

MAC ANNOUNCES 2020 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Features 14 November nationally televised games on ESPN Platforms-CBS Sports Network



CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced today the 2020 football schedule, which includes every game carried nationally once again. Following the action-packed September and October schedule, the MAC will take center stage in November with 14 mid-week games and multiple Saturday games slated for ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, ESPN3 and CBS Sports Network as the Conference race unfolds in both the East and West divisions.



The MAC 2020 football season will also kickoff the 75th anniversary celebration for the Conference throughout the entirety of the 2020-21 academic year.



The MAC will release an updated schedule in late May or early June with kick times and television for the first three weeks of the regular season. All remaining game kick times and television will be announced 12 days prior to the scheduled game.



The regular season will conclude with the 24th MAC Football Championship game on either Friday, Dec. 4 or Saturday, Dec. 5 at a time to be announced. This will mark the 17th MAC Football Championship game at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, Super Bowl XL, and the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four.



In addition, five MAC rivalry games will highlight Saturdays in October with Akron at Kent State in the ‘Battle of the Wagon Wheel’ on Saturday, Oct. 10th, while Bowling Green at Toledo in the ‘Battle of I-75’, Ohio at Miami in the ‘Battle of the Bricks’, Western Michigan at Central Michigan in the ‘Battle of the Cannon’ and NIU at Ball State in the ‘Battle of the Bronze Stalk’ will all kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 17th.



MAC programs will face eight non-conference foes that finished in the final AP Top 25 poll: Clemson (2), Ohio State (3), Alabama (8), Penn State (9), Notre Dame (12), Iowa (15), Michigan (18) and Cincinnati (21).



A total of 11 non-conference games will feature a Big Ten opponent (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State (2), Penn State). The MAC will face foes from the ACC (4—Boston College, Clemson, Pitt, Syracuse), SEC (4—Alabama, Kentucky (2), Missouri), 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 (3— Cincinnati (2), Tulsa), Mountain West (3—San Diego State, San Jose State, Wyoming), Conference USA (1—Marshall) and Sun Belt Conference (2—Coastal Carolina, Texas State).



This season the MAC will host 11 games against FBS non-conference opponents.



MAC Home Games vs. FBS Non-Conference opponents:

-San Jose State (Mountain West) at Central Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 5

-Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) at Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 12

-San Diego State (Mountain West) at Toledo on Saturday, Sept. 12

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

-Marshall (Conference USA) at Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 19

-Wyoming (Mountain West) at Ball State on Saturday, Sept. 26

-Syracuse (Atlantic Coast Conference) at Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 26

-Liberty (Independent) at Bowling Green on Saturday, Oct. 3

-Army (Independent) at Miami on Saturday, Oct. 3

-UMass (Independent) at Akron on Saturday, Oct. 17

-BYU (Independent) at NIU on Saturday, Oct. 24



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. For more information visit www.GetSomeMACtion.com.





2020 MAC Football Schedule (composite by date)

All times listed ET

*Conference game



Sept. 3 – Thursday

Maine at Ball State



Sept. 4 – Friday

Colgate at Western Michigan



Sept. 5 – Saturday

Bowling Green at Ohio State

Buffalo at Kansas State

Eastern Michigan at Kentucky

Kent State at Penn State

Miami at Pitt

NC Central at Ohio

Rhode Island at NIU

San Jose State at Central Michigan

Toledo at Tulsa

Youngstown State at Akron



Sep. 11 – Friday

Western Michigan at Cincinnati (ESPN Networks)



Sep. 12 – Saturday

Akron at New Mexico State

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Miami

Ball State at Michigan

Central Michigan at Nebraska

Coastal Carolina at Eastern Michigan

Kennesaw at Kent State

NIU at Maryland

Ohio at Boston College

Robert Morris at Bowling Green

Saint Francis at Buffalo

San Diego State at Toledo



Sep. 19 – Saturday

Akron at Clemson

Ball State at Indiana

Bowling Green at Illinois

Buffalo at Ohio State

Central Michigan at Northwestern

Cincinnati at Miami

Kent State at Kentucky

Marshall at Ohio

*NIU at Eastern Michigan

Toledo at Michigan State

Western Michigan at Notre Dame, 2:30 pm ET (NBC)



Sep. 26 – Saturday

Bryant at Central Michigan

*Buffalo at Bowling Green

Central Connecticut at Toledo

Eastern Michigan at Missouri

Kent State at Alabama

*Miami at Akron

NIU at Iowa

Ohio at Texas State

Syracuse at Western Michigan

Wyoming at Ball State



Oct. 3 – Saturday

*Akron at Buffalo

Army at Miami

*Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan

*Kent State at NIU

Liberty at Bowling Green

*Ohio at Toledo

*Western Michigan at Ball State



Oct. 10 – Saturday

*Akron at Kent State

*Ball State at Buffalo

*Central Michigan at NIU

*Eastern Michigan at Ohio

*Miami at Bowling Green

*Toledo at Western Michigan



Oct. 17 – Saturday

*Bowling Green at Toledo

Eastern Michigan at Army

*Kent State at Buffalo

*NIU at Ball State

*Ohio at Miami

UMass at Akron

*Western Michigan at Central Michigan



Oct. 24 – Saturday

*Akron at Ball State

*Bowling Green at Ohio

Buffalo at Army

BYU at NIU (at SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Ill.)

*Miami at Central Michigan

*Toledo at Eastern Michigan

*Western Michigan at Kent State



Oct. 31 – Saturday

*Ball State at Miami

*Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan

*Toledo at Akron



Nov. 3 – Tuesday

*Buffalo at NIU (ESPN2)



Nov. 4 – Wednesday

*Kent State at Bowling Green (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)

*Ohio at Central Michigan (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)



Nov. 10 – Tuesday

*Eastern Michigan at Ball State (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

*Miami at Buffalo (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

*NIU at Western Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)



Nov. 11 – Wednesday

*Central Michigan at Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU)

*Ohio at Kent State (ESPN2/ESPNU)



Nov. 14 – Saturday

*Bowling Green at Akron



Nov. 17 – Tuesday

*Kent State at Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU)

*Toledo at NIU (ESPN2/ESPNU)



Nov. 18 – Wednesday

*Ball State at Central Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU)

*Buffalo at Ohio (ESPN2/ESPNU)



Nov. 21 – Saturday

*Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan

*Western Michigan at Akron



Nov. 24 – Tuesday

*Ball State at Toledo (ESPNU/ESPN+)

*Central Michigan at Kent State (ESPNU/ESPN+)



Nov. 27 – Friday

*Akron at Ohio (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)

*Eastern Michigan at Miami (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)

*NIU at Bowling Green (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)

*Buffalo at Western Michigan (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



2020 MAC Football Championship Game – Friday, Dec. 4 or Saturday, Dec. 5 - TBA

East Division Champion vs. West Division Champion

Marathon MAC Championship Game

Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.



2020 MAC Bowl Partners

• College Football Playoff Host Bowl

• Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl (Nassau, Bahamas; vs. Conference USA);

• Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Ariz.; vs. Mountain West);

• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Ida.; vs. Mountain West);

• Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit, Mich.; vs. Big Ten);

• Rotate annually as a primary in two (2) ESPN owned and operated games from the following:

• Cure Bowl, Orlando, Fla.;

• Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl, Frisco, Texas;

• Myrtle Beach Bowl, Myrtle Beach, S.C.;

• Camellia Bowl, Montgomery, Ala.;

• Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, Boca Raton, Fla;

• LendingTree Bowl, Mobile, Ala.;





2020 MAC Football Schedule (composite by school)

All times listed ET

*Conference game



EAST DIVISION

Akron

Sep.

5 Youngstown State

12 at New Mexico State

19 at Clemson

26 *Miami

Oct.

3 *at Buffalo

10 *at Kent State

17 UMass

24 *at Ball State

31 *Toledo

Nov.

14 *Bowling Green

21 *Western Michigan

27 *at Ohio (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



Bowling Green

Sep.

5 at Ohio State

12 Robert Morris

19 at Illinois

26 *Buffalo

Oct.

3 Liberty

10 *Miami

17 *at Toledo

24 *at Ohio

Nov.

4 *Kent State (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)

14 *at Akron

21 *at Eastern Michigan

27 *NIU (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



Buffalo

Sep.

5 at Kansas State

12 Saint Francis

19 at Ohio State

26 *at Bowling Green

Oct.

3 *Akron

10 *Ball State

17 *Kent State

24 at Army

Nov.

3 *at NIU (ESPN2)

10 *Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

18 *at Ohio (ESPN2/ESPNU)

27 *at Western Michigan (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



Kent State

Sep.

5 at Penn State

12 Kennesaw

19 at Kentucky

26 at Alabama

Oct.

3 *at NIU

10 *Akron

17 *at Buffalo

24 *Western Michigan

Nov.

4 *at Bowling Green (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)

11 *Ohio (ESPN2/ESPNU)

17 *at Miami (ESPN2/ESPNU)

24 *Central Michigan (ESPNU/ESPN+)



Miami

Sep.

5 at Pitt

12 Arkansas-Pine Bluff

19 Cincinnati

26 *at Akron

Oct.

3 Army

10 *at Bowling Green

17 *Ohio

24 *at Central Michigan

31 *Ball State

Nov.

10 *at Buffalo (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

17 *Kent State (ESPN2/ESPNU)

27 *Eastern Michigan (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



Ohio

Sep.

5 NC Central

12 at Boston College

19 Marshall

26 at Texas State

Oct.

3 *at Toledo

10 *Eastern Michigan

17 *at Miami

24 *Bowling Green

Nov.

4 *at Central Michigan (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)

11 *at Kent State (ESPN2/ESPNU)

18 *Buffalo (ESPN2/ESPNU)

27 *Akron (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)





WEST DIVISION

Ball State

Sep.

3 Maine

12 at Michigan

19 at Indiana

26 Wyoming

Oct.

3 *Western Michigan

10 *at Buffalo

17 *NIU

24 *Akron

31 *at Miami

Nov.

10 *Eastern Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

18 *at Central Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU)

24 *at Toledo (ESPNU/ESPN+)



Central Michigan

Sept.

5 San Jose State

12 at Nebraska

19 at Northwestern

26 Bryant

Oct.

3 *at Eastern Michigan

10 *at NIU

17 *Western Michigan

24 *Miami

Nov.

4 *Ohio (ESPN2/CBS Sports Network)

11 *at Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU)

18 *Ball State (ESPN2/ESPNU)

24 *at Kent State (ESPNU/ESPN+)



Eastern Michigan

Sep.

5 at Kentucky

12 Coastal Carolina

19 *NIU

26 at Missouri

Oct.

3 *Central Michigan

10 *at Ohio

17 at Army

24 *Toledo

31 *at Western Michigan

Nov.

10 *at Ball State (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

21 *Bowling Green

27 *at Miami (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



Northern Illinois (NIU)

Sep.

5 Rhode Island

12 at Maryland

19 *at Eastern Michigan

26 at Iowa

Oct.

3 *Kent State

10 *Central Michigan

17 *at Ball State

24 BYU (at SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Ill.)

Nov.

3 *Buffalo (ESPN2)

10 *at Western Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

17 *Toledo (ESPN2/ESPNU)

27 *at Bowling Green (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)



Toledo

Sep.

5 at Tulsa

12 San Diego State

19 at Michigan State

26 Central Connecticut

Oct.

3 *Ohio

10 *at Western Michigan

17 *Bowling Green

24 *at Eastern Michigan

31 *at Akron

Nov.

11 *Central Michigan (ESPN2/ESPNU)

17 *at NIU (ESPN2/ESPNU)

24 *Ball State (ESPNU/ESPN+)



Western Michigan

Sep.

4 Colgate

11 at Cincinnati (ESPN Networks)

19 at Notre Dame

26 Syracuse

Oct.

3 *at Ball State

10 *Toledo

17 *at Central Michigan

24 *at Kent State

31 *Eastern Michigan

Nov.

10 *NIU (ESPN2/ESPNU/CBS Sports Network)

21 *at Akron

27 *Buffalo (ESPNU/CBS Sports Network/ESPN+/ESPN3)