The 2026 Mid-American Conference football season will be the 81st season for the Mid-American Conference (MAC), as part of the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Non-conference play will begin on September 3. Conference play began on August 29 and conclude with the MAC championship game on December 5 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. For the third straight season, the MAC will not have divisions. The Championship game will feature the two teams with the best conference records. This will be the first season without Northern Illinois since 1997 as it joined the Mountain West Conference for football. On February 14, 2026, the conference announced that Sacramento State would transition from FCS to FBS and begin play in the MAC in 2026.
Preseason
The MAC Football Kickoff was held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan from 9:00 am EDT to 1:30 pm EDT. Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher spoke. Each team had their head coach and a student athlete from both the offense and the defense available to speak to the media.
Akron – Head Coach Joe Moorhead; Jordan Gant, R-Sr, TB; Cyrus Durham, R-Jr., DE Ball State – Head Coach Mike Uremovich; Chris Hood, R-Sr., OL; Justin Thomas, R-Sr., LB Bowling Green – Head Coach Eddie George; Austyn Dendy, So., RB; Eriq George, Sr., DE Buffalo – Head Coach Pete Lembo, Terrance Shelton Jr., Jr., RB; Cornell Evans, Grad., DT Central Michigan – Head Coach Matt Drinkall; Langston Lewis, R-Sr., WR; Jaion Jackson, Jr., DB Eastern Michigan – Head Coach Chris Creighton; Noah Kim, Grad., QB; Bryce Llewellyn, Sr., DB Kent State – Head Coach Mark Carney; Dru DeShields, R-Jr., QB; Thomas Aden, Sr., DL UMass – Head Coach Joe Harasymiak; Pop Watson III, R-Jr., QB; Tyler Martin, R-Sr., LB Miami (OH) – Head Coach Chuck Martin; Eric Smith, R-Sr., OL; Malcolm McCain, LB Ohio – Head Coach John Hauser; Duncan Brune, Jr., RB; DJ Walker, R-Jr., S Sacramento State – Head Coach Alonzo Carter; Carson Conklin, Jr., QB; Derek Houston, Jr., LB Toledo – Head Coach Mike Jacobs; John Alan Richter, Jr., QB; Andrew Zock, Jr., DE Western Michigan – Head Coach Lance Taylor; Broc Lowry, R-Jr., QB; Jarvarius Sims, R-Sr., DB
Preseason coaches poll On July 22, the MAC announced the preseason coaches poll. Western Michigan was named the preseason favorite to win the conference while last year's other finalist, Miami, also received votes to win the championship.
1 Western Michigan 138 (9) 2 Miami (OH) 134 (4) 3 Toledo 115 4 Ohio 107 5 Central Michigan 101 6 Buffalo 81 7 Eastern Michigan 76 8 Kent State 64 9 Bowling Green 59 10 Akron 52 11 Ball State 34 12 Sacramento State 28 13 Massachusetts 25
Predicted MAC champion 1 Western Michigan 9 2 Miami (OH) 4
Preseason individual awards
Lott Trophy noneDodd Trophy noneHC --Maxwell AwardJordan GantAkronRBSr.Broc LowryWestern MichiganQBJr.Jalen BuckleyRBSr.Bronko Nagurski Trophy Josh FranklinWestern MichiganDBSr.Bryce LlewellynEastern MichiganSGr.Outland TrophyEvan MalcoreMiamiOTR-Sr.Chad SchusterWestern Michigan Butkus AwardBlayne MyrickMiamiLBR-Sr.Jim Thorpe AwardDJ WalkerOhioSR-Jr.Paul Hornung Award Keith ReynoldsMiamiWRR-Jr.Wuerffel TrophyCaden Britton Ball StateLSR-Sr.Stevie BraceyBuffaloLB5Y Sr.Angel FloresCentral MichiganQBR-Sr.Dennis Strey Jr.Eastern MichiganOLGr.Wayne HarrisKent StateWRR-So.DJ WalkerOhioSR-Jr.Derek HoustonSacramento StateLBMatt HoferToledoOLR-So.Riley BlochUMassDakari FrazierWestern MichiganDLR-Jr.Lou Groza Award noneK -- Ray Guy AwardPierse StaintonMiamiPSr.Patrick Mannelly Award noneLS --Walter Camp AwardBroc LowryWestern MichiganQBJr.Doak Walker AwardVaughn BlueCentral MichiganRBSr.Braydon BennettEastern MichiganGr.CJ MillerToledoR-Jr.Biletnikoff Award noneWR --
Davey O'Brien AwardBroc LowryWestern MichiganQBR-Jr.John Mackey AwardTerik MulderKent StateTER-Sr.Joshua LongEastern MichiganJr.Rimington TrophyNicholas GallegosEastern MichiganCGr.Bednarik AwardDJ WalkerOhioSR-Jr.Rotary Lombardi AwardChad SchusterWestern MichiganOTR-Sr.Manning Award noneQBComeback Player of the Year AwardDaymon DavidAkronSGSCorey Thompson Jr.Ball StateWRJr.Dorian PringleBowling GreenLBSo.Jadyn GlasserCentral MichiganQBJr.Joshua NoblesUMassDLGST.Y. HardingWRSr.TJ MageeCBSr.Cole CabanaWestern MichiganRBR-Jr.Polynesian College Football Player Of The Year Award noneJohnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardBroc LowryWestern MichiganQBR-Jr.Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award noneShaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award none
Coaches
Coaching changes The MAC will enter the 2026 season with four head coaching changes from the start of the 2025 season.
Kent State On October 30, 2025, Mark Carney, who had been the interim head coach for most of the 2025 season, was promoted to permanent head coach.
Ohio On December 1, 2025, Ohio University announced that head coach Brian Smith was on indefinite leave. Defensive coordinator John Hauser was named the interim head coach. On December 16, the University terminated Smith for cause. Hauser was named full-time head coach, three days after winning the Frisco Bowl, on December 26.
Sacramento State Brennan Marion left after one 7–5 season with the Hornets to accept the offensive coordinator position at Colorado On December 15, 2025, Arizona associate head coach Alonzo Carter was named the new head coach.
Toledo On December 6, 2025, Rocket head coach Jason Candle accepted head coach position at the University of Connecticut. Mercer head coach Mike Jacobs was named head football coach by the on December 10, 2025.
Head coaching records Team Head coach Previous Job Years at school Record at school MAC record MAC titles Akron Joe Moorhead Oregon (offensive coordinator) 4 0 Ball State Mike Uremovich Butler 2 0 Bowling Green Eddie George Tennessee State 2 0 Buffalo Pete Lembo South Carolina (associate head coach/special teams coordinator) 3 0 Central Michigan Matt Drinkall Army (OL coach) 2 0 Eastern Michigan Chris Creighton Drake 13 0 Kent State Mark Carney Kent State (offensive coordinator) 2 0 Miami (OH) Chuck Martin Notre Dame (offensive coordinator/QB coach) 12 2 Ohio John Hauser Ohio (associate head coach/defensive coordinator) 1 0 Sacramento State Alonzo Carter Arizona (associate head coach/RB coach) 1 0 Toledo Mike Jacobs Mercer 1 0 UMass Joe Harasymiak Rutgers (defensive coordinator) 2 0 Western Michigan Lance Taylor Louisville (offensive coordinator) 4 1 Source -
Rankings
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Final Akron AP C CFP Not released Ball State AP C 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 (OH) AP C CFP Not released Ohio AP C CFP Not released Sacramento State AP C CFP Not released Toledo AP C CFP Not released UMass AP C RV RV CFP Not released Western Michigan AP RV RV RV RV C RV RV RV RV 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 Source:
AP -
Coaches -
CFP -
Schedule
Index to colors and formattingMAC member wonMAC member lostMAC teams in bold All times Eastern time.
Week 0
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
MAC records vs. other conferences 2026–2027 records against non-conference foes, including bowl games:
Regular season & bowls Power Four ConferencesRecordACC0–3Big 120–2Big Ten1–10Notre Dame0–0SEC0–1Power 5 Total1–16Other FBS ConferencesRecordAmerican2–1CUSA1–2Independents (Excluding Notre Dame)1–0Mountain West1–4Pac-121–2Sun Belt0–1Other FBS Total6–10FCS OpponentsRecordFootball Championship Subdivision14–1Total Non-Conference Record21–27
Mid-American vs Power 4 matchups This is a list of regular season games the MAC has scheduled versus power conference teams (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Notre Dame and SEC). All rankings are from the current AP Poll at the time of the game.
Date Visitor Home Site Score September 3 Akron Wake Forest Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium • Winston-Salem, NC 17–38 September 3 UMass Rutgers SHI Stadium • Piscataway, NJ 37–21 September 5 Ball State No. 1 Ohio State Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH 3–56 September 5 Miami (OH) Pittsburgh Acrisure Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA 14–59 September 5 Ohio Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE 21–49 September 5 Toledo Michigan State Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI 20–30 September 5 Western Michigan No. 16 Michigan Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI 12–13 September 5 Kent State South Carolina Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, SC 0–57 September 12 Eastern Michigan Michigan State Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI 7–35 September 12 Bowling Green Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE 7–56 September 19 Akron Minnesota Huntington Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, MN 7–41 September 19 Bowling Green Iowa State Jack Trice Stadium • Ames, IA 7–55 September 19 Buffalo Penn State Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA 13–55 September 19 Kent State Ohio State Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH 3–59 September 19 Miami (OH) Cincinnati TQL Stadium • Cincinnati, OH 31–35 September 19 Eastern Michigan Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI 10–54 September 26 Central Michigan Miami (FL) Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens, FL 3–52 October 10 Ball State Northwestern Martin Stadium • Evanston, IL –
Mid-American vs other FBS matchups The following regular season games include MAC teams competing against teams from the American, CUSA, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt.
Date Visitor Home Site Score September 4 San Jose State Spartans Eastern Michigan Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, MI 21–27 September 5 Central Michigan New Mexico University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM 7–38 September 12 Buffalo FIU Pitbull Stadium • Miami, FL 20–33 September 12 Sacramento State Fresno State Valley Children's Stadium • Fresno, CA 3–49 September 12 Jacksonville State Ohio Peden Stadium • Athens, OH 29–27 September 19 Ball State Liberty Williams Stadium • Lynchburg, VA 15–51 September 19 Ohio South Alabama Hancock Whitney Stadium • Mobile, AL 35–41 September 19 Wyoming Central Michigan Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI 24–10 September 19 Western Michigan Rice Rice Stadium • Houston, TX 28–21 September 19 Temple Toledo Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH 49–48 September 19 North Dakota State Sacramento State Hornet Stadium • Sacramento, CA 10–31 September 26 San Diego State Toledo Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH 41–16 September 26 UNLV Akron InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field • Akron, OH 10–38 September 26 Boise State Western Michigan Waldo Stadium • Kalamazoo, MI 7–32 September 26 South Florida Bowling Green Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH 6–14 October 17 Kent State South Florida Doyt Perry Stadium • Bowling Green, OH – November 28 Sacramento State Hawaii Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex • Honolulu, HI –
Mid-American vs FBS independents matchups The following regular season games include MAC teams competing against FBS Independents, which only includes UConn for 2026.
Date Visitor Home Site Score September 26 UConn Miami (OH) Yager Stadium • Oxford, OH 24–21 October 24 UMass UConn Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT –
Mid-American vs. FCS matchups The following regular season games include MAC teams competing against FCS schools.