The MAC football schedule 2026 early season kickoff times and TV slate has been announced, which features 40 televised games in the first three weeks, including Week Zero.
The MAC will again consist of 13 members this season, but with two changes. The Sacramento State Hornets join the league after moving up from the FCS, while the Northern Illinois Huskies depart for the Mountain West Conference.
The season kicks off in Week Zero on Saturday, August 29 with a conference contest, featuring Sacramento State traveling to face Eastern Michigan. The game will be streamed via ESPN+ at 6:30pm ET.
Week 1 action begins on Thursday, September 3 with three league members facing non-conference opponents — UMass (at Rutgers; 6pm ET, BTN), Buffalo (vs. UAlbany; 7pm ET, ESPN+), and Akron (at Wake Forest; 7pm ET, ACCN).
Two games are slated for Friday, September 4 — San Jose State at Eastern Michigan (6:30pm ET, ESPN+) and Toledo at Michigan State (8pm ET, FS1).
The remaining eight MAC members kick off their 2026 season on Saturday, September 5. The slate is highlighted by Ball State at Ohio State (12:30pm ET, BTN) and Western Michigan at Michigan (7:30pm ET, NBC/Peacock).
Several additional contests involving MAC teams from September 26 through November 28 have also been set for television broadcasts.
The 2026 MAC Football Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., will be played on Saturday, December 5. 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 27. All remaining MAC controlled games will be announced 6-12 days prior to the date of the game.
MAC football schedule 2026: Early season kickoff times, TV
*All times Eastern.
Saturday, Aug. 29
*Sac State at EMU – 6:30pm, ESPN+
Thursday, Sept. 3
UMass at Rutgers – 6pm, BTN
Akron at Wake Forest – 7pm, ACC Network
Albany at Buffalo – 7pm, ESPN+
Friday, Sept. 4
San Jose State at EMU – 6:30pm, ESPN+
Toledo at Michigan State – 8pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 5
Tarleton State at Bowling Green – Noon, ESPN+
Ohio at Nebraska – Noon, FS1
Miami at Pitt – Noon or 12:30pm, The CW
Ball State at Ohio State – 12:30pm, BTN
Kent State at South Carolina – 12:45pm, SECN
WMU at Michigan – 7:30pm, NBC
MVSU at Sac State – 10pm, ESPN+
CMU at New Mexico – 10pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 12
Wofford at Kent State – Noon, ESPN+
Colgate at CMU – 1pm, ESPN+
Holy Cross at Miami – 1pm, ESPN+
Stony Brook at Ball State – 2pm, ESPN+
Robert Morris at Akron – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Sacred Heart at UMass – 3:30pm, ESPN+
CCSU at Toledo – 3:30pm, ESPN+
EMU at Michigan State – 3:30pm, BTN
Jax State at Ohio – 6pm, ESPN+
Buffalo at FIU – 6pm, ESPN+
Monmouth at WMU – 6:30pm, ESPN+
Bowling Green at Nebraska – 7pm, FS1
Sac State at Fresno State – 10:30pm, CBSSN
Saturday, Sept. 19
Bowling Green at Iowa State – Noon, ESPNU
Kent State at Ohio State – Noon, FOX
Buffalo at Penn State – Noon, BTN
Akron at Minnesota – Noon, BTN
EMU at Wisconsin – 12:30pm, Peacock
Wyoming at CMU – 1pm, ESPN+
Temple at Toledo – 3pm, CBSSN
Stonehill at UMass – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Miami at Cincinnati – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Ball State at Liberty – 4pm, ESPN+
WMU at Rice – 7pm, ESPN+
Ohio at South Alabama – 7pm, ESPN+
North Dakota State at Sac State – 10:30pm, ESPN
Saturday, Sept. 26
Lindenwood at EMU – 1pm, ESPN+
Robert Morris at Buffalo – 3:30pm, ESPN+
Stonehill at Ohio – 3:30pm, ESPN+
CMU at Miami (FL) – 6:30pm, The CW
UNLV at Akron – TBD
*Ball State at Kent State – TBD
South Florida at Bowling Green – TBD
UConn at Miami – TBD
*UMass at Sac State – TBD
San Diego State at Toledo – TBD
Boise State at WMU – TBD
Saturday, Oct. 3
*Akron at CMU – TBD
*Toledo at Ball State – TBD
*Bowling Green at Miami – TBD
*WMU at Buffalo – TBD
*EMU at UMass – TBD
*Ohio at Kent State – TBD
Saturday, Oct. 10
*EMU at Akron – TBD
*Sac State at Bowling Green – TBD
*Buffalo at Toledo – TBD
*CMU at Ohio – TBD
*Kent State at WMU – TBD
*Miami at UMass – TBD
Ball State at Northwestern – TBD
Saturday, Oct. 17
*Akron at Miami – TBD
*Ball State at Bowling Green – TBD
*UMass at Buffalo – TBD
*WMU at CMU – TBD
*Toledo at EMU – TBD
Kent State at South Florida – TBD
*Ohio at Sac State – TBD
Friday, Oct. 23
UMass at UConn – 7pm, CBSSN
Saturday, Oct. 24
*Akron at Kent State – TBD
*Sac State at Ball State – TBD
*Bowling Green at Buffalo – TBD
*Miami at CMU – TBD
*EMU at Ohio – TBD
*WMU at Toledo – TBD
Friday, Oct. 30
*Kent State at Sac State – 10:30pm, ESPN2
Saturday, Oct. 31
*Bowling Green at WMU – Noon, CBSSN
Tuesday, Nov. 3
*Ohio at Akron – 7pm, ESPN2 or ESPNU
*Buffalo at Miami – 7pm, ESPN2 or ESPNU
Wednesday, Nov. 4
*Ball State at UMass – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*CMU at EMU – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*Toledo at Sac State – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Tuesday, Nov. 10
*WMU at Akron – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*Kent State at Bowling Green – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*Ohio at Miami – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Wednesday, Nov. 11
*Buffalo at Ball State – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*Sac State at CMU – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*UMass at Toledo – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Tuesday, Nov. 17
*Ball State at Ohio – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*EMU at WMU – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
*Miami at Kent State – 7pm, ESPN2/U/CBSSN
Wednesday, Nov. 18
*Akron at UMass – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPNU or CBSSN
*CMU at Buffalo – 7 or 7:30pm, ESPNU or CBSSN
Friday, Nov. 20
*Bowling Green at Toledo – 7:30pm, ESPN2
Tuesday, Nov. 24
*Kent State at EMU – TBD – ESPN2 or ESPN+
*Miami at WMU – TBD – ESPN2 or ESPN+
Friday, Nov. 27
*Buffalo at Akron – Noon, ESPNU or CBSSN
*Toledo at Ohio – Noon, ESPNU or CBSSN
Saturday, Nov. 28
*CMU at Ball State – Noon, CBSSN or TBD
*UMass at Bowling Green – Noon, CBSSN or TBD
Sac State at Hawaii – TBD
Saturday, December 5
MAC Football Championship Game – Noon, ESPN
* MAC contest.
FOOTBALL SCHEDULES