MAC Announces 2009 Football Schedule

 

CLEVELAND – The 2009 Mid-American Conference football schedule was announced today with a minimum of 14 regular season national television games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN360.com highlighting the league schedule. The schedule translates to 27 appearances for MAC institutions on the national stage.

 

The regular season will conclude with the 12^th Marathon MAC Football Championship game on Friday, Dec. 4, at Ford Field in Detroit on ESPN2 at 8 pm (ET). This will mark the sixth Marathon MAC Football Championship game at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, Super Bowl XL, and the 2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

 

There will also be a strong post season presence from the MAC as its three bowl partners – Motor City Bowl, GMAC Bowl and International Bowl – are all ESPN televised events. Bowl dates and times are yet to be finalized.

 

Most of the television exposure will occur in November when 11 league games will be televised by ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN360.com as the conference race unfolds in each division. The national package features several ESPN multiple-game selection weekday dates, which allows select games to be chosen three weeks prior to its scheduled date in order to facilitate the best match up.

 

For the second year in a row, league schools will face a formidable non-conference slate of opponents from the following Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) conferences – ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 10 and SEC. A total of 13 of the schools’ non-league games will feature an opponent from the Big Ten, and four times each (12 total games) the MAC will match up with a foe from the SEC, Big 12 and Big East.

 

Toledo will host national power Ohio State at Cleveland Browns Stadium, and Miami will host AutoZone Liberty Bowl Champion Kentucky at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.

 

MAC schools will host on-campus games versus three opponents from the Big East, two from the Big 12, and two from the WAC.

 

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 11 members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in six (6) states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. In addition a 13^th school – Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. -- 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).  Temple University (2007) competes in the East Division in football only.

 

The league office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

The complete schedule follows.

 

2009 MAC Football Schedule (composite by date)

All times tba unless noted; all listed times ET

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date (an ESPN weekday multiple-game selection date will be announced three weeks prior to the listed date).

 

Sep. 3 – Thursday

North Texas at Ball State

Troy at Bowling Green

Coastal Carolina at Kent State

Villanova at Temple

 

Sep. 5 – Saturday

Central Michigan at Arizona

Army at Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois at Wisconsin

Toledo at Purdue

Western Michigan at Michigan

Akron at Penn State

Buffalo at UTEP

Miami vs. Kentucky (at Cincinnati)

Connecticut at Ohio

 

Sep. 11 - Friday

Colorado at Toledo, 9 pm (ESPN)

 

Sep. 12 – Saturday

New Hampshire at Ball State

Central Michigan at Michigan State

Eastern Michigan at Northwestern

Western Illinois at Northern Illinois

Western Michigan at Indiana

Morgan State at Akron

Bowling Green at Missouri

Pitt at Buffalo

Kent State at Boston College

Miami at Boise State

Ohio at North Texas

 

Sep.19  - Saturday

Ball State at Army

Alcorn State at Central Michigan

Eastern Michigan at Michigan

Northern Illinois at Purdue

Toledo  vs. Ohio State (at Cleveland)

Miami at Western Michigan

Indiana at Akron

Bowling Green at Marshall

Buffalo at UCF

Iowa State at Kent State

Cal Poly at Ohio

Temple at Penn State

 

Sep. 26 – Saturday

Ball State at Auburn

Akron at Central Michigan

Idaho at Northern Illinois

Toledo at FIU

Hofstra at Western Michigan

Boise State at Bowling Green

Buffalo at Temple

Miami at Kent State

Ohio at Tennessee

 

 

Oct. 3 – Saturday

Toledo at Ball State

Central Michigan at Buffalo

Temple at Eastern Michigan

Western Michigan at Northern Illinois

Ohio at Bowling Green

Kent State at Baylor

Cincinnati at Miami

 

Oct. 10 - Saturday

Ball State at Temple

Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan

Western Michigan at Toledo

Ohio at Akron

Bowling Green at Kent State

Gardner Webb at Buffalo

Miami at Northwestern

 

Oct. 17 - Saturday

Bowling Green at Ball State

Central Michigan at Western Michigan

Kent State at Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois at Toledo

Akron at Buffalo

Miami at Ohio

Army at Temple

 

Oct. 24 – Saturday

Ball State at Eastern Michigan

Central Michigan at Bowling Green

Northern Illinois at Miami

Temple at Toledo

Buffalo at Western Michigan

Akron at Syracuse

Kent State at Ohio

 

Oct. 31 – Saturday

Ohio at Ball State

Central Michigan at Boston College

Eastern Michigan at Arkansas

Akron at Northern Illinois

Toledo at Miami

Western Michigan at Kent State

Temple at Navy

 

Nov. 3 – Tuesday

Bowling Green at Buffalo, 7 pm (ESPN2)

 

Nov. 5 – Thursday

Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois, 7:30 pm (ESPNU*)

Miami at Temple, 7:30 pm (ESPNU*)

 

Nov. 7 – Saturday

Western Michigan at Michigan State

Kent State at Akron

 

Nov. 10 – Tuesday

Ohio at Buffalo, 7 pm (ESPN2)

 

Nov. 11 – Wednesday

Toledo at Central Michigan, 8 pm (ESPN2)

 

Nov. 12 – Thursday

Ball State at Northern Illinois, 6 pm (ESPNU*)

Bowling Green at Miami, 6 pm (ESPNU*)

 

Nov. 13 – Friday

Temple at Akron, 8 pm (ESPNU)

 

Nov. 14 – Saturday

Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan

 

Nov. 18 – Wednesday

Central Michigan at Ball State, 6/8 pm (ESPN2/ESPNU*)

Buffalo at Miami, 6/8 pm (ESPN2/ESPNU*)

 

Nov. 20 – Friday

Eastern Michigan at Toledo

Akron at Bowling Green, 5:30 (ESPNU)

 

Nov. 21 – Saturday

Northern Illinois at Ohio

Kent State at Temple

 

Nov. 24 – Tuesday

Ball State at Western Michigan, 7 pm (ESPN2)

 

Nov. 27 – Friday

Northern Illinois at Central Michigan, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

Eastern Michigan at Akron, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

Toledo at Bowling Green, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

Buffalo at Kent State, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

Temple at Ohio, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

Dec. 4 – Friday

Marathon MAC Championship Game, 8 pm (ESPN2)

At Ford Field in Detroit

 

 

 

2009 MAC Football Schedule (composite by school)

All times tba unless noted; all listed times ET

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date (an ESPN weekday multiple-game selection date will be announced three weeks prior to the listed date).

 

 

EAST DIVISION

 

Akron

Sep.

5          at Penn State

12         Morgan State

19         Indiana

26         at Central Michigan

Oct.

10         Ohio

17         at Buffalo

24         at Syracuse

31         at Northern Illinois

Nov.

7          Kent State

13         Temple, 8 pm (ESPNU)

20         at *Bowling Green, 5:30 pm (ESPNU)

27         Eastern Michigan, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Bowling Green

Sep.

3          Troy

12         at Missouri

19         at Marshall

26         Boise State

Oct.

3          Ohio

10         at Kent State

17         at Ball State

24         Central Michigan

Nov.

3          at Buffalo, 7 pm (ESPN2)

12         at Miami, 6 pm (ESPNU*)

20         Akron, 5:30 pm (ESPNU)

27         Toledo, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Buffalo

Sep.

5          at UTEP

12         Pitt

19         at UCF

26         at Temple

Oct.

3          Central Michigan

10         Gardner Webb

17         Akron

24         at Western Michigan

Nov.

3          Bowling Green, 7 pm (ESPN2)

10         Ohio, 7 pm (ESPN2)

18         at Miami, 6/8 pm (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

27         at Kent State, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Kent State

Sep.

3          Coastal Carolina

12         at Boston College

19         Iowa State

26         Miami

Oct.

3          at Baylor

10         Bowling Green

17         at Eastern Michigan

24         at Ohio

31         Western Michigan

Nov.

7          at Akron

21         at Temple

27         Buffalo, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Miami

Sep.

5          Kentucky (at Cincinnati)

12         at Boise State

19         at Western Michigan

26         at Kent State

Oct.

3          Cincinnati

10         at Northwestern

17         at Ohio

24         Northern Illinois

31         Toledo

Nov.

5          at Temple, 7:30 pm (ESPNU*)

12         Bowling Green, 6 pm (ESPNU*)

18         Buffalo, 6/8 pm (ESPN2/ESPNU*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Ohio

Sep.

5          Connecticut

12         at North Texas

19         Cal Poly

26         at Tennessee

Oct.

3          at Bowling Green

10         at Akron

17         Miami

24         Kent State

31         at Ball State

Nov.

10         at Buffalo 7 pm (ESPN2)

21         Northern Illinois

27         Temple, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Temple

Sep.

3          Villanova

19         at Penn State

26         Buffalo

Oct.

3          at Eastern Michigan

10         Ball State

17         Army

24         at Toledo

31         at Navy

Nov.

5          Miami, 7:30 pm (ESPNU*)

13         at Akron, 8 pm (ESPNU)

21         Kent State

27         at Ohio, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

WEST DIVISION

 

 

Ball State

Sep.

3          North Texas

12         New Hampshire

19         at Army

26         at Auburn

Oct.

3          Toledo

10         at Temple

17         Bowling Green

24         at Eastern Michigan

31         Ohio

Nov.

12         at Northern Illinois, 6 pm (ESPNU*)

18         Central Michigan, 6/8 pm (ESPN2/ESPNU*)

24         at Western Michigan, 7 pm (ESPN2)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Central Michigan

Sep.

5          at Arizona

12         at Michigan State

19         Alcorn State

26         Akron

Oct.

3          at Buffalo

10         Eastern Michigan

17         at Western Michigan

24         at Bowling Green

31         at Boston College

Nov.

11         Toledo, 8 pm (ESPN2)

18         at Ball State, 6/8 pm (ESPN2/ESPNU*)

27         Northern Illinois, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

 

Eastern Michigan

Sep.

5          Army

12         at Northwestern

19         at Michigan

Oct.

3          Temple

10         at Central Michigan

17         Kent State

24         Ball State

31         at Arkansas

Nov.

5          at Northern Illinois (ESPNU*)

14         Western Michigan

20         at Toledo

27         at Akron, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

 

Northern Illinois

Sep.

5          at Wisconsin

12         Western Illinois

19         at Purdue

26         Idaho

Oct.

3          Western Michigan

17         at Toledo

24         at Miami

31         Akron

Nov.

5          Eastern Michigan, 7:30 pm (ESPNU*)

12         Ball State, 6 pm (ESPNU*)

21         at Ohio

27         at Central Michigan, tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

 

Toledo

Sep.

5          at Purdue

11         Colorado, 9 pm (ESPN)

19         Ohio State (at Cleveland)

26         at FIU

Oct.

3          at Ball State

10         Western Michigan

17         Northern Illinois

24         Temple

31         at Miami

Nov.

11         at Central Michigan, 8 pm (ESPN2)

20         Eastern Michigan

27         at Bowling Green, tbd tbd (ESPNU/ESPN360*)

 

*ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date

 

Western Michigan

Sep.

5          at Michigan

12         at Indiana

19         Miami

26         Hofstra

Oct.

3          at Northern Illinois

10         at Toledo

17         Central Michigan

24         Buffalo

31         at Kent State

Nov.

7          at Michigan State

14         at Eastern Michigan

24         Ball State, 7 pm (ESPN2)