Mid-American Conference facts for kids
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| Association | NCAA |
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| Founded | 1946 |
| Commissioner | Jon Steinbrecher (since 2009) |
| Sports fielded |
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| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FBS |
| No. of teams | 13 (12 in 2026) |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Region | Great Lakes |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN CBS Sports (via ESPN) |
| Locations | |
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The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a group of universities that compete against each other in college sports. These schools are part of the NCAA's Division I, which is the highest level of college athletics. The member schools are mostly located in the Great Lakes region of the United States.
For college football, the MAC is in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). This means its teams can play in bowl games at the end of the season. Most of the conference's schools are in Ohio and Michigan. Other members are in Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, and New York.
The MAC is known for having student-athletes who do well in their studies. It has the highest graduation rates among all ten FBS conferences. The conference headquarters is in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.
Contents
History
The Mid-American Conference was started in 1946 by five universities: Ohio University, Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, Wayne University (now Wayne State University), and Western Reserve University.
Over the years, the conference grew and changed. Miami University and Western Michigan University joined in 1948. More schools from Ohio, like the University of Toledo, Kent State University, and Bowling Green State University, joined in the early 1950s.
The conference saw a big expansion in the 1970s. Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ball State University, and Northern Illinois University all became members. By the late 1990s, the conference had grown even larger with the addition of the University at Buffalo and the return of Marshall University and Northern Illinois.
Some schools have joined the MAC for just one sport. For example, the University of Central Florida was a football-only member from 2002 to 2005. Temple University also played football in the MAC from 2007 to 2012.
Recently, the conference has added new sports like women's lacrosse. It also makes changes to keep competition fair. In 2024, the MAC stopped using East and West divisions for football. Instead, it created a new schedule system to make sure teams play each other more regularly.
Member Universities
Current Full Members
There are twelve public universities that are full members of the MAC. The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) will become the 13th full member in 2025.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | 1870 | 1992 | Public | Zips | |
| Ball State University | Muncie, Indiana | 1918 | 1973 | Cardinals | ||
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, Ohio | 1910 | 1952 | Falcons | ||
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | 1846 | 1998 | Bulls | ||
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | 1892 | 1971 | Chippewas | ||
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, Michigan | 1849 | 1971 | Eagles | ||
| Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | 1910 | 1951 | Golden Flashes | ||
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, Massachusetts | 1863 | 2025 | Minutemen & Minutewomen | ||
| Miami University | Oxford, Ohio | 1809 | 1947 | RedHawks | ||
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | 1895 | 1975, 1997 |
Public | Huskies | |
| Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | 1804 | 1946 | Public | Bobcats | |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, Ohio | 1872 | 1950 | Rockets | ||
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, Michigan | 1903 | 1947 | Broncos |
- Notes
- Northern Illinois University (NIU) will leave the MAC in 2026. It will remain a member for women's gymnastics and men's wrestling.
Membership Map
Affiliate Members
Some schools are "affiliate members," which means they are not full members of the MAC. They only compete in the conference for one or two specific sports. This usually happens when a school's main conference doesn't offer that sport.
As of 2025, eighteen schools are affiliate members in sports like wrestling, field hockey, women's lacrosse, women's rowing, and men's tennis. For example, several schools from Pennsylvania joined the MAC for wrestling because their main conference is in Division II and doesn't have wrestling at the Division I level.
Sports
The Mid-American Conference holds championships in 9 men's sports and 13 women's sports. Women's lacrosse was the newest sport added in the 2020–21 school year.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 11 | – |
| Basketball | 12 | 12 |
| Cross country | 9 | 12 |
| Field hockey | – | 8 |
| Football | 12 | – |
| Golf | 8 | 10 |
| Gymnastics | – | 7 |
| Lacrosse | – | 7 |
| Soccer | – | 12 |
| Softball | – | 12 |
| Swimming and diving | – | 8 |
| Tennis | 6 | 7 |
| Track and field (indoor) | 4 | 12 |
| Track and field (outdoor) | 5 | 12 |
| Volleyball | – | 12 |
| Wrestling | 13 | – |
Football
Football is one of the most popular sports in the MAC. The conference is known for its exciting games, especially those played on weeknights in November, which fans call "MACtion."
Scheduling
Starting in 2024, the MAC changed how it schedules football games. The conference got rid of its East and West Divisions. Now, teams are in four groups of three, called "pods." Each team plays the other two teams in its pod every year. This system makes sure that every team in the MAC plays every other team at least once every three years.
The two teams with the best records in the conference will play in the MAC Football Championship Game.
Bowl Games and Playoffs
The MAC champion has a chance to play in a major bowl game, known as a New Year's Six bowl. This happens if they are ranked as the best champion from the "Group of Five" conferences. In 2016, Western Michigan had an undefeated season and earned a spot in the Cotton Bowl.
The MAC has agreements with five bowl games:
- Bahamas Bowl
- LendingTree Bowl
- Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
- Salute to Veterans Bowl
- GameAbove Sports Bowl
Rivalries
Many MAC teams have long-standing rivalries with other schools. These games are often for a special trophy.
| Teams | Rivalry name | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | Kent State | – | Wagon Wheel |
| Bowling Green | Toledo | Battle of I-75 | Battle of I-75 Trophy |
| Central Michigan | Western Michigan | Rivalry | Victory Cannon |
| Miami | Cincinnati | Battle for the Bell | Victory Bell |
| Miami | Ohio | Battle of the Bricks | – |
The three MAC schools in Michigan—Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Western Michigan—compete for the Michigan MAC Trophy each year.
Basketball
The MAC men's and women's basketball tournaments are major events held every year in Cleveland, Ohio. Since 2021, only the top eight teams in the regular season get to play in the tournament. This makes the regular season games very important.
The conference has a strong history in basketball. Many talented players have played in the MAC before going on to professional careers.
Facilities
MAC schools have impressive stadiums and arenas for their sports teams. These venues host thousands of fans for football, basketball, and other events.
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field | 30,000 | James A. Rhodes Arena | 5,500 |
| Ball State | Scheumann Stadium | 22,500 | John E. Worthen Arena | 11,500 |
| Bowling Green | Doyt Perry Stadium | 24,000 | Stroh Center | 4,700 |
| Buffalo | University at Buffalo Stadium | 25,013 | Alumni Arena | 6,100 |
| Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts Stadium | 35,127 | McGuirk Arena | 5,300 |
| Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium | 30,200 | George Gervin GameAbove Center | 8,800 |
| Kent State | Dix Stadium | 25,319 | Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center | 6,327 |
| Miami | Yager Stadium | 30,087 | Millett Hall | 6,400 |
| Northern Illinois | Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium | 23,595 | Convocation Center | 10,000 |
| Ohio | Peden Stadium | 24,000 | Convocation Center | 13,080 |
| Toledo | Glass Bowl | 36,852 | Savage Arena | 7,300 |
| Massachusetts | Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium | 17,000 | Mullins Center | 9,493 |
| Western Michigan | Waldo Stadium | 36,361 | University Arena | 5,421 |
Hall of Fame
The Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame honors the greatest athletes, coaches, and administrators in the conference's history. It was the first Hall of Fame for a Division I conference, created in 1987.
To be chosen, a person must have been part of the MAC, and at least five years must have passed since they played or worked there. Some famous members include Ben Curtis (Kent State, golf), Wayne Embry (Miami, basketball), Jack Lambert (Kent State, football), and Thurman Munson (Kent State, baseball).
See also
In Spanish: Mid-American Conference para niños
