The 2021 Mid-American Conference football season was the 76th season for the Mid-American Conference (MAC), as part of the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season.
The provisional schedule was released on February 26, 2021. The season was scheduled to begin September 2, 2021, and ended with the MAC Football Championship Game on December 4, 2021.
Preseason
Preseason Media Poll The Preseason Media Poll was announced on July 20. Kent State was voted the favorite to win the East Division, while Ball State was voted as favorite for the West Division. Ball State was also the favorite to win the conference championship game.
East 1 Kent State 112 (11) 2 Ohio 96 (2) 3 Miami (OH) 94 (5) 4 Buffalo 93 (4) 5 Akron 39 6 Bowling Green 28 West 1 Ball State 114 (11) 2 Toledo 104 (7) 3 Western Michigan 103 (4) 4 Central Michigan 68 5 Eastern Michigan 44 6 Northern Illinois 29
Preseason awards The following list contains MAC players included on watch lists for national awards.
Award Head coach/Player School Position Link Maxwell Award Kevin Marks Buffalo RB Preston Hutchinson Eastern Michigan QB Dustin Crum Kent State QB Kaleb Eleby Western Michigan QB Bednarik Award James Patterson Buffalo LB Troy Hairston Central Michigan DE Troy Brown Central Michigan LB Desjuan Johnson Toledo DT Ralph Holley Western Michigan DTDavey O'Brien Award Dustin Crum Kent State QB Doak Walker Award Darius Boone Eastern Michigan RB Bryant Koback Toledo RB Kobe Lewis Central Michigan RB Kevin Marks Buffalo RB Lew Nichols III Central Michigan RBFred Biletnikoff Award Justin Hall Ball State WR John Mackey Award Thomas Odukoya Eastern Michigan TE Ryan Luehrman Ohio TE Rimington Trophy Braydon Patton Northern Illinois C Bryce Harris Toledo CButkus Award James Patterson Buffalo LB Outland Trophy Curtis Blackwell Ball State C Mike Caliendo Western Michigan C Jake Fuzak Buffalo OT Bryce Harris Toledo C Bronko Nagurski Trophy Troy Brown Central Michigan LB Ralph Holley Western Michigan DT Desjuan Johnson Toledo DT Brandon Martin Ball State LBLou Groza Award Marshall Meeder Central Michigan K Paul Hornung Award Justin Hall Ball State WR Kalil Pimpleton Central Michigan WR Clint Ratkovich Northern Illinois RB Wuerffel Trophy Bubba Arslanian Akron LB Brandon Martin Ball State LB Bryce Cosby Ball State DB Tariq Speights Eastern Michigan LB Isaac Vance Kent State WR Sam Allan Kent State OL Bailey Flint Toledo P Mike Calidendo Western Michigan OLWalter Camp Award Dustin Crum Kent State QB Manning Award Dustin Crum Kent State QB Kaleb Eleby Western Michigan QB Drew Plitt Ball State QB Ray Guy Award Bailey Flint Toledo P Dom Dzioban Miami (OH) P Jake Julian Eastern Michigan P Luke Elzinga Central Michigan P Matt Ference Northern Illinois P Matt Naranjo Bowling Green P Nick Mihalic Western Michigan P Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Dustin Crum Kent State QB Drew Plitt Ball State QB Kyle Vantrease Buffalo QB
Head coaches Lance Leipold, who had been head coach of Buffalo since 2015, left the MAC to take the head coach position with the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 Conference. Leipold was replaced by interim head coach Rob Ianello during the school's search for a new permanent coach. However, Ianello and several other Buffalo assistant coaches were tabbed to join Leipold at Kansas, leaving a temporary vacancy at the team's head coaching position. Michigan co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist was later hired as Buffalo's new permanent coach.
On July 14, Frank Solich announced his retirement from the head coach position at Ohio after 16 seasons with the school. Tim Albin was promoted to head coach to fill Solich's vacancy.
Team Head coach Previous Job Years at school Overall record MAC record MAC titles Akron Tom Arth Chattanooga 3 0 Ball State Mike Neu New Orleans Saints (QB Coach) 6 1 Bowling Green Scot Loeffler Boston College (Off. coordinator/QB coach) 3 0 Buffalo Maurice Linguist Michigan (Co def. coordinator) 1 0 Central Michigan Jim McElwain Florida 3 0 Eastern Michigan Chris Creighton Drake 8 0 Kent State Sean Lewis Syracuse (Co Off. Coordinator) 3 0 Miami Chuck Martin Notre Dame (Off. coordinator/QB coach) 7 1 Northern Illinois Thomas Hammock Baltimore Ravens (running backs coach) 3 0 Ohio Tim Albin Ohio (associate head coach) 1 0 Toledo Jason Candle Toledo (Off. Coordinator) 6 1 Western Michigan Tim Lester Purdue (QB Coach) 5 0
Mid-season changes On November 4, Tom Arth was fired as head coach at Akron after posting a 3–24 record with the school in 3 years. Oscar Rodriguez, who was formerly the school's inside linebacker coach and associate head coach, was named interim head coach. On December 4, the school announced Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead as the new permanent head coach.
Rankings
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Final Akron AP C CFP Not released Ball State AP RV RV C RV RV CFP Not released Bowling Green AP C CFP Not released Buffalo AP C CFP Not released Central Michigan AP C CFP Not released Eastern Michigan AP C CFP Not released Kent State AP C CFP Not released Miami AP C CFP Not released Northern Illinois AP RV C CFP Not released Ohio AP C CFP Not released Toledo AP RV C CFP Not released Western Michigan AP RV C RV CFP Not released
+ Legend Improvement in ranking Drop in ranking Not ranked previous week No change in ranking from previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
Schedule Index to colors and formattingMAC member wonMAC member lostMAC teams in bold All times Eastern time.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
MAC Conference Championship Game
Postseason
Bowl Games
Legend MAC Win MAC Loss
Bowl gameDateSiteTelevisionTime (EST)MAC teamOpponentScoreAttendance Bahamas Bowl December 17 Thomas Robinson Stadium • Nassau, Bahamas ESPN 12:00 p.m. Toledo Middle Tennessee L 24–31 13,596 Cure Bowl December 17 Exploria Stadium • Orlando, FL ESPN2 6:00 p.m. Northern Illinois Coastal Carolina L 41–47 9,784 LendingTree Bowl December 18 Hancock Whitney Stadium • Mobile, AL ESPN 5:45 p.m. Eastern Michigan Liberty L 20–56 15,186 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl December 21 Albertsons Stadium • Boise, ID ESPN 3:30 p.m. Kent State Wyoming L 38–52 10,217 Frisco Football Classic December 23 Toyota Stadium • Frisco, TX ESPN 3:30 p.m. Miami (OH) North Texas W 27–14 11,721 Camellia Bowl December 25 Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL ESPN 2:30 p.m. Ball State Georgia State L 20–51 Quick Lane Bowl December 27 Ford Field • Detroit, MI ESPN 11:00 a.m. Western Michigan Nevada W 52–24 22,321 Sun Bowl December 31 Sun Bowl • El Paso, Texas CBS 12:00 p.m. Central Michigan Washington State W 24–21 34,540
Central Michigan was originally slated to play in the Arizona Bowl on December 31 against Boise State, but the bowl was cancelled when Boise State was forced to withdraw due to a COVID-19 outbreak within their team. Central Michigan was then invited to play in the Sun Bowl on the same date to replace Miami (FL), who had withdrawn from that bowl due to COVID-19 as well.
MAC records vs other conferences
2021–2022 records against non-conference foes:
Power Conferences 5RecordACC2–1Big Ten1–10Big 120–0Pac-120–0BYU/Notre Dame0–1SEC0–5Power 5 Total3–17Other FBS ConferencesRecordAmerican0–2C–USA2–0Independents (Excluding Notre Dame)3–1Mountain West1–3Sun Belt1–3Other FBS Total5–9FCS OpponentsRecordFootball Championship Subdivision11–1Total Non-Conference Record23–27
Mid-American vs Power 5 matchups This is a list of games the MAC has scheduled versus power conference teams (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, BYU, Notre Dame and SEC). All rankings are from the current AP Poll at the time of the game.
Date Conference Visitor Home Site Score September 2 SEC Bowling Green Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN L 6–38 September 4 Big Ten Western Michigan Michigan Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI L 14–47 September 4 SEC Central Michigan Missouri Faurot Field • Columbia, MO L 24–34 September 4 SEC Akron Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL L 10–60 September 4 ACC Syracuse Ohio Peden Stadium • Athens, OH L 9–29 September 4 ACC Northern Illinois Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA W 22–21 September 4 SEC Kent State No. 6 Texas A&M Kyle Field • College Station, TX L 10–41 September 11 Big Ten Miami (OH) Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, MN L 26–31 September 11 Independent Toledo No. 8 Notre Dame Notre Dame Stadium • South Bend, IN L 29–32 September 11 Big Ten Ball State No. 11 Penn State Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA L 13–44 September 11 Big Ten Buffalo Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE L 3–28 September 11 Big Ten Eastern Michigan No. 18 Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI L 7–34 September 18 SEC Central Michigan LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA L 21–49 September 18 Big Ten Northern Illinois No. 25 Michigan Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI L 10–63 September 18 ACC Western Michigan Pittsburgh Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA W 44–41 September 18 Big Ten Kent State No. 5 Iowa Kinnick Stadium • Iowa Stadium, IA L 7–30 September 25 Big Ten Akron No. 10 Ohio State Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH L 7–59 September 25 Big Ten Bowling Green Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, MN W 14–10 September 25 Big Ten Kent State Maryland Maryland Stadium • College Park, MD L 16–37 September 25 Big Ten Ohio Northwestern Ryan Field • Evanston, IL L 6–35
Mid-American vs Group of Five matchups The following games include MAC teams competing against teams from the American, C-USA, Mountain or Sun Belt.
Date Conference Visitor Home Site Score September 4 American Miami (OH) No. 8 Cincinnati Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, OH L 14–49 September 11 Mountain West Wyoming Northern Illinois Huskie Stadium • DeKalb, IL L 43–50 September 11 American Temple Akron InfoCiscion Stadium • Akron, OH L 24–45 September 11 Sun Belt South Alabama Bowling Green Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH L 19–22 September 16 Sun Belt Ohio Louisiana Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA L 14–49 September 18 Mountain West Ball State Wyoming War Memorial Stadium • Laramie, WY L 12–45 September 18 Mountain West Colorado State Toledo Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH L 6–22 September 18 Sun Belt No. 16 Coastal Carolina Buffalo UB Stadium • Buffalo, NY L 25–28 September 25 C-USA FIU Central Michigan Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI W 31–27 September 25 Sun Belt Texas State Eastern Michigan Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI W 59–21 September 25 Mountain West San Jose State Western Michigan Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI W 23–3 September 25 C-USA Buffalo Old Dominion S.B. Ballard Stadium • Norfolk, VA W 35–34
Mid-American vs FBS independents matchups The following games include MAC teams competing against FBS Independents, which includes Army, Liberty, New Mexico State, UConn, or UMass.
Date Conference Visitor Home Site Score September 18 Independents Eastern Michigan UMass Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium • Amherst, MA W 42–28 September 25 Independents Miami (OH) Army Michie Stadium • West Point, NY L 10–23 October 2 Independents Toledo UMass Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium • Amherst, MA W 45–9 October 2 Independents Army Ball State Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN W 28–16
Mid-American vs FCS matchups