The MAC football schedule 2024 early season kickoff times and TV slate has been announced, which features 32 televised games in the first three weeks.
The season kicks off in Week 1 on Thursday, Aug. 29 with four league members hosting opponents from the Football Championship Subdivision — Buffalo (vs. Lafayette – 7:00pm ET, ESPN+), Bowling Green (vs. Fordham – 7:00pm ET, ESPN+), Central Michigan (vs. Central Connecticut – 7:00pm ET, ESPN+), and Toledo (vs. Duquesne – 7:30pm ET, ESPN+).
Western Michigan will kick off its season on Friday, Aug. 30 on the road against the Wisconsin Badgers. The game will be televised by FS1 at 9:00pm ET.
Six MAC members kick off their 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31. The slate is highlighted by Kent State at Pitt (12:00pm ET, ESPNU), Miami (Ohio) at Northwestern (3:30pm ET, BTN), Ohio at Syracuse (3:30pm ET, ACCN), and Akron at Ohio State (3:30pm ET, CBS).
Several additional contests involving MAC teams from Sept. 21 through Nov. 30 have also been set for television broadcasts.
The 2024 MAC Football Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., will be played on Saturday, Dec. 7. The game will be televised by ESPN at noon ET.
Listed below are the MAC games that have been selected for television as of May 30. All remaining MAC controlled games will be announced 6-12 days prior to the date of the game.
MAC football schedule 2024: Early season kickoff times, TV
All times Eastern.
Thursday, Aug. 29
Lafayette at Buffalo – 7pm, ESPN+
Fordham at Bowling Green – 7pm, ESPN+
CCSU at Central Michigan – 7pm, ESPN+
Duquesne at Toledo – 7:30pm, ESPN+
Friday, Aug. 30
Western Michigan at Wisconsin – 9pm, FS1
Saturday, Aug. 31
Kent State at Pitt – 12pm, ESPNU
Eastern Michigan at UMass – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Western Illinois at NIU – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Ohio at Syracuse – 3:30pm, ACCN
Akron at Ohio State – 3:30pm, CBS
Miami at Northwestern – 3:30pm, BTN
Saturday, Sept. 7
Akron at Rutgers – 12pm, BTN
Bowling Green at Penn State – 12pm, BTN
Missouri State at Ball State – 2pm, ESPN+
St. Francis at Kent State – 2:30pm, ESPN+
UMass at Toledo – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Eastern Michigan at Washington – 3:30pm, BTN
Northern Illinois at Notre Dame – 3:30pm, NBC
Central Michigan at FIU – 6pm, ESPN+
South Alabama at Ohio – 6pm, ESPN+
Buffalo at Missouri – 7pm, ESPN+/SECN+
Western Michigan at Ohio State – 7:30pm, BTN
Saturday, Sept. 14
Cincinnati at Miami – 12pm, ESPNU
Central Michigan at Illinois – 12pm, Peacock
UMass at Buffalo – 1pm, CBSSN
Morgan State at Ohio – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Ball State at Miami (FL) – 3:30pm, ACCN
Colgate at Akron – 6pm, ESPN+
Bethune-Cookman at WMU – 6:30pm, ESPN+
Jacksonville State at EMU – 7pm, ESPN+
Toledo at Mississippi St. – 7:30pm, ESPN2/ESPNU
Kent State at Tennessee – 7:45pm, SECN
Saturday, Sept. 21
St. Francis at Eastern Michigan – 2pm, ESPN+
Miami at Notre Dame – 3:30pm, NBC
Tuesday, Nov. 5
Miami at Ball State – 7:30 or 8pm, ESPN/2/U
Bowling Green at CMU – 7:30 or 8pm, ESPN/2/U
Wednesday, Nov. 6
Ohio at Kent State – 7pm, ESPN2/U
Northern Illinois at WMU – 7pm, ESPN2/U
Tuesday, Nov. 12
Ball State at Buffalo – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
WMU at Bowling Green – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
CMU at Toledo – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Wednesday, Nov. 13
Akron at NIU – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
EMU at Ohio – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Kent State at Miami – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Tuesday, Nov. 19
Akron at Kent St. – 7/7:30/8pm, ESPN/2/U/CBSSN
WMU at CMU – 7/7:30/8pm, ESPN/2/U/CBSSN
NIU at Miami – 7/7:30/8pm, ESPN/2/U/CBSSN
Wednesday, Nov. 20
Buffalo at EMU – 7pm, ESPN2/ESPNU
Ohio at Toledo – 7pm, ESPN2/ESPNU
Tuesday, Nov. 26
Toledo at Akron – 7pm, ESPN2/ESPN+
Kent State at Buffalo – 7pm, ESPN2/ESPN+
Friday, Nov. 29
Ball State at Ohio – 12pm, ESPNU/CBSSN
Miami at Bowling Green – 12pm, ESPNU/CBSSN
Saturday, Dec. 7
MAC Football Championship Game (in Detroit) – 12pm, ESPN
Football Schedules
The MAC should also add Cleveland State, Robert Morris, and Youngstown State as full members with only the latter joining for football (CSU having no football and RMU staying in FCS), with Richmond and UConn joining for football only.
The football rivalry pods would then be these:
Akron, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Youngstown State
Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan
Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Toledo
Buffalo, Richmond, UConn, UMass
These games would be played on Thanksgiving week:
Akron-Kent State
Ball State-Western Michigan
Bowling Green-Toledo
Buffalo-Richmond
Central Michigan-Eastern Michigan
Miami (Ohio)-Ohio
Northern Illinois-Youngstown State
UConn-UMass
For basketball the MAC would go to a 20-game conference schedule with each school having five opponents they play twice every year for half of their allotted conference games as follows:
Akron: Cleveland State, Kent State, Toledo, UMass, Youngstown State
Ball State: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Western Michigan
Bowling Green: Buffalo, Central Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Toledo
Buffalo: Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Ohio, Robert Morris, UMass
Central Michigan: Ball State, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan
Cleveland State: Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Robert Morris, Youngstown State
Eastern Michigan: Ball State, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan
Kent State: Akron, Cleveland State, Miami (Ohio), UMass, Youngstown State
Miami (Ohio): Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent State, Ohio, Toledo
Northern Illinois: Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan
Ohio: Buffalo, Miami (Ohio), Robert Morris, Toledo, Western Michigan
Robert Morris: Buffalo, Cleveland State, Ohio, UMass, Youngstown State
Toledo: Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Miami (Ohio), Ohio
UMass: Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Robert Morris, Youngstown State
Western Michigan: Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio
Youngstown State: Akron, Cleveland State, Kent State, Robert Morris, UMass
Here is My top four College Football rivalries that I like that play on Thanksgiving weekend.
1. Michigan-Ohio State
2. Northwestern-Illinois
3. Georgia-Georgia Tech
4. Arizona State-Arizona
Here is My top four College Football teams that I like that play on thanksgiving weekend regardless of Opponent.
1. Syracuse Orange
2. Oklahoma State Cowboys
3. Northern Illinois Huskies
4. Bowling Green State Falcons
Here is My Top six Men’s College Lacrosse teams
1. Michigan Wolverines
2. John Hopkins Bluejays
3. Villanova Wildcats
4. Cleveland State Vikings
5. Boston University Terriers
6. Syracuse Orange