A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| MAC Football Championship Game | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sport | College football |
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| Current stadium | Ford Field |
| Current location | Detroit, Michigan |
| Played | 1997–present |
| Last contest | 2023 |
| Current champion | Miami RedHawks |
| Most championships | Marshall, Northern Illinois (5) |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Official website | MAC-Sports.com football |
| Sponsors | |
| Marathon Petroleum (2003–2019) Rocket Mortgage (2020–2022) | |
| Host stadiums | |
| Marshall University Stadium (1997–2000, 2002) Glass Bowl (2001) Doyt Perry Stadium (2003) Ford Field (2004–present) | |
| Host locations | |
| Huntington, West Virginia (1997–2000, 2002) Toledo, Ohio (2001) Bowling Green, Ohio (2003) Detroit, Michigan (2004–present) | |
The MAC Football Championship Game is an annual postseason college football game played to determine the champion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
History
The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions and since 2020 has been sponsored by Rocket Mortgage (officially known as the Rocket Mortgage MAC Football Championship). The winner of the game is guaranteed a berth in a bowl game which the MAC has contractual obligations to field a team. Unlike the MAC's Group of Five contemporaries, which hold their respective championship games on campus sites, the MAC Championship Game is held at a neutral site. Ford Field in Detroit has been the venue since 2004 and is scheduled to host through at least 2025.[1][2]
In 2000, 2001, and 2007, due to an unbalanced conference schedule, the team with best division record within each division was awarded that division's championship game berth. In other years, the teams with the best overall conference records received a berth. Starting in 2024 the MAC will eliminate divisions and include the two teams with the best overall conference records.[3]
The game is held on the first Saturday in December, on the same weekend that other NCAA Division I FBS conferences hold their championship games.
Results
Below are the results from all MAC Football Championship Games played. The winning team appears in bold font, on a background of their primary team color. Rankings are from the AP Poll released prior to the game.
From 1997 through 2003, the championship game was played at campus sites. Since 2004, the game has been played at Ford Field in Detroit where it is scheduled to be held through at least 2025.[4]
‡ 2020 game attendance was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results by team
| Appearances | School | Wins | Losses | Win % | Year(s) Won | Year(s) Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Northern Illinois | 5 | 4 | .556 | 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2021 | 2005, 2010, 2013, 2015 |
| 8 | Toledo | 4 | 4 | .500 | 2001, 2004, 2017, 2022 | 1997, 1998, 2002, 2023 |
| 6 | Marshall | 5 | 1 | .833 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 | 2001 |
| 6 | Miami | 4 | 2 | .667 | 2003, 2010, 2019, 2023 | 2004, 2007 |
| 5 | Ohio | 0 | 5 | .000 | 2006, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2022 | |
| 4 | Central Michigan | 3 | 1 | .750 | 2006, 2007, 2009 | 2019 |
| 4 | Bowling Green | 2 | 2 | .500 | 2013, 2015 | 2003, 2014 |
| 3 | Buffalo | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2008 | 2018, 2020 |
| 3 | Western Michigan | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2016 | 1999, 2000 |
| 2 | Akron | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2005 | 2017 |
| 2 | Ball State | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2020 | 2008 |
| 2 | Kent State | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2012, 2021 |
Eastern Michigan is the only team currently in the conference to have not qualified for a Championship Game. Marshall is the only Championship Game Winner to not be a current member of the MAC. Bowling Green is the only team that has represented both the East and West Divisions in the Championship Game (was a member of the West Division prior to Marshall's departure from the MAC). Temple, UCF and UMass were previously in the conference during this era and never reached the championship game; UMass will return to the MAC in 2025.
Common matchups
Matchups that have occurred more than once:
| # of Times | East Division | West Division | Record | Years played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Marshall | Toledo | Marshall, 3–1 | 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 |
| 3 | Bowling Green | Northern Illinois | Bowling Green, 2–1 | 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| 2 | Marshall | Western Michigan | Marshall, 2–0 | 1999, 2000 |
| 2 | Ohio | Central Michigan | Central Michigan, 2–0 | 2006, 2009 |
| 2 | Miami | Central Michigan | Tied, 1–1 | 2007, 2019 |
| 2 | Buffalo | Ball State | Tied, 1–1 | 2008, 2020 |
| 2 | Kent State | Northern Illinois | Northern Illinois, 2–0 | 2012, 2021 |