CLEVELAND – The 2026-27 MAC-SBC Challenge -- the fourth installment of a scheduling alliance in men’s and women’s basketball -- will tip off on Monday, Nov. 2, with 12 Mid-American Conference (MAC) women’s basketball programs hosting 12 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) teams, while the 12 MAC men’s basketball programs will visit 12 SBC teams.

The second MAC-SBC Challenge contest for each team will take place on Feb. 6, with the matchups based on real-time NET rankings and announced in January. The MAC men and Sun Belt women will host the February matchups.

Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge is guaranteed one home and one away game each season. 

Scheduling assistance is provided by Ordinal Sports Group. In addition to relevant NET data, geography and frequency of past contests are considered in determining the matchups. 

Each MAC-SBC Challenge game will be carried on an ESPN platform.

The conferences announced an extension of the MAC-SBC Challenge through the 2028-29 season on Wednesday, June 24.

2026-27 MAC-SBC Challenge Basketball November Matchups
Women’s Basketball
South Alabama at Akron
Arkansas State at Ball State
Georgia Southern at Bowling Green
Georgia State at Buffalo
Old Dominion at Central Michigan
Appalachian State at Eastern Michigan
Troy at Kent State
Marshall at Massachusetts
James Madison at Miami
Louisiana Monroe at Ohio
Louisiana Tech at Toledo
Coastal Carolina at Western Michigan

Men’s Basketball
Akron at Louisiana
Ball State at Georgia Sothern
Bowling Green at Georgia State
Buffalo at Marshall
Central Michigan at Louisiana Monroe
Eastern Michigan at Coastal Carolina
Kent State at Louisiana Tech
Massachusetts at Troy
Miami at James Madison
Ohio at South Alabama
Toledo at Arkansas State
Western Michigan at Old Dominion