MAC Football Championship

MAC Football Championship (1997- )

RunningSports show

The MAC Football Championship is a football game between the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) to determine the conference champion. The game has been played and aired on one of ESPN TV's family of networks since 5 December 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions and since 2003 has been sponsored by Marathon Oil. The winner of the game is guaranteed a berth in a bowl game which the MAC has contractual obligations to field a team. Since 2004, the championship game has been played at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Previously the game was held at campus sites. 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.

Networks
Scheduleevery Saturday at 12:00 (180 min)

Last Episode

2025 MAC Football Championship Game: Miami (Ohio) RedHawks vs. Western Michigan Broncos
Year 2025Episode 1180 min

2025 MAC Football Championship Game: Miami (Ohio) RedHawks vs. Western Michigan Broncos

Live from Ford Field, Detroit, MI.

Dec 6, 2025

Next Episode

TBD vs. TBD
Year 2026Episode 1180 min

TBD vs. TBD

Live from Ford Field, Detroit, MI.

Dec 5, 2026

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
2025-12-062025 MAC Football Championship Game: Miami (Ohio) RedHawks vs. Western Michigan BroncosDec 6, 2025
2024-12-072024 MAC Football Championship Game: Miami RedHawks vs. Ohio BobcatsDec 7, 2024
2023-12-022023 MAC Football Championship Game: Miami (OH) Redhawks vs. Toledo RocketsDec 2, 2023
2022-12-032022 MAC Football Championship Game: Toledo vs. OhioDec 3, 2022
2021-12-042021 MAC Football Championship Game: Kent State vs. Northern IllinoisDec 4, 2021
View all episodesView all seasons

Frequently Asked Questions  Warning: Spoilers

When did the MAC Football Championship premiere?

The MAC Football Championship first premiered on December 6, 1997.

Which teams played in the game and who won?

The game was between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Toledo Rockets, with Marshall winning 34-14.

What was the location of the game?

The game was played at Marshall Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.

Who was the MVP of the game?

Chad Pennington, the quarterback for Marshall, was named the MVP of the 1997 MAC Football Championship game.

How many people attended the game?

The attendance for the 1997 MAC Football Championship game was 23,102.

Who was the head coach for Marshall at the time?

The head coach for Marshall during the 1997 MAC Football Championship was Bob Pruett.

What was the regular season record for both teams?

Both Marshall and Toledo had a 9-2 record during the regular season leading up to the 1997 MAC Football Championship game.

Did both teams receive a bowl game invitation?

Yes, both Marshall and Toledo received bowl game invitations following the 1997 MAC Football Championship game.

Which bowl game did Marshall go to?

Marshall was invited to the Motor City Bowl in Detroit, Michigan.

Which bowl game did Toledo go to?

Toledo was invited to the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

Who led the team in rushing for Marshall during the 1997 MAC Football Championship game?

Doug Chapman led the Thundering Herd in rushing, with 114 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown.

Which player led the team in receiving for Toledo?

Chris Holmes led the Rockets in receiving, with 6 receptions for 120 yards.

Did both teams have any players drafted to the NFL after the 1997 season?

Yes, both Marshall and Toledo had players drafted to the NFL after the 1997 season.

Cast

Anish Shroff

Anish Shroff

plays himself
Sam Acho

Sam Acho

plays himself
Andre T. Ware

Andre T. Ware

plays himself
Taylor Davis

Taylor Davis

plays herself
Paul Carcaterra

Paul Carcaterra

plays himself
Roy Philpott

Roy Philpott

plays himself
View all cast

Characters

Play-by-Play Commentator

Play-by-Play Commentator

played by Anish Shroff
Analyst

Analyst

played by Sam Acho
Football Analyst

Football Analyst

played by Andre T. Ware
Sideline Reporter

Sideline Reporter

played by Taylor Davis
Sideline Reporter

Sideline Reporter

played by Paul Carcaterra
Play-by-Play Commentator

Play-by-Play Commentator

played by Roy Philpott
View all characters

Also known as

  • Marathon MAC Football Championship (United States)
  • MACCG (United States)
  • MAC Football Championship Game (United States)
  • Mid-American Conference Championship Game (United States)
  • Mid-American Conference Championship (United States)

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