MAC Announces 2015 Football Schedule

MAC ANNOUNCES 2015 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

2015 schedule features 16 midweek games in November on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3



Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the 2015 football schedule today. Highlighting the schedule will be 16 midweek nationally televised games during the month of November slated for national television on ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3 and additional national television outlets as the conference race unfolds in both the East and West divisions.



An updated release of the MAC 2015 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 October and 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 19th Marathon MAC Football Championship game on Friday, Dec. 4 at Ford Field in Detroit on ESPN2. This will mark the 12th Marathon MAC Football Championship game at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, Super Bowl XL, and the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four.



For the eighth 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 and Notre Dame. In addition, the conference will also face opponents from the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt Conference and Independent Army.



MAC programs will face five non-conference foes that finished in the final AP Top 25 poll: Ohio State (1), Michigan State (5), Wisconsin (13), Marshall (23) and Memphis (25). MAC programs will twice face National Champion Ohio State as NIU plays in Columbus on Sept. 19 and Western Michigan on Sept. 26. Also, Western Michigan will host Michigan State in its season opener on Friday, Sept. 4 at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich.



A total of 12 non-conference games will feature a Big Ten opponent (Illinois; Maryland; Michigan State (2); Minnesota (2); Northwestern; Ohio State (2); Penn State; Purdue; Wisconsin). The MAC will face foes from the ACC (3—Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse), SEC (4—Arkansas, LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M), Big 12 (3—Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State); Pac-12 (1—Colorado) and Independent Notre Dame.



The MAC will also face opponents from the American Athletic Conference (3— Cincinnati, Memphis, Temple), Mountain West (3—Nevada, UNLV, Wyoming), Conference USA (6—Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Marshall (2), Old Dominion, Western Kentucky) and Sun Belt Conference (5—Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana-Lafayette), along with Independent Army.



MAC programs continue to increase the number of home or neutral site games against FBS Conference opponents. This season the MAC will host 16 games against FBS non-conference foes, including Oklahoma State (Big 12); Michigan State (Big Ten); Pittsburgh (ACC); Iowa State (Big 12);



MAC Home Games vs. FBS Non-Conference opponents:

-Oklahoma State (Big 12) at Central Michigan on Sept. 3;

-Michigan State (Big Ten) at Western Michigan on Sept. 4;

-Old Dominion (Conference USA) at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 5;

-UNLV (Mountain West) at NIU on Sept. 5;

-Pittsburgh (ACC) at Akron on Sept. 12;

-Marshall (Conference USA) at Ohio on Sept. 12;

-Iowa State (Big 12) at Toledo on Sept. 19;

-Memphis (American Athletic) at Bowling Green on Sept. 19;

-Cincinnati (American Athletic) at Miami on Sept. 19;

-Temple (American Athletic) at UMass on Sept. 19;

-Army (Independent) at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 26;

-Arkansas State (Sun Belt) at Toledo on Sept. 26;

-Nevada (Mountain West) at Buffalo on Sept. 26;

-Marshall (Conference USA) at Kent State on Sept. 26;

-Florida International (Conference USA) at UMass on Oct. 3;

-Georgia State (Sun Belt) at Ball State on Oct. 17.



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. In addition a 13th school – University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. -- is an affiliate member for football only.



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 University of Massachusetts (2012) competes in the East Division in football only. The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.





2015 MAC Football Schedule (composite by date)

All times listed ET

*Conference Game



Sep. 3 – Thursday

Oklahoma State at Central Michigan

Ohio at Idaho

Stony Brook at Toledo

Virginia Military Institute at Ball State



Sep. 4 – Friday

Kent State at Illinois

Michigan State at Western Michigan



Sep. 5 – Saturday

Akron at Oklahoma

Albany at Buffalo

Bowling Green at Tennessee

Old Dominion at Eastern Michigan

Presbyterian at Miami

UNLV at NIU



Sep. 12 – Saturday

Ball State at Texas A&M

Bowling Green at Maryland

Buffalo at Penn State

Delaware State at Kent State

Eastern Michigan at Wyoming

Marshall at Ohio

Miami at Wisconsin

Monmouth at Central Michigan

Murray State at NIU

Pitt at Akron

Toledo at Arkansas

UMass at Colorado

Western Michigan at Georgia Southern



Sep. 19 – Saturday

*Ball State at Eastern Michigan

Buffalo at Florida Atlantic

Central Michigan at Syracuse

Cincinnati at Miami

Iowa State at Toledo

Kent State at Minnesota

Memphis at Bowling Green

Murray State at Western Michigan

NIU at Ohio State

Savannah State at Akron

Southeast Louisiana at Ohio

Temple at UMass



Sep. 26 – Saturday

Akron at Louisiana-Lafayette

Arkansas State at Toledo

Army at Eastern Michigan

Ball State at Northwestern

Bowling Green at Purdue

Central Michigan at Michigan State

Marshall at Kent State

Miami at Western Kentucky

Nevada at Buffalo

NIU at Boston College

Ohio at Minnesota

UMass at Notre Dame

Western Michigan at Ohio State



Oct. 3 – Saturday

*Bowling Green at Buffalo

Eastern Michigan at LSU

Florida International at UMass

*Miami at Kent State

*NIU at Central Michigan

*Ohio at Akron

*Toledo at Ball State



Oct. 10 – Saturday

*Akron at Eastern Michigan

*Ball State at NIU

*Central Michigan at Western Michigan

*Kent State at Toledo

*Miami at Ohio

*UMass at Bowling Green



Oct. 17 – Saturday

*Akron at Bowling Green

*Buffalo at Central Michigan

*Eastern Michigan at Toledo

Georgia State at Ball State

*Kent State at UMass

*NIU at Miami

*Western Michigan at Ohio



Oct. 24 – Saturday

*Bowling Green at Kent State

*Central Michigan at Ball State

*Eastern Michigan at NIU

*Miami at Western Michigan

*Ohio at Buffalo

*Toledo at UMass



Oct. 29 – Thursday

*Buffalo at Miami

*Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan



Oct. 31 – Saturday

*Central Michigan at Akron

*UMass at Ball State



Nov. 3 – Tuesday

*NIU at Toledo



Nov. 4 – Wednesday

*Ohio at Bowling Green



Nov. 5 – Thursday

*Ball State at Western Michigan

*Buffalo at Kent State



Nov. 7 – Saturday

*Akron at UMass

*Eastern Michigan at Miami



Nov. 10 – Tuesday

*Kent State at Ohio

*Toledo at Central Michigan



Nov. 11 – Wednesday

*Bowling Green at Western Michigan

*NIU at Buffalo



Nov. 14 – Saturday

*Akron at Miami

*UMass at Eastern Michigan



Nov. 17 – Tuesday

*Ball State at Ohio

*Toledo at Bowling Green



Nov. 18 – Wednesday

*Central Michigan at Kent State

*Western Michigan at NIU



Nov. 21 – Saturday

*Buffalo at Akron

*Miami at UMass



Nov. 24 – Tuesday

*Bowling Green at Ball State

*Ohio at NIU



Nov. 27 – Friday

*Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan

*Kent State at Akron

*UMass at Buffalo

*Western Michigan at Toledo



Dec. 4 – Friday

East Division Champion vs. West Division Champion

Marathon MAC Championship Game, TBA (ESPN2)

At Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.





2015 MAC Football Schedule (composite by school)

All times listed ET

*Conference Game



EAST DIVISION



Akron

Sep.

5 at Oklahoma

12 Pittsburgh

19 Savannah State

26 at La-Lafayette

Oct.

3 *Ohio

10 *at Eastern Michigan

17 *at Bowling Green

31 *Central Michigan

Nov.

7 *at UMass

14 *at Miami

21 *Buffalo

27 *Kent State



Bowling Green

Sep.

5 at Tennessee

12 at Maryland

19 Memphis

26 at Purdue

Oct.

3 *at Buffalo

10 *UMass

17 *Akron

24 *at Kent State

Nov.

4 *Ohio

11 *at Western Michigan

17 *Toledo

24 *at Ball State



Buffalo

Sep.

5 Albany

12 at Penn State

19 at Florida Atlantic

26 Nevada

Oct.

3 *Bowling Green

17 *at Central Michigan

24 *Ohio

29 *at Miami

Nov.

5 *at Kent State

11 *NIU

21 *at Akron

27 *UMass



Kent State

Sep.

4 at Illinois

12 Delaware State

19 at Minnesota

26 Marshall

Oct.

3 *Miami

10 *at Toledo

17 *at UMass

24 *Bowling Green

Nov.

5 *Buffalo

10 *at Ohio

18 *Central Michigan

27 *at Akron



UMass

Sep.

12 at Colorado

19 Temple

26 at Notre Dame

Oct.

3 Florida International

10 *at Bowling Green

17 *Kent State

24 *Toledo

31 *at Ball State

Nov.

7 *Akron

14 *at Eastern Michigan

21 *Miami

27 *at Buffalo



Miami

Sep.

5 Presbyterian

12 at Wisconsin

19 Cincinnati

26 at Western Kentucky

Oct.

3 *at Kent State

10 *at Ohio

17 *NIU

24 *at Western Michigan

29 *Buffalo

Nov.

7 *Eastern Michigan

14 *Akron

21 *at UMass



Ohio

Sep.

3 at Idaho

12 Marshall

19 Southeast Louisiana

26 at Minnesota

Oct.

3 *at Akron

10 *Miami

17 *Western Michigan

24 *at Buffalo

Nov.

4 *at Bowling Green

10 *Kent State

17 *Ball State

24 *at NIU





WEST DIVISION



Ball State

Sep.

3 Virginia Military Institute

12 at Texas A&M

19 *at Eastern Michigan

26 at Northwestern

Oct.

3 *Toledo

10 *at NIU

17 Georgia State

24 *Central Michigan

31 *UMass

Nov.

5 *at Western Michigan

17 *at Ohio

24 *Bowling Green



Central Michigan

Sept.

3 Oklahoma State

12 Monmouth

19 at Syracuse

26 at Michigan State

Oct.

3 *NIU

10 *at Western Michigan

17 *Buffalo

24 *at Ball State

31 *at Akron

Nov.

10 *Toledo

18 *at Kent State

27 *Eastern Michigan



Eastern Michigan

Sep.

5 Old Dominion

12 at Wyoming

19 *Ball State

26 Army

Oct.

3 at LSU

10 *Akron

17 *at Toledo

24 *at NIU

29 *Western Michigan

Nov.

7 *at Miami

14 *UMass

27 *at Central Michigan



Northern Illinois (NIU)

Sep.

5 UNLV

12 Murray State

19 at Ohio State

26 at Boston College

Oct.

3 *at Central Michigan

10 *Ball State

17 *at Miami

24 *Eastern Michigan

Nov.

3 *at Toledo

11 *at Buffalo

18 *Western Michigan

24 *Ohio



Toledo

Sep.

3 Stony Brook

12 at Arkansas

19 Iowa State

26 Arkansas State

Oct.

3 *at Ball State

10 *Kent State

17 *Eastern Michigan

24 *at UMass

Nov.

3 *NIU

10 *at Central Michigan

17 *at Bowling Green

27 *Western Michigan



Western Michigan

Sep.

4 Michigan State

12 at Georgia Southern

19 Murray State

26 at Ohio State

Oct.

10 *Central Michigan

17 *at Ohio

24 *Miami

29 *at Eastern Michigan

Nov.

5 *Ball State

11 *Bowling Green

18 *at NIU

27 *at Toledo