The MAC Schedule And Game Notes For Week Four

This Week’s MAC Schedule And Notes Courtesy of the MAC Media Relations Team. 

Saturday, September 22

Akron at Iowa State, Noon ET (FSN)

Buffalo at Rutgers, Noon ET (Big Ten Network)

Kent State at Ole Miss, Noon ET (SEC Network)

Nevada at Toledo, Noon ET (CBS Sports Network)

Ohio at Cincinnati, Noon ET (ESPNU)

Western Michigan at Georgia State, 2:00 pm ET (ESPN+)

Maine at Central Michigan, 3:00 pm ET (ESPN+)

*Miami at Bowling Green, 3:00 pm ET (ESPN+)

Western Kentucky at Ball State, 3:00 pm ET (ESPN3)

NIU at Florida State, 3:30 pm ET (ESPNU)

Eastern Michigan at San Diego State, 10:30 pm ET (CBS Sports Network) 

MAC QUICK NOTES:

• The Week 4 schedule features the MAC playing eight different FBS Conferences, every FBS conference except the Pac-12.  The MAC will face ACC (Florida State), Big Ten (Rutgers), Big-12 (Iowa State), SEC (Ole Miss), American Athletic (Cincinnati), Conference USA (Western Kentucky), Mountain West (Nevada) and Sun Belt (Georgia State) opponents this Saturday, Sept. 22.

• Northern Illinois (1-2) will travel to face Florida State on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 3:30 pm ET/2:30 pm CT on ESPNU. For Huskies head coach Rod Carey, this will mark the first time facing the Florida State Seminoles since the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2013. The game marked the MAC’s first ever appearance in a BCS bowl game during the BCS era and it also was the first game for Carey as head coach of the NIU football program. Florida State won the game, 31-10, with 72,023 in attendance in Miami Gardens, Fla.

• Last week MAC program’s went 3-5 in eight non-conference contests. The MAC picked up its second win in consecutive weeks over a Big Ten opponent with Akron’s 39-34 win at Northwestern.

• The MAC will also have one league game this Saturday as East Division foes Miami (0-3) will travel to Bowling Green (1-2) at 3:00 pm ET on ESPN+.

AKRON SECOND HALF RALLY FOR 39-34 WIN AT NORTHWESTERN 

Akron’s 23-point rally in the third quarter turned a 21-3 halftime deficit into a stunning 39-34 win at Northwestern.  Akron’s defense scored three second half touchdowns, compliments of defensive back Alvin Davis’ 97-yard and 50-yard interception returns for touchdowns, and linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III fumble recovery in the end zone. Akron improves to 2-0, marking the first time for the Zips to start the season 2-0 since 1993 — 25 years ago under head coach Gerry Faust.

Akron’s win at Northwestern was the program’s first-ever win over a Big Ten opponent in the modern-FBS football era.  Akron’s previous win against a Big Ten opponent was over Ohio State with a 12-6 win as Buchtel College back in 1894 — 125 years ago and were led by head coach John W. Heisman, who also played quarterback. Heisman’s namesake is awarded to the nation’s top college football player each year — The Heisman Trophy.

MAC VS. BIG TEN OPPONENTS

Buffalo (3-0) will travel to face Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 22 at Noon ET on the Big Ten Network. With Akron’s win at Northwestern and Eastern Michigan’s 20-19 win at Purdue on Sept. 8, 2018, the MAC have won a regular season game vs. Big Ten opponents in each of the last 13 consecutive seasons (2006-2018), the longest streak in MAC history. In 2017, the MAC had two road wins at Big Ten opponents as NIU defeated Nebraska, 21-17, on Sept. 16, 2017 and Eastern Michigan defeated Rutgers, 16-13, on Sept. 9, 2017.

During this 13-year stretch, MAC teams have defeated 12 different Big Ten programs—Illinois (3); Indiana (5); Iowa (3); Maryland (1); Michigan (1); Michigan State (1); Minnesota (2); Nebraska (1); Northwestern (3); Penn State (1); Purdue (6) and Rutgers (1) for a total of 28 wins during this stretch.  MAC programs Miami (13), Bowling Green (8), Toledo (6), Central Michigan (6) and Northern Illinois (6) have the most wins vs. Big Ten opponents.

OHIO’S FRANK SOLICH THIRD LONGEST ACTIVE FBS HEAD COACH

Ohio head football coach Frank Solich is entering his 14th season at the helm of the Ohio Bobcat football program and currently ranks third all-time among MAC head coaches with 98 career wins. Solich also ranks tied for third among active FBS head coaches as the longest tenured current head coaches.

Only Kirk Ferentz of Iowa (1999-2018 — 20th season), Gary Patterson of TCU (2000-18 — 18th season) and Kyle Whittington of Utah (2004-18 — 14th season) have held their current head coaching positions longer than Solich. Ohio is also the only FBS football program in the country that has kept its head coach, offensive coordinator (Tim Albin) and defensive coordinator (Jimmy Burrow) in place for the past 14 seasons. Ohio will travel to Cincinnati on Sept. 22 at Noon ET on ESPNU.