UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Thursday, August 29
Central Connecticut State at Central Michigan….7 PM ET (ESPN+)
Lafayette at Buffalo…………………………………………….7 PM ET (ESPN+)
Fordham at Bowling Green………………………………..7 PM ET (ESPN+)
Duquesne at Toledo…………………………………….. 7:30 PM ET (ESPN+)
Friday, August 30
Western Michigan at Wisconsin………………………………9 PM ET (FS1)
Saturday, August 31
Kent State at Pitt ……………………………………………… 12 pm ET (ESPNU)
Eastern Michigan at UMass…………………………..3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
Western Illinois at Northern Illinois……………….3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
Ohio at Syracuse………………………………..3:30 pm ET (ACC Network)
Akron at Ohio State…………………………………………..3:30 pm ET (CBS)
Miami at Northwestern………………….3:30 pm ET (Big Ten Network)
2 MINUTE DRILL
• The Miami RedHawks was selected as favorites to win both the regular season crown and MAC Football Championship Game title in the 2024 Football Head Coaches Preseason Poll. Head Coaches were not allowed to vote for themselves in the poll. Toledo, last year’s West Division champion, was picked to finish second and received three votes to win the regular season championship.
• The Mid-American Conference was represented by 50 selections across 17 preseason watch lists given to the top student-athletes to look out for during the 2024 season. Miami’s Matt Salopek received a conference-high four preseason nods, while Akron’s CJ Nunnally IV, Bowling Green’s Terion Stewart, fellow Falcon Jordan Oladokun, Northern Illinois’ Antario Brown, Toledo’s Maxen Hook and Western Michigan’s Jacob Gideon each landed on three award watch lists.
• The MAC claimed four victories over power-five opponents as well as 10 wins over a non-conference FBS opponent last regular season, both of which were the most since 2017. The MAC has defeated at least seven non-conference FBS opponents in the same season 22 times since 2000 and is currently on a 18-year streak with at least seven victories against FBS foes (minus 2020 due to COVID).
• Six Mid-American Conference institutions accepted bowl invitations following the 2023 regular season, the eighth time in MAC history to have six or more programs receive bowl eligibility in a single year. This also marked the 14th time in MAC history to have five or more programs became bowl eligible in a single season.
• Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell and Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Mitchell was drafted 22nd overall to the Philadelphia Eagles, while Kneeland was drafted in the second round (56th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys. Mitchell became the 14th first round pick from the MAC since 1998, and its first since 2017. Kneeland became the 53rd Bronco in program history to be drafted and is the first WMU football player to be selected by the Dallas Cowboys.
• The MAC has established a new football scheduling model that will go into effect starting this season. The new scheduling model will eliminate the MAC East and West Divisions. The top two teams based on conference winning percentage will compete in the MAC Football Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
MAC NOTES
• Miami Selected as Favorites in Football Head Coaches Poll The Miami RedHawks was selected as favorites to win both the regular season crown and Mid-American Conference (MAC) Football Championship Game title in the 2024 Football Head Coaches Preseason Poll. Head Coaches were not allowed to vote for themselves in the poll. The RedHawks received nine first place votes to claim the regular season championship, while notching 10 votes to win the 2024 conference title game. Miami claimed its fourth overall MAC championship title after defeating Toledo, 23-14, inside Ford Field last season. Toledo, last year’s West Division champion, was picked to finish second and received three votes to win the regular season championship. The Rockets also garnered two votes to claim the championship game title.
