The Mid-American Conference is an often overlooked NCAA Division I FBS conference. Sure, the…read moreschools aren't household names like those in the Power Five conferences, but if you look closely, the MAC is actually rich in college football history. They've had several men's basketball players go on to have decent NBA careers as well.
Currently, the MAC is composed of Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (OH), and Ohio University in the East division and Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan in the West division. Twelve schools, two divisions. The conference, established in 1946, is older than two of the Power Five conferences: the ACC (established in 1953) and the Big 12 (1996).
Unlike many conferences, which have expanded geographically over the last two decades, the MAC is still very much a classic regional conference with half (six) of its members in Ohio and another quarter (three) in Michigan. Seventy-five percent of the conference in two bordering states. One of my former coworkers grew up in Ohio, attended Miami, and is a huge college football fan and proponent of the MAC. He taught me a thing or two about the conference.
Here's a flavor of some recent NFL players who competed in the MAC: Chad Pennington (Marshall), Randy Moss (Marshall), Byron Leftwich (Marshall), Chester Taylor (Toledo), Corey Davis (Western Michigan), Khalil Mack (Buffalo), Jason Taylor (Akron), Ben Roethlisberger (Miami), Antonio Brown (Central Michigan), and Julian Edelman (Kent State). Moss and Jason Taylor, together with Jack Lambert (Kent State), are MAC players who are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Additionally, Lambert is a four-time Super Bowl champion and Edelman is a three-time Super Bowl champion. Edelman was MVP of Super Bowl LIII in 2019.
Note: Marshall was a member of the MAC two times: 1954-1969 and 1997-2005. Pennington played for the Thundering Herd 1997-1999 and Moss 1996-1997.
Some have referred to the MAC as the "cradle of coaches." Several MAC coaches have gone on to lead Power Five programs. A handful of recent examples include Nick Saban (Toledo), Urban Meyer (Bowling Green), Brian Kelly (Central Michigan), Butch Jones (Central Michigan), Brady Hoke (Ball State), Dave Doeren (Northern Illinois), and Dave Clawson (Bowling Green). Former MAC coaches who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame include Ara Parseghian, Woody Hayes, and Bo Schembechler. All three coached Miami.
No. 16/16 (AP/Coaches) Northern Illinois (12-1 regular season, 8-0 MAC) played No. 13/12 Florida State in the 2013 Orange Bowl on January 1, 2013 and lost, 31-10. No. 12/15 Western Michigan (13-0 regular season, 8-0 MAC) played No. 8 Wisconsin in the 2017 Cotton Bowl on January 2, 2017 and lost, 24-16. Those are the MAC's appearances in some of the oldest and most prestigious bowl games in college football.
In football, the MAC has a deal with ESPN through the 2026-27 season. The MAC has unique made-for-TV scheduling with games on weeknights, typically Tuesdays and Wednesdays when no other college football games are on, broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN2. Ultimately, it means more money and exposure for MAC schools.
In men's basketball, you might recognize some of these names: Ron Harper (Miami), Dan Majerle (Central Michigan), Grant Long (Eastern Michigan), Gary Trent (Ohio), Bonzi Wells (Ball State), Antonio Daniels (Bowling Green), Wally Szczerbiak (Miami), Earl Boykins (Eastern Michigan), and Chris Kaman (Central Michigan). All of those guys played their college ball in the MAC and went on to the NBA to become All-Stars or win championships. Ron Harper was a five-time NBA champion on Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls teams (1996, 1997, 1998) and Shaq and Kobe's Los Angeles Lakers teams (2000, 2001). Antonio Daniels won a championship with Tim Duncan and David Robinson as a member of the San Antonio Spurs (1999). Daniels became good friends with Duncan. They were taken Nos. 4 and 1 overall, respectively, in the 1997 NBA draft.
On August 8, 2020, the MAC made history by becoming the first FBS conference to postpone fall sports, including football, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.