Tag Archives: Mid-American Conference

AAC edges the MAC to win the 2024-2025 Bowl Challenge Cup

Posted on by
Reply

The 2024-2025 Bowl Challenge Cup results are in and The American Athletic Conference has edged the Mid-American Conference and the Big Ten to take 1st place. While the Big Ten has gotten the majority of the headlines, the AAC’s strong showing included wins by Army, East Carolina, Memphis, Navy, South Florida and UTSA with losses only coming from North Texas and Tulane. Their 6-2 record just edged the MAC which scored a conference-record 5 wins with a 5-2 record overall thanks to the efforts of Buffalo, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio and Toledo. The Big Ten, which has a 7-4 record and two teams yet to play, cannot edge The American even if Ohio State and Penn State win their semifinal games. Note that opening round College Football Playoff games do not count as bowl games and therefore do not count in these standings.

Northern Illinois set to leave MAC to join Mountain West as football-only member

Posted on by
Reply

The Northern Illinois Huskies set to join the Mountain West Conference (MWC) as a football-only member. The school has formally accepted an invitation from the conference, with its board of trustees scheduled to vote on the decision on Tuesday.

If approved, NIU will become part of the MWC starting July 1, 2026. The university will remain a full member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for all other sports. The MAC will field 13 football teams in 2025 following UMass’ arrival as a football-only member, dropping back to 12 members when NIU leaves in 2026.

This season, NIU posted an 8-5 overall record, including a 4-4 finish in MAC play tied for 6th overall in the conference. The team’s most notable victory came in Week 2 against Notre Dame, which has since gone undefeated and will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl with a spot in the national championship game on the line.

The MWC is bolstering its football lineup as several of its members transition to the restructured Pac-12. By 2026, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State will join Oregon State and Washington State in the revamped Pac-12, and Gonzaga will also join the Pac-12 but in all sports except football. The Pac-12 is still seeking an eighth football member.

With NIU’s addition, the Mountain West will have nine football teams in 2026, enabling the conference to implement a round-robin eight-game schedule.

MAC Champion Ohio Bobcats look to get MAC’s first bowl season win

Posted on by
Reply

The Mid-American Conference does not seem to be what it used to be. A mid-major, capable of pulling a big upset any given Saturday in the Fall, and a conference with an occasional BCS bowl game participant or Top 25 member. Unfortunately for the MAC and similar conferences, the NIL era is here and most are following the money. And with that, the MAC, a conference stuck in the middle Big Ten’s traditional footprint and recruiting lanes, sits, looking to make a name for themselves. The bowl season each year is always a great chance to open eyes and impress, but so far the 2024-2025 bowl appearances for the MAC are not playing out how they would have liked.

Enter the Ohio Bobcats. Picked to finish near the bottom of the MAC this season, Ohio went 2-2 in non-conference play and fans were pleasantly surprised. Coming off of the program’s first back-to-back 10-win seasons, the idea that the Bobcats could do it again was a long shot. Their Quarterback transferred to Indiana and has led the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff. Half of their starters left in the Transfer Portal. But continuity and consistency from the staff was the key, as the Bobcats lost just a single MAC game, on the road to rival Miami of Ohio in a game that injuries definitely played a large role.

Now the Bobcats look to reverse the MAC’s fortunes as they face Jacksonville State at 12 noon Eastern today in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl. Yes, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Miami, and Toledo all have bowl games ahead of them, but with Western Michigan’s early loss the conference’s hopes of a stellar bowl season may hinge on their champions getting that streak started, and there is no better option in the MAC this year.