Mid-American Conference releases 2026 football schedule
At long last, the 2026 edition of the Mid-American Conference football schedule has been released to the public.
What better day to release the Mid-American Conference football schedule than on a Tuesday?
The MAC announced its full suite of contests earlier this morning after weeks of delays due to a late shake-up in membership. Northern Illinois is set to depart in July for the Mountain West Conference, while Sacramento State is set to join the MAC in football only to replace them.
Sacramento State had to drop a majority of its schedule thanks to its recent promotion to the FBS level. Part of Sacramento State's schedule changes also affected conference member UMass, which had to cancel and replace at least one of its non-conference games.
One of the highlights of the 2026 schedule is the MAC Championship, which is slated for Saturday, Dec. 5. The event returns to Ford Field in Detroit, MI for the 23rd consecutive year. For the sixth-straight season, the contest will be televised by ESPN at noon ET on championship weekend Saturday.
Schedule Matrix
(asterisk [*] denotes conference game, octothorpe [#] denotes neutral site)
| Week | Akron | Ball St | Bowling Green | Buffalo | Central MI | Eastern MI | Kent St | Miami | Ohio | Sacramento St | Toledo | UMass | Western MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | BYE | Sac State* | BYE | BYE | BYE | @ Eastern MI* | BYE | BYE | BYE |
| 1 | @ Wake Forest | @ Ohio St | Tarleton St (FCS) | UAlbany (FCS) (Thur) | @ New Mexico | San Jose St (Fri) | @ South Carolina | @ Pittsburgh | @ Nebraska | MVSU (FCS) | @ Michigan St | @ Rutgers (Thu) | @ Michigan |
| 2 | Robert Morris | Stony Brook (FCS) | @ Nebraska | @ FIU | Colgate (FCS) | @ Michigan St | Wofford (FCS) | Holy Cross (FCS) | Jacksonville St | @ Fresno St | CCSU (FCS) | Sacred Heart (FCS) | Monmouth (FCS) |
| 3 | @ Minnesota | @ Liberty | @ Iowa State | @ Penn St | Wyoming | @ Wisconsin | @ Ohio St | Cincinnati # | @ South Alabama | North Dakota St | Temple | Stone Hill (FCS) | @ Rice |
| 4 | UNLV | @ Kent State* | USF | Robert Morris (FCS) | @ Miami [FL] | Lindenwood (FCS) | Ball St* | UConn | Stonehill (FCS) | UMass* | San Diego St | Sacramento St* | Boise St |
| 5 | @ Central MI* | Toledo* | @ Miami* | Western MI* | Akron | @ UMass* | Ohio* | Bowling Green* | @ Kent St* | BYE | @ Ball St* | Eastern MI* | @ Buffalo |
| 6 | Eastern MI* | @ Northwestern | Sacramento St* | @ Toledo* | @ Ohio* | @ Akron* | @ Western MI* | @ UMass* | Central MI* | @ Bowling Green* | Buffalo* | Miami* | Kent St* |
| 7 | @ Miami* | @ Bowling Green* | Bowling Green* | UMass* | Western MI* | Toledo* | @ USF | Akron* | @ Sacramento St* | Ohio* | @ Eastern MI* | @ Buffalo* | @ Central MI* |
| 8 | @ Kent St* | Sacramento St* | @ Buffalo* | Bowling Green* | Miami* | @ Ohio* | Akron | @ Central MI* | Eastern MI | @ Ball St* | Western MI* | @ UConn | @ Toledo* |
| 9 | BYE | BYE | @ Western MI* | BYE | BYE | BYE | @ Sacramento St (Fri)* | BYE | BYE | Kent St (Fri)* | BYE | BYE | Bowling Green (Fri)* |
| 10 | Ohio (Tu)* | @ UMass (Wed)* | BYE | @ Miami (Tu)* | Eastern MI (Wed)* # | Central MI (Wed)* # | BYE | Buffalo (Tu)* | @ Akron (Tu)* | Toledo (Wed)* | @ Sacramento St (Wed)* | Ball St (Wed)* | BYE |
| 11 | Western MI (Tu)* | Buffalo (Wed)* | Kent St (Tu)* | @ Ball St (Wed)* | Sacramento St (Wed)* | BYE | @ Bowling Green (Tu)* | Ohio (Tu)* | @ Miami (Tu)* | @ Central MI (Wed)* | UMass (Wed)* | @ Toledo (Wed)* | @ Akron (Tu)* |
| 12 | @ UMass (Wed)* | @ Ohio (Tu)* | @ Toledo (Wed)* | Central MI (Wed)* | @ Buffalo (Wed)* | @ Western MI (Tu)* | Miami (Tu)* | @ Kent St (Tu)* | Ball St (Tu)* | BYE | Bowling Green (Wed)* | Akron (Wed)* | Eastern MI (Tu)* |
| 13 | Buffalo (Fri)* | Central MI* | @ UMass* | @ Akron (Fri)* | @ Ball St* | @ Kent St (Tu)* | Eastern MI (Tu)* | @ Western MI (Tu)* | Toledo (Fri)* | @ Hawai'i | @ Ohio (Fri) | @ Bowling Green* | Miami (Tu)* |
Midweek MACtion Schedule
Midweek MACtion's origins date back to 1999, and the Tuesday and Wednesday night spectacles return for 2026. The MAC traditionally uses the final four weeks of the regular season to showcase its nationally televised midweek games, which are typically broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and CBS Sports Network.
There are 10 Tuesday games and eight Wednesday games, running from the first Tuesday of November through the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. The times and networks will be announced at a later date.
Week 10
- Tuesday, Nov. 3 — Ohio at Akron
- Tuesday, Nov. 3 — Buffalo at Miami
- Wednesday, Nov. 4 — Ball State at UMass
- Wednesday, Nov. 4 — Toledo at Sacramento State
Week 11
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 — Western Michigan at Akron
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 — Kent State at Bowling Green
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 — Ohio at Miami
- Wednesday, Nov. 11 — Buffalo at Ball State
- Wednesday, Nov. 11 — Sacramento State at Central Michigan
- Wednesday, Nov. 11 — UMass at Toledo
Week 12
- Tuesday, Nov. 17 — Ball State at Ohio
- Tuesday, Nov. 17 — Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan
- Tuesday, Nov. 17 — Miami at Kent State
- Wednesday, Nov. 18 — Akron at UMass
- Wednesday, Nov. 18 — Bowling Green at Toledo
- Wednesday, Nov. 18 — Central Michigan at Buffalo
Week 13
- Tuesday, Nov. 24 — Eastern Michigan at Kent State
- Tuesday, Nov. 24 — Miami at Western Michigan
Rivalry and Trophy Games
- Battle for the Cannon — Western Michigan at Central Michigan — Saturday, Oct. 17
- Flagship Cup — UMass at Buffalo — Saturday, Oct. 17
- Wagon Wheel — Akron at Kent State — Saturday, Oct. 24
- Anniversary Award — Kent State at Bowling Green — Tuesday, Nov. 10
- Battle of the Bricks — Ohio at Miami — Tuesday, Nov. 10
- Battle of I-75 — Bowling Green at Toledo — Wednesday, Nov. 18
Schedule Notes and Trivia
- The 2026 MAC Championship Game is set for Saturday, Dec. 5 at its usual location of Ford Field in Detroit, MI, where it has been played since 2004. It will be televised by ESPN in the 12 p.m. ET timeslot for the sixth-consecutive year. Traditionally, it runs concurrently with the Big 12 Championship Game, but this year, it will run concurrently with the ACC Championship Game (televised by ABC).
- The MAC (Detroit) is one of five conferences that will host a neutral-site conference championship in 2026, joining the ACC (Charlotte), Big 12 (Arlington), Big Ten (Indianapolis), and SEC (Atlanta).
- Eastern Michigan and Sacramento State open the season Aug. 29 in a Week 0 conference game in Ypsilanti, MI. This is the first time ever the MAC has scheduled a conference matchup for Week 0. The MAC only has two previous Week 0 appearances. Miami (OH) defeated FCS Indiana State 49-0 in 2004 and Ohio lost 20-13 at San Diego State in 2023.
- There are two MAC teams playing multiple FCS opponents this season. Buffalo hosts UAlbany on Thursday, Sept. 3 and Robert Morris on Saturday, Sept. 26, while UMass hosts Sacred Heart on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Stonehill on Saturday, Sept. 19. All 13 MAC teams will host at least one FCS opponent in 2026.
- The MAC introduced a new wrinkle in the schedule: a Friday night conference matchup. On Friday, Oct. 30, Kent State plays at Sacramento State. Excluding Black Friday, the last time the MAC scheduled a regular season conference matchup on a Friday was Nov. 4, 2016 when Central Michigan hosted Miami.
- Miami is the only MAC team that plays four midweek games. The RedHawks will square off in four consecutive Tuesdays running from the first day of Midweek MACtion (Nov. 3) through the last day of Midweek MACtion (Nov. 24). They host Buffalo and Ohio on the first two Tuesdays and travel to Kent State and Western Michigan on the final two Tuesdays of November.
- Bowling Green and Sacramento State play the fewest midweek games at two apiece. The Falcons play Kent State on Tuesday, Nov. 10 and Toledo on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The Hornets play Toledo on Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Central Michigan on Wednesday, Nov. 11. All MAC teams besides Miami, Bowling Green, and Sacramento State are scheduled for three midweek games.
- In 2025, the MAC played at least one Saturday game every week of the regular season. That is not the case in 2026. There are no Saturday matchups on Nov. 7, Nov. 14, or Nov. 21.
- Sacramento State concludes its regular season at Hawaii on Saturday, Nov. 28. This is the first time a MAC opponent has played Hawaii since Miami (OH) did in 2001. UMass did play Hawaii in 2016 and 2017, but held independent status at the time.
- Ball State will not face Mountain West-bound Northern Illinois for the first time since 1996, effectively concluding the Bronze Stalk rivalry for the foreseeable future.
- Toledo is the only MAC team which hosts three non-conference games in 2026. The Rockets open on the road at Michigan State before hosting Central Connecticut (FCS), Temple, and San Diego State in consecutive weeks.
- There are four non-conference games played after the conclusion of September: Ball State at Northwestern on Oct. 10, Kent State at South Florida on Oct. 17, UMass at UConn on Oct. 24, and Sacramento State at Hawaii on Nov. 28.
- Three MAC teams play an opponent that qualified for the 2025 College Football Playoff. Ball State plays at Ohio State on Saturday, Sept. 5, Kent State plays at Ohio State on Saturday, Sept. 19, and Central Michigan plays at Miami (FL) on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Individual Team Schedules
(asterisk denotes conference game)
Akron
9/3 – at Wake Forest
9/12 – Robert Morris (FCS)
9/19 – at Minnesota
9/26 – UNLV
10/3 – *at Central Michigan
10/10 – *Eastern Michigan
10/17 – *at Miami
10/24 – *at Kent State
11/3 – *Ohio
11/10 – *Western Michigan
11/18 – *at UMass
11/27 – *Buffalo
Ball State
9/5 – at Ohio State
9/12 – Stony Brook (FCS)
9/19 – at Liberty
9/26 – *at Kent State
10/3 – *Toledo
10/10 – at Northwestern
10/17 – *at Bowling Green
10/24 – *Sacramento State
11/4 – *at UMass
11/11 – *Buffalo
11/17 – *at Ohio
11/28 – *Central Michigan
Bowling Green
9/5 – Tarleton State (FCS)
9/12 – at Nebraska
9/19 – at Iowa State
9/26 – South Florida
10/3 – *at Miami
10/10 – *Sacramento State
10/17 – *Ball State
10/24 – *at Buffalo
10/31 – *at Western Michigan
11/10 – *Kent State
11/18 – *at Toledo
11/28 – *UMass
Buffalo
9/3 – UAlbany (FCS)
9/12 – at FIU
9/19 – at Penn State
9/26 – Robert Morris (FCS)
10/3 – *Western Michigan
10/10 – *at Toledo
10/17 – *UMass
10/24 – *Bowling Green
11/3 – *at Miami
11/11 – *at Ball State
11/18 – *Central Michigan
11/27 – *at Akron
Central Michigan
9/5 – at New Mexico
9/12 – Colgate (FCS)
9/19 – Wyoming
9/26 – at Miami (FL)
10/3 – *Akron
10/10 – *at Ohio
10/17 – *Western Michigan
10/24 – *Miami
11/4 – *at Eastern Michigan
11/11 – *Sacramento State
11/18 – *at Buffalo
11/28 – *at Ball State
Eastern Michigan
8/29 – Sacramento State
9/4 – San Jose State
9/12 – at Michigan State
9/19 – at Wisconsin
9/26 – Lindenwood (FCS)
10/3 – *at UMass
10/10 – *at Akron
10/17 – *Toledo
10/24 – *at Ohio
11/4 – *Central Michigan
11/17 – *at Western Michigan
11/24 – *Kent State
Kent State
9/5 – at South Carolina
9/12 – Wofford (FCS)
9/19 – at Ohio State
9/26 – *Ball State
10/3 – *Ohio
10/10 – *at Western Michigan
10/17 – at South Florida
10/24 – *Akron
10/30 – *at Sacramento State
11/10 – *at Bowling Green
11/17 – *Miami
11/24 – *at Eastern Michigan
Massachusetts
9/3 – at Rutgers
9/12 – Sacred Heart (FCS)
9/19 – Stonehill (FCS)
9/26 – *at Sacramento State
10/3 – *Eastern Michigan
10/10 – *Miami
10/17 – *at Buffalo
10/24 – at UConn
11/4 – *Ball State
11/11 – *at Toledo
11/18 – *Akron
11/28 – *at Bowling Green
Miami
9/5 – at Pittsburgh
9/12 – Holy Cross (FCS)
9/19 – at Cincinnati
9/26 – UConn
10/3 – *Bowling Green
10/10 – *at UMass
10/17 – *Akron
10/24 – *at Central Michigan
11/3 – *Buffalo
11/10 – *Ohio
11/17 – *at Kent State
11/24 – *at Western Michigan
Ohio
9/5 – at Nebraska
9/12 – Jacksonville State
9/19 – at South Alabama
9/26 – Stonehill (FCS)
10/3 – *at Kent State
10/10 – *Central Michigan
10/17 – *at Sacramento State
10/24 – *Eastern Michigan
11/3 – *at Akron
11/10 – *at Miami
11/17 – *Ball State
11/27 – *Toledo
Sacramento State
8/29 – *at Eastern Michigan
9/5 – Mississippi Valley State (FCS)
9/12 – at Fresno State
9/19 – North Dakota State
9/26 – *UMass
10/10 – *at Bowling Green
10/17 – *Ohio
10/24 – *at Ball State
10/30 – *Kent State
11/4 – *Toledo
11/11 – *at Central Michigan
11/28 – at Hawaii
Toledo
9/5 – at Michigan State
9/12 – Central Connecticut State (FCS)
9/19 – Temple
9/26 – San Diego State
10/3 – *at Ball State
10/10 – *Buffalo
10/17 – *at Eastern Michigan
10/24 – *Western Michigan
11/4 – *at Sacramento State
11/11 – *UMass
11/18 – *Bowling Green
11.27 – *at Ohio
Western Michigan
9/5 – at Michigan
9/12 – Monmouth (FCS)
9/19 – at Rice
9/26 – Boise State
10/3 – *at Buffalo
10/10 – *Kent State
10/17 – *at Central Michigan
10/24 – *at Toledo
10/31 – *Bowling Green
11/10 – *at Akron
11/17 – *Eastern Michigan
11/24 – *Miami
Schedule by Date
(asterisk denotes conference game)
Saturday, August 29
*Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan
Thursday, September 3
Akron at Wake Forest
Albany at Buffalo
UMass at Rutgers
Friday, September 4
San Jose State at Eastern Michigan
Saturday, September 5
Ball State at Ohio State
Tarleton State at Bowling Green
Central Michigan at New Mexico
Kent State at South Carolina
Miami at Pittsburgh
Ohio at Nebraska
MVSU at Sacramento State
Toledo at Michigan State
Western Michigan at Michigan
Saturday, September 12
Robert Morris at Akron
Stony Brook at Ball State
Bowling Green at Nebraska
Buffalo at FIU
Colgate at Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan at Michigan State
Wofford at Kent State
Holy Cross at Miami
Jacksonville State at Ohio
Sacramento State at Fresno State
CCSU at Toledo
Sacred Heart at UMass
Monmouth at Western Michigan
Saturday, September 19
Akron at Minnesota
Ball State at Liberty
Bowling Green at Iowa State
Buffalo at Penn State
Wyoming at Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin
Kent State at Ohio State
Miami at Cincinnati
Ohio at South Alabama
North Dakota State at Sacramento State
Temple at Toledo
Stonehill at UMass
Western Michigan at Rice
Saturday, September 26
UNLV at Akron
*Ball State at Kent State
South Florida at Bowling Green
Robert Morris at Buffalo
Central Michigan at Miami (FL)
Lindenwood at Eastern Michigan
UConn at Miami
Stonehill at Ohio
*UMass at Sacramento State
San Diego State at Toledo
Boise State at Western Michigan
Saturday, October 3
*Akron at Central Michigan
*Toledo at Ball State
*Bowling Green at Miami
*Western Michigan at Buffalo
*Eastern Michigan at UMass
*Ohio at Kent State
Saturday, October 10
*Eastern Michigan at Akron
Ball State at Northwestern
*Sacramento State at Bowling Green
*Buffalo at Toledo
*Central Michigan at Ohio
*Kent State at Western Michigan
*Miami at UMass
Saturday, October 17
*Akron at Miami
*Ball State at Bowling Green
*UMass at Buffalo
*Western Michigan at Central Michigan
*Toledo at Eastern Michigan
Kent State at South Florida
*Ohio at Sacramento State
Saturday, October 24
*Akron at Kent State
*Sacramento State at Ball State
*Bowling Green at Buffalo
*Miami at Central Michigan
*Eastern Michigan at Ohio
*Western Michigan at Toledo
UMass at UConn
Friday, October 30
*Kent State at Sacramento State
Saturday, October 31
*Bowling Green at Western Michigan
Tuesday, November 3
*Ohio at Akron
*Buffalo at Miami
Wednesday, November 4
*Ball State at UMass
*Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan
*Toledo at Sacramento State
Tuesday, November 10
*Western Michigan at Akron
*Kent State at Bowling Green
*Ohio at Miami
Wednesday, November 11
*Buffalo at Ball State
*Sacramento State at Central Michigan
*UMass at Toledo
Tuesday, November 17
*Ball State at Ohio
*Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan
*Miami at Kent State
Wednesday, November 18
*Akron at UMass
*Bowling Green at Toledo
*Central Michigan at Buffalo
Tuesday, November 24
*Kent State at Eastern Michigan
*Miami at Western Michigan
Friday, November 27
*Buffalo at Akron
*Toledo at Ohio
Saturday, November 28
*Central Michigan at Ball State
*UMass at Bowling Green
Sacramento State at Hawaii
