MAC ANNOUNCES 2013 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
2013 schedule features 13 midweek games in November on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the 2013 football schedule today. Highlighting the schedule will be 13 midweek nationally televised games during the month of November televised by ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3 as the conference race unfolds in both the East and West divisions. The 13 mid-week games represent an increase of five national television games from last season.
The 2013 regular season will also once again feature an over-the-air syndication package produced and distributed by ESPN Regional Television (ERT). These syndicated games can also be seen on ESPN Game Plan, ESPN Plus and ESPN3. An updated release of the MAC 2013 football schedule will be released later this spring with kick times and a full television schedule.
The regular season will conclude with the 16th Marathon MAC Football Championship game on Friday, Dec. 6 at Ford Field in Detroit on ESPN2. This will mark the tenth 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 sixth 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 and SEC. In addition, the conference will also face opponents from the Big East, Conference USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Independents--Army and Navy.
MAC programs will face eight non-conference foes that finished in the final AP Top 25 poll: (3) Ohio State; (9) Florida; (12) Kansas State; (13) Louisville; (14) LSU; (17) Northwestern; (23) Vanderbilt and (24) Michigan. MAC champion Northern Illinois was ranked No. 22 in the final AP Top 25 poll.
A total of 13 non-conference games will feature an opponent from the Big Ten (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa (2), Michigan (2), Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State (2), Purdue and Wisconsin). The MAC will match up with a foe from the SEC (6—Florida, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Vanderbilt), Big 12 (2—Baylor, Kansas State) and ACC (2—North Carolina State, Virginia).
The MAC will also face opponents from the Big East (5— Central Florida, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville, Rutgers), Mountain West (1—UNLV), Conference USA (5—Marshall (2), North Texas (2), Tulsa) and Sun Belt Conferences (2—Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama).
MAC programs continue home games against FBS Conference foes including:
-Tulsa (Conference USA) at Bowling Green on Aug. 29;
-Army (Independent) at Ball State on Sept. 7;
-North Texas (Conference USA) at Ohio on Sept. 7;
-Marshall (Conference USA) at Ohio on Sept. 14;
-Cincinnati (Big East) at Miami on Sept. 21;
-Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt) at Akron on Sept. 21;
-Vanderbilt (SEC) at UMass on Sept. 21;
-UConn (Big East) at Buffalo on Sept. 28;
-Navy (Independent) at Toledo on Oct. 19.
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 six (6) 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.
2013 MAC Football Schedule (composite by date)
All times listed ET
*Conference Game
#ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date (an ESPN weekday multiple-game selection date will be announced 12 days prior to the listed date. One (1) game will be selected by each ESPN service listed).
Aug. 29 – Thursday
Akron at Central Florida
Illinois State at Ball State
Liberty at Kent State
Tulsa at Bowling Green
Aug. 31 – Saturday
Buffalo at Ohio State
Central Michigan at Michigan
Howard at Eastern Michigan
Miami at Marshall
UMass at Wisconsin
Northern Illinois at Iowa
Ohio at Louisville
Toledo at Florida
Western Michigan at Michigan State
Sep. 7 – Saturday
Army at Ball State
*Bowling Green at Kent State
Buffalo at Baylor
Eastern Michigan at Penn State
James Madison at Akron
Maine at UMass
Miami at Kentucky
New Hampshire at Central Michigan
Nicholls State at Western Michigan
North Texas at Ohio
Toledo at Missouri
Sep. 14 – Saturday
Akron at Michigan
Ball State at North Texas
Bowling Green at Indiana
Central Michigan at UNLV
Eastern Michigan at Rutgers
Eastern Washington at Toledo
Kent State at LSU
Marshall at Ohio
UMass at Kansas State
Northern Illinois at Idaho
Stony Brook at Buffalo
Western Michigan at Northwestern
Sep. 21 - Saturday
Austin Peay at Ohio
*Ball State at Eastern Michigan
Cincinnati at Miami
Eastern Illinois at Northern Illinois
Kent State at Penn State
Louisiana-Lafayette at Akron
Murray State at Bowling Green
*Toledo at Central Michigan
Vanderbilt at UMass
Western Michigan at Iowa
Sep. 28 – Saturday
*Akron at Bowling Green
Central Michigan at North Carolina State
*Kent State at Western Michigan
Miami at Illinois
Northern Illinois at Purdue
*Toledo at Ball State
UConn at Buffalo
Oct. 5 – Saturday
Ball State at Virginia
*Central Michigan at Miami
*Eastern Michigan at Buffalo
*Northern Illinois at Kent State
*UMass at Bowling Green
*Ohio at Akron
*Western Michigan at Toledo
Oct. 12 - Saturday
*Akron at Northern Illinois
Bowling Green at Mississippi State
*Buffalo at Western Michigan
*Central Michigan at Ohio
Eastern Michigan at Army
*Kent State at Ball State
*Miami at UMass
Oct. 19 - Saturday
*Akron at Miami
*Ball State at Western Michigan
Kent State at South Alabama
*UMass at Buffalo
Navy at Toledo
*Northern Illinois at Central Michigan
*Ohio at Eastern Michigan
Oct. 26 – Saturday
*Ball State at Akron
*Buffalo at Kent State
*Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois
*Miami at Ohio
*Toledo at Bowling Green
*Western Michigan at UMass
Nov. 2 – Saturday
*Eastern Michigan at Toledo
*Kent State at Akron
*Northern Illinois at UMass
Nov. 5 – Tuesday
#*Bowling Green at Miami, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
#*Ohio at Buffalo, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 6 – Wednesday
*Central Michigan at Ball State, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
Nov. 9 – Saturday
*Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan
Nov. 12 – Tuesday
#*Buffalo at Toledo, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
#*Ohio at Bowling Green, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Nov. 13 – Wednesday
#*Ball State at Northern Illinois, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
#*Miami at Kent State, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 16 – Saturday
*Akron at UMass
*Central Michigan at Western Michigan
Nov. 19 – Tuesday
#*Buffalo at Miami, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
#*Kent State at Ohio, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
Nov. 20 – Wednesday
*Northern Illinois at Toledo, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
Nov. 23 – Saturday
*Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan
*UMass at Central Michigan
Nov. 26 – Tuesday
*Western Michigan at Northern Illinois, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
Nov. 29 – Friday
#*Bowling Green at Buffalo, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
#*Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
#*UMass at Ohio, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
#*Miami at Ball State, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
#*Toledo at Akron, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Dec. 6 – Friday
East Division Champion vs. West Division Champion
Marathon MAC Championship Game, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
At Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
2013 MAC Football Schedule (composite by school)
All times listed ET
*Conference Game
#ESPN Multiple-Game Selection Date (an ESPN weekday multiple-game selection date will be announced 12 days prior to the listed date. One (1) game will be selected by each ESPN service listed).
EAST DIVISION
Akron
Aug.
29 at Central Florida
Sep.
7 James Madison
14 at Michigan
21 Louisiana-Lafayette
28 *at Bowling Green
Oct.
5 *Ohio
12 *at Northern Illinois
19 *at Miami
26 *Ball State
Nov.
2 *Kent State
16 *at UMass
29 *Toledo, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Bowling Green
Aug.
29 Tulsa
Sept.
7 *at Kent State
14 at Indiana
21 Murray State
28 *Akron
Oct.
5 *UMass
12 at Mississippi State
26 *Toledo
Nov.
5 #*at Miami, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
12 #*Ohio, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
23 *at Eastern Michigan
29 #*at Buffalo, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Buffalo
Aug.
31 at Ohio State
Sep.
7 at Baylor
14 Stony Brook
28 UConn
Oct.
5 *Eastern Michigan
12 *at Western Michigan
19 *UMass
26 *at Kent State
Nov.
5 #*Ohio, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
12 #*at Toledo, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
19 #*at Miami, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 #*Bowling Green, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Kent State
Aug.
29 Liberty
Sep.
7 *Bowling Green
14 at LSU
21 at Penn State
28 *at Western Michigan
Oct.
5 *Northern Illinois
12 *at Ball State
19 at South Alabama
26 *Buffalo
Nov.
2 *at Akron
13 #*Miami, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
19 #*at Ohio, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
UMass
Aug.
31 at Wisconsin
Sep.
7 Maine
14 at Kansas State
21 Vanderbilt
Oct.
5 *at Bowling Green
12 *Miami
19 *at Buffalo
26 *Western Michigan
Nov.
2 *Northern Illinois
16 *Akron
23 *at Central Michigan
29 #*at Ohio, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Miami
Aug.
31 at Marshall
Sep.
7 at Kentucky
21 Cincinnati
28 at Illinois
Oct.
5 *Central Michigan
12 *at UMass
19 *Akron
26 *at Ohio
Nov.
5 #*Bowling Green, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
13 #*at Kent State, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
19 #*Buffalo, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 #*at Ball State, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Ohio
Aug.
31 at Louisville
Sep.
7 North Texas
14 Marshall
21 Austin Peay
Oct.
5 *at Akron
12 *Central Michigan
19 *at Eastern Michigan
26 *Miami
Nov.
5 #*at Buffalo, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
12 #*at Bowling Green, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
19 #*Kent State, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 #*UMass, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
WEST DIVISION
Ball State
Aug.
29 Illinois State
Sep.
7 Army
14 at North Texas
21 *at Eastern Michigan
28 *Toledo
Oct.
5 at Virginia
12 *Kent State
19 *at Western Michigan
26 *at Akron
Nov.
6 *Central Michigan, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
13 #*at Northern Illinois, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
29 #*Miami, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Central Michigan
Aug.
31 at Michigan
Sep.
7 New Hampshire
14 at UNLV
21 *Toledo
28 at North Carolina State
Oct.
5 *at Miami
12 *at Ohio
19 *Northern Illinois
Nov.
6 *at Ball State, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
16 *at Western Michigan
23 *UMass
29 #*Eastern Michigan, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Eastern Michigan
Aug.
31 Howard
Sep.
7 at Penn State
14 at Rutgers
21 *Ball State
Oct.
5 *at Buffalo
12 at Army
19 *Ohio
26 *at Northern Illinois
Nov.
2 *at Toledo
9 *Western Michigan
23 *Bowling Green
29 #*at Central Michigan, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Northern Illinois
Aug.
31 at Iowa
Sep.
14 at Idaho
21 Eastern Illinois
28 at Purdue
Oct.
5 *at Kent State
12 *Akron
19 *at Central Michigan
26 *Eastern Michigan
Nov.
2 *at UMass
13 #*Ball State, TBA (ESPN2/ESPNU)
20 *at Toledo, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
26 *Western Michigan, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
Toledo
Aug.
31 at Florida
Sep.
7 at Missouri
14 Eastern Washington
21 *at Central Michigan
28 *at Ball State
Oct.
5 *Western Michigan
19 Navy
26 *at Bowling Green
Nov.
2 *Eastern Michigan
12 #*Buffalo, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
20 *Northern Illinois, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2)
29 *at Akron, TBA (ESPNU/ESPN3)
Western Michigan
Aug.
31 at Michigan State
Sep.
7 Nicholls State
14 at Northwestern
21 at Iowa
28 *Kent State
Oct.
5 *at Toledo
12 *Buffalo
19 *Ball State
26 *at UMass
Nov.
9 *at Eastern Michigan
16 *Central Michigan
26 *at Northern Illinois, 7:00 pm ET (ESPN2)