CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference today announced its football schedule for the 2026 season.
A historic addition highlights this year’s slate, as Sacramento State will compete in its first season as a football-only member of the MAC.
The MAC will release an updated schedule later this spring that includes game times and television designations for the first three weeks of the regular season, along with its nationally recognized midweek MACtion schedule. All remaining game times and television assignments will be announced 12 days prior to each game. MAC football games will once again be featured across ESPN networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+) and CBS Sports Network.
Conference play begins on Saturday, August 29, as Eastern Michigan hosts Sacramento State in a season-opening matchup. The 2026 season will culminate with the 30th MAC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 5 at Noon ET (ESPN), featuring the top two teams in the conference standings based on winning percentage.
The Championship Game will once again be played at Ford Field in Detroit, marking the 23rd time the event has been hosted at the home of the Detroit Lions.
2026 MAC Football Schedule
Saturday, August 29
*Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan
Thursday, September 3
Akron at Wake Forest
Albany at Buffalo
UMass at Rutgers
Friday, September 4
San Jose State at Eastern Michigan
Saturday, September 5
Ball State at Ohio State
Tarleton State at Bowling Green
Central Michigan at New Mexico
Kent State at South Carolina
Miami at Pittsburgh
Ohio at Nebraska
MVSU at Sacramento State
Toledo at Michigan State
Western Michigan at Michigan
Saturday, September 12
Robert Morris at Akron
Stony Brook at Ball State
Bowling Green at Nebraska
Buffalo at FIU
Colgate at Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan at Michigan State
Wofford at Kent State
Holy Cross at Miami
Jacksonville State at Ohio
Sacramento State at Fresno State
CCSU at Toledo
Sacred Heart at UMass
Monmouth at Western Michigan
Saturday, September 19
Akron at Minnesota
Ball State at Liberty
Bowling Green at Iowa State
Buffalo at Penn State
Wyoming at Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin
Kent State at Ohio State
Miami at Cincinnati
Ohio at South Alabama
North Dakota State at Sacramento State
Temple at Toledo
Stonehill at UMass
Western Michigan at Rice
Saturday, September 26
UNLV at Akron
*Ball State at Kent State
South Florida at Bowling Green
Robert Morris at Buffalo
Central Michigan at Miami (FL)
Lindenwood at Eastern Michigan
UConn at Miami
Stonehill at Ohio
*UMass at Sacramento State
San Diego State at Toledo
Boise State at Western Michigan
Saturday, October 3
*Akron at Central Michigan
*Toledo at Ball State
*Bowling Green at Miami
*Western Michigan at Buffalo
*Eastern Michigan at UMass
*Ohio at Kent State
Saturday, October 10
*Eastern Michigan at Akron
Ball State at Northwestern
*Sacramento State at Bowling Green
*Buffalo at Toledo
*Central Michigan at Ohio
*Kent State at Western Michigan
*Miami at UMass
Saturday, October 17
*Akron at Miami
*Ball State at Bowling Green
*UMass at Buffalo
*Western Michigan at Central Michigan
*Toledo at Eastern Michigan
Kent State at South Florida
*Ohio at Sacramento State
Saturday, October 24
*Akron at Kent State
*Sacramento State at Ball State
*Bowling Green at Buffalo
*Miami at Central Michigan
*Eastern Michigan at Ohio
*Western Michigan at Toledo
UMass at UConn
Friday, October 30
*Kent State at Sacramento State
Saturday, October 31
*Bowling Green at Western Michigan
Tuesday, November 3
*Ohio at Akron
*Buffalo at Miami
Wednesday, November 4
*Ball State at UMass
*Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan
*Toledo at Sacramento State
Tuesday, November 10
*Western Michigan at Akron
*Kent State at Bowling Green
*Ohio at Miami
Wednesday, November 11
*Buffalo at Ball State
*Sacramento State at Central Michigan
*UMass at Toledo
Tuesday, November 17
*Ball State at Ohio
*Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan
*Miami at Kent State
Wednesday, November 18
*Akron at UMass
*Bowling Green at Toledo
*Central Michigan at Buffalo
Tuesday, November 24
*Kent State at Eastern Michigan
*Miami at Western Michigan
Friday, November 27
*Buffalo at Akron
*Toledo at Ohio
Saturday, November 28
*Central Michigan at Ball State
*UMass at Bowling Green
Sacramento State at Hawaii
Saturday, December 5
MAC Football Championship Game, Noon ET (ESPN)
Team-By-Team Schedules
Akron
9.3 – at Wake Forest
9.12 – Robert Morris
9.19 – at Minnesota
9.26 – UNLV
10.3 – *at Central Michigan
10.10 – *Eastern Michigan
10.17 – *at Miami
10.24 – *at Kent State
11.3 – *Ohio
11.10 – *Western Michigan
11.18 – *at UMass
11.27 – *Buffalo
Ball State
9.5 – at Ohio State
9.12 – Stony Brook
9.19 – at Liberty
9.26 – *at Kent State
10.3 – *Toledo
10.10 – at Northwestern
10.17 – *at Bowling Green
10.24 – *Sacramento State
11.4 – *at UMass
11.11 – *Buffalo
11.17 – *at Ohio
11.28 – *Central Michigan
Bowling Green
9.5 – Tarleton State
9.12 – at Nebraska
9.19 – at Iowa State
9.26 – South Florida
10.3 – *at Miami
10.10 – *Sacramento State
10.17 – *Ball State
10.24 – *at Buffalo
10.31 – *at Western Michigan
11.10 – *Kent State
11.18 – *at Toledo
11.28 – *UMass
Buffalo
9.3 – Albany
9.12 – at FIU
9.19 – at Penn State
9.26 – Robert Morris
10.3 – *Western Michigan
10.10 – *at Toledo
10.17 – *UMass
10.24 – *Bowling Green
11.3 – *at Miami
11.11 – *at Ball State
11.18 – *Central Michigan
11.27 – *at Akron
Central Michigan
9.5 – at New Mexico
9.12 – Colgate
9.19 – Wyoming
9.26 – at Miami (FL)
10.3 – *Akron
10.10 – *at Ohio
10.17 – *Western Michigan
10.24 – *Miami
11.4 – *at Eastern Michigan
11.11 – *Sacramento State
11.18 – *at Buffalo
11.28 – *at Ball State
Eastern Michigan
8.29 – Sacramento State
9.4 – San Jose State
9.12 – at Michigan State
9.19 – at Wisconsin
9.26 – Lindenwood
10.3 – *at UMass
10.10 – *at Akron
10.17 – *Toledo
10.24 – *at Ohio
11.4 – *Central Michigan
11.17 – *at Western Michigan
11.24 – *Kent State
Kent State
9.5 – at South Carolina
9.12 – Wofford
9.19 – at Ohio State
9.26 – *Ball State
10.3 – *Ohio
10.10 – *at Western Michigan
10.17 – at South Florida
10.24 – *Akron
10.30 – *at Sacramento State
11.10 – *at Bowling Green
11.17 – *Miami
11.24 – *at Eastern Michigan
Massachusetts
9.3 – at Rutgers
9.12 – Sacred Heart
9.19 – Stonehill
9.26 – *at Sacramento State
10.3 – *Eastern Michigan
10.10 – *Miami
10.17 – *at Buffalo
10.24 – at UConn
11.4 – *Ball State
11.11 – *at Toledo
11.18 – *Akron
11.28 – *at Bowling Green
Miami
9.5 – at Pittsburgh
9.12 – Holy Cross
9.19 – at Cincinnati
9.26 – UConn
10.3 – *Bowling Green
10.10 – *at UMass
10.17 – *Akron
10.24 – *at Central Michigan
11.3 – *Buffalo
11.10 – *Ohio
11.17 – *at Kent State
11.24 – *at Western Michigan
Ohio
9.5 – at Nebraska
9.12 – Jacksonville State
9.19 – at South Alabama
9.26 – Stonehill
10.3 – *at Kent State
10.10 – *Central Michigan
10.17 – *at Sacramento State
10.24 – *Eastern Michigan
11.3 – *at Akron
11.10 – *at Miami
11.17 – *Ball State
11.27 – *Toledo
Sacramento State
8.29 – at Eastern Michigan
9.5 – MVSU
9.12 – at Fresno State
9.19 – North Dakota State
9.26 – *UMass
10.10 – *at Bowling Green
10.17 – *Ohio
10.24 – *at Ball State
10.30 – *Kent State
11.4 – *Toledo
11.11 – *at Central Michigan
11.28 – at Hawaii
Toledo
9.5 – at Michigan State
9.12 – CCSU
9.19 – Temple
9.26 – San Diego State
10.3 – *at Ball State
10.10 – *Buffalo
10.17 – *at Eastern Michigan
10.24 – *Western Michigan
11.4 – *at Sacramento State
11.11 – *UMass
11.18 – *Bowling Green
11.27 – *at Ohio
Western Michigan
9.5 – at Michigan
9.12 – Monmouth
9.19 – at Rice
9.26 – Boise State
10.3 – *at Buffalo
10.10 – *Kent State
10.17 – *at Central Michigan
10.24 – *at Toledo
10.31 – *Bowling Green
11.10 – *at Akron
11.17 – *Eastern Michigan
11.24 – *Miami
