
21 *at Kent State
Oct.
5 at Notre Dame
12 *Toledo
19 *Central Michigan
26 *at Western Michigan
Nov.
2 *Akron
13 *at Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU)
19 *Ohio (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 *at Buffalo, TBA
Buffalo
Aug.
29 Robert Morris
Sep.
7 at Penn State
14 at Liberty
21 Temple
28 *at Miami
Oct.
5 *Ohio
19 *at Akron
26 *Central Michigan
Nov.
2 *at Eastern Michigan
14 *at Kent State (CBS Sports Network)
20 *Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 *Bowling Green, TBA
Kent State
Aug.
29 at Arizona State
Sep.
7 Kennesaw
14 at Auburn
21 *Bowling Green
Oct.
5 at Wisconsin
12 *at Akron
19 *at Ohio
26 *Miami
Nov.
5 *at Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)
14 *Buffalo (CBS Sports Network)
23 *Ball State
29 *at Eastern Michigan, TBA
Miami
Aug.
31 at Iowa
Sep.
7 Tennessee Tech
14 at Cincinnati
21 at Ohio State
28 *Buffalo
Oct.
12 *at Western Michigan
19 *NIU
26 *at Kent State
Nov.
6 *at Ohio (ESPN2)
13 *Bowling Green (ESPN2/ESPNU)
20 *Akron (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 *at Ball State, TBA
Ohio
Aug.
31 Rhode Island
Sep.
7 at Pitt
14 at Marshall
21 Louisiana-Lafayette
Oct.
5 *at Buffalo
12 *NIU
19 *Kent State
26 *at Ball State
Nov.
6 *Miami (ESPN2)
12 *Western Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU)
19 *at Bowling Green (ESPN2/ESPNU)
26 *at Akron (ESPNU or ESPN+ or ESPN3)
WEST DIVISION
Ball State
Aug.
31 Indiana (at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Sep.
7 Fordham
14 Florida Atlantic
21 at North Carolina State
Oct.
5 *at NIU
12 *at Eastern Michigan
19 *Toledo
26 *Ohio
Nov.
5 *at Western Michigan (SPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)
16 *Central Michigan
23 *at Kent State
29 *Miami, TBA
Central Michigan
Aug.
29 Albany
Sept.
7 at Wisconsin
14 *Akron
21 at Miami (Fla.)
28 *at Western Michigan
Oct.
5 *Eastern Michigan
12 New Mexico State
19 *at Bowling Green
26 *at Buffalo
Nov.
2 *NIU
16 *at Ball State
29 *Toledo, TBA
Eastern Michigan
Aug.
31 at Coastal Carolina
Sep.
7 at Kentucky
14 at Illinois
21 Central Connecticut State
Oct.
5 *at Central Michigan
12 *Ball State
19 *Western Michigan
26 *at Toledo
Nov.
2 *Buffalo
12 *at Akron (ESPN2/ESPNU)
19 *at NIU (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 *Kent State, TBA
Northern Illinois (NIU)
Aug.
31 Illinois State
Sep.
7 at Utah
14 at Nebraska
28 at Vanderbilt
Oct.
5 *Ball State
12 *at Ohio
19 *at Miami
26 *Akron
Nov.
2 *at Central Michigan
13 *at Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU)
19 *Eastern Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU)
26 *Western Michigan (ESPNU or ESPN+ or ESPN3)
Toledo
Aug.
31 at Kentucky
Sep.
14 Murray State
21 at Colorado State
28 BYU
Oct.
5 *Western Michigan
12 *at Bowling Green
19 *at Ball State
26 *Eastern Michigan
Nov.
5 *Kent State (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)
13 *NIU (ESPN2/ESPNU)
20 *at Buffalo (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 *at Central Michigan, TBA
Western Michigan
Aug.
31 Monmouth
Sep.
7 at Michigan State
14 Georgia State
21 at Syracuse
28 *Central Michigan
Oct.
5 *at Toledo
12 *Miami
19 *at Eastern Michigan
26 *Bowling Green
Nov.
5 *Ball State (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)
12 *at Ohio (ESPN2/ESPNU)
26 *at NIU (ESPNU or ESPN+ or ESPN3)
