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SCHEDULE, PREVIEWS -- THURSDAY-SATURDAY

8/31/2026

THURSDAY, SEPT. 3
# UMASS AT RUTGERS (6 P.M., BTN)
# AKRON AT WAKE FOREST (7 P.M., ACCN)
#  ALBANY AT BUFFALO (7 P.M., ESPN+)

FRIDAY, SEPT. 4
#  SAN JOSE STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN (6:30 P.M., ESPN+)
#  TOLEDO AT MICHIGAN STATE (8 P.M., FS1)

SATURDAY, SEPT. 5
#  OHIO AT NEBRASKA (12 P.M., FS1)
#   TARLETON STATE AT BOWLING GREEN 12 P.M., ESPN+
#   BALL STATE AT NO. 1 OHIO STATE (12:30 P.M., BTN)
#  MIAMI AT PITTSBURGH (12:30 P.M., CW)
#  KENT STATE AT SOUTH CAROLINA (12:45 P.M., SEC-ESPN)
#  WESTERN MICHIGAN AT NO. 16 MICHIGAN (7:30 P.M., NBC)
#   CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT NEW MEXICO (10 P.M., FS1)
#  MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE AT SACRAMENTO STATE (10 P.M., ESPN+)

• = Details to come
# = Click Read More for details

mac football

8/29/2026

EASTERN MICHIGAN 28, SACRAMENTO STATE 10

Kim guides Eagles past newest MAC football member

YPSILANTI, MI -- Quarterback Noah Kim ran for one TD and passed for another during a 21-point second quarter rally to lead hosting Eastern Michigan past Sacramento State 28-17 Saturday at Rynearson Stadium.
It was the first FBS and Mid-American Conference game for Sacramento State (0-1, 0-1 MAC), which scored 10 points in the second period. Both teams added seven more points in the final stanza.

Kim completed 27-of-38 pass . . .

SCHEDULE, PREVIEW -- SATURDAY, AUG. 29

8/24/2026

# SACRAMENTO STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN (6:30 P.M., ESPN+)

NCAA Division I play opens Saturday with eight games on tap. Among them is Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan. For the former, it marks the Hornets' first:
-- Division I game
-- Mid-American Conference contest
It's likely Sacramento State's first game on gray turf, as well. But that's what comes with Rynearson Stadium. The Eagles were ranked seventh in this year's MAC preseason coaches poll. Sac State, meanwhile, was 12th among 13 teams.

CLICK READ MORE TO CONTINUE . . .

MAC BASKETBALL

8/12/2026

New MAC basketball format awards byes to top four

The Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament will move to a different format this year.
Jon Rothstein is among those reporting that the new format will:

• No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will receive byes into the semifinal round.
• No. 3 and No. 4 seeds will receive byes into the quarterfinal round.

The new format would reward regular season success for the top four teams.

Last year, Miami went undefeated during the regular season (conference and non-conference), but was upset by UMass in MAC tourney opening round action. Akron went on to win the tournament, thus earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. MU did manage to get a spot in the NCAA's First Four games in Dayton, where it defeated Tennessee. The RedHawks then fell to Tennessee in the round of 64.

MAC BASKETBALL

8/12/2026

MAC announces 2026-27 conference schedule

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference has announced the 2026-27 MAC Men's Basketball Conference Schedule.

The conference season is set to tip off on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2026. MAC Men's Basketball teams will play 22 games over 12 weeks (eleven home, eleven away).

The Men's Basketball regular season will conclude on Friday, March 5, with the top eight teams in the conference moving on to Cleveland’s Rocket Arena for the MAC Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 10-13.

The conference office will release a full Men’s Basketball television schedule in October.

CLICK READ MORE FOR DATES/MATCHUPS. . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/8/2026

RedHawks reloading for another MAC run

SEASON PREVIEW: MIAMI
RECORD: 7-7 (6-2 MAC)
2026 HEAD COACHES POLL: 2ND of 13 Teams

MRO STAFF
It's seldom an easy path to the MAC championship game, but Miami had a particularly rocky road to reach last year's championship tilt.
MU's biggest hurdle was the in-season loss of quarterback Dequan Finn -- not to injury, but to ... "preparing for the NFL draft."
The former Toledo Rocket and MAC Offensive Player of the Year came to Miami after a season at Baylor. He saw action in eight games, leading MU to a 4-4 record (4-1 MAC) before pulling the plug.
After falling to Toledo, the RedHawks . . .

CONTINUE . . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/6/2026

Broncos have weapons to make another MAC title run

Opponents can expect more of WMU's physical football

SEASON PREVIEW: WESTERN MICHIGAN
RECORD: 10-4, 7-1
2026 HEAD COACHES POLL: 1st of 13 Teams

MRO STAFF
You're doing a lot of things right when you finish a season with double digits wins overall, a league title and a bowl win.
Such was Western Michigan's 2025 season, and according to opposing MAC coaches, the Broncos just might go into replay mode this year.
Yes, WMU has . . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/6/2026

Curtis-led Rockets will lean on transfers in 2026

SEASON PREVIEW: TOLEDO
RECORD: 9-4 (6-2 MAC)
2026 HEAD COACHES POLL: 4th of 13 Teams

MRO STAFF
This is a year of change for Toledo.
The Rockets have a new head coach and a roster replete with transfer talent. While there could be some "system" changes, as well, HQ Mike Jacobs seems confident new schemes/terminology will translate.
Jason Candle, who joined Toledo as an assistant in 2009, eventually guided UT from 2016-2025. His Rocket squads compiled an 81-44 overall record and went 54-25 in Mid-American Conference play. The 2017 group reigned as MAC champs.
After an 8-4 (6-2 MAC) record in 2025, Candle accepted the head coaching position at Connecticut.
Enter Mike Jacobs, who . . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/4/2026

Reloading Ohio lurks as 2026 MAC darkhose

SEASON PREVIEW: OHIO UNIVERSITY
RECORD: 9-4 (6-2 MAC)
2026 HEAD COACHES POLL: 4th of 13 Teams

MRO STAFF
After winning a MAC title in 2024, the Ohio Bobcats came whisper close to a third MAC Championship game apearance in three years in 2025. While their 6-2 conference record equaled rival Miami and Toledo -- one game behind Western Michigan -- Miami advanced on a tiebreaker.
Shortly before Ohio's bowl game against UNLV, the school suddenly dismissed head coach Brian Smith. Moving into that position was defensive coordinator John Hauser.
It was another . . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/3/2026

'Cool Mix" of talent and transfers buoys CMU outlook

SEASON PREVIEW: CENTRAL MICHIGAN
RECORD: 7-6 (5-3 MAC)
2026 HEAD COACHES POLL: 5th of 13 Teams

MRO STAFF
Head Coach Matt Drinkel's Chippewas made a five-win jump in his first year at the helm and CMU could flirt with another (even better??) run in 2026. The offensive side owns more experience this time around. However, Drinkel feels good about incoming talent, especially on defense. It's a "cool mix of young talented guys ... and transfers," he observed during MAC Media Day.

Click Read More to continue . . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/2/2026

How far can schedule, transfers power Minutemen?

Injuries added to problems in winless 2025

MRO STAFF
After going winless in 2025, UMass is focused on collecting some 'W's this year. With a favorable schedule and bevy of transfers, the Minutemen have reason for optimism, even if MAC coaches ranked them last in the 2026 preseason poll.
This is year two for . . .

MAC FOOTBALL

8/2/2026

Hornets will need to prove they have potent sting

New Sacramento State HC, leads new MAC team at new level

SEASON PREVIEW: SACRAMENTO STATE
RECORD: 7-5 (5-3 FCS Big Sky)
2026 HEAD COACHES POLL: 12th of 13 Teams

MRO STAFF
It came as quite a surprise when Sacramento State joined the Mid-American Conference as a football only member, beginning in 2026.
With Northern Illinois departing, the conference returned to 12 teams, as it had been before UMass re-entered the fold. So adding Sac State quickly made the MAC a 13-team league once again.
Ironically, the MAC had previously insisted on full membership with UMass. These times, however, are certainly different! The Hornets were nonetheless allowed to come in as a football only school.
Suffice it . . .

SCHEDULE, PREVIEWS -- THURSDAY-SATURDAY

mac football

SCHEDULE, PREVIEW -- SATURDAY, AUG. 29

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