Like all of college football, the MAC is going through some changes. This will be the first of two consecutive seasons where there’s a change among league members. UMass is a new member this season, but Northern Illinois will be headed to the Mountain West in 2026.
It’s interesting to see the MAC in the realignment mix. It seemed to have the most committed and steady members compared to other Group of Five conferences. But then again, most programs and universities will flock to where the money is.
Prior to this year, the most recent change to the MAC and its football teams was in 2015, when UMass left after joining as a football-only member in 2012. Of the current teams — besides UMass — Buffalo was the last school to join the conference back in 1998.
This means it’ll be a little unusual seeing some changes to the conference schedules in the next two seasons. There still should be no shortage of MACtion, however.
Here are some takeaways from the 2025 MAC schedule, including a look at that weeknight MACtion slate.
From Ohio To New Jersey
There may be a lot of folks from Ohio flying into Newark International Airport during the first two weeks of the college football season. Rutgers will play host to Ohio in Week 1 before hosting Miami (Ohio) the following week.
Kent State’s Brutal Non-Conference Schedule
For a program that has consistently been at the bottom of the league standings and is 1-23 over the past two seasons, Kent State didn’t make things much easier for itself this season by scheduling three Power Four programs.
The Golden Flashes visit Texas Tech in Week 2, Florida State in Week 4, and then head to Oklahoma in Week 6 off of a bye.
Ohio also faces three P4 teams, but opens the season against all three — Rutgers, West Virginia, and Ohio State.
Welcome Back, UMass
In its return to the MAC, the Minutemen have a relatively favorable conference schedule. Three of their four road games will be against Kent State, Akron, and Central Michigan while hosting their tougher league games against Buffalo, NIU, and Bowling Green.
We’ll see if they can eclipse last year’s two-win total.
Weeknight MACtion Schedule
Exactly what the world has been waiting for — Buffalo at Miami (Ohio) on a Wednesday night in late November.
Weeknight MACtion kicks off with UMass visiting Akron on Nov. 4, and the following three weeks will feature matchups on Tuesday or Wednesday nights.
I don’t know how great it is for attendance or how thrilled the fan bases are, but there are a few rivalry games featured during these weeknight games, including Kent State at Akron and Miami at Ohio.
Can Buffalo Compete For A MAC Title?
I think the Bulls have a real shot at earning a trip to the MAC Championship this season, and their schedule is a big reason why. Their toughest conference games will be played at home — Miami and Ohio — while they visit Kent State, UMass, and Central Michigan.
Buffalo also avoids Toledo and NIU this season. I think the Week 10 trip to BGSU could end up being the biggest game of the season for the Bulls.
