The History of the MAC: College Sports' Underdog

The Mid-American Conference has widely been considered to be the NCAA's most stable conference following recent realignment moves. But it hasn't always been made up of the same schools it is now. There once was a time where some really interesting colleges called the MAC home, even as early as its inception following the end of World War Two. Nowadays, it's built up of twelve colleges: Northern Illinois, Ball State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Miami of Ohio, Bowling Green, Ohio, Kent State, Akron, and Buffalo, but at some points it was also the home of Marshall, UMass, Cincinnati, and even UCF.

Join me as I take a quick look into the MAC's past as an NCAA Group of 5 Conference.

Wendat (Wyandot/Wyandotte/Huron) People website:

[yorkqueer]

MAC has always had a soft spot in my heart, nothing's better than watching a dark snowy night game between NIU and Western Michigan.

[ColeAdams]

The lack of change, the weeknight games, the grit attitude of all of these programs. The MAC is the greatest conference in college football and nobody can change my mind.

[Flashfm]

The MAC also gave us the “Boom goes the dynamite” guy from Ball State. Absolute legend.

[troybaxter]

With all the BS going on in the college world, I am slowly beginning to admire the MAC and their relative unchanging nature. It feels like a conference that is, by and large, for the students. Sure the weekday games are not the most ideal, but considering most teams are near each other, they can get away with it without conflicting with academics too much. I wish we had more conferences like the MAC. Regional conferences that are more focused on maintaining the rivalries and traditions that they currently have.

[jollyjohnthepirate]

I've always loved the MAC. Schools from the same region as the Big 10 but more student oriented. The MAC is what college sports were supposed to be about.

[ryanlapp]

12 years old just got back from christmas tree shopping and watching undeafeated northern illinois vs bowling green in the MAC championship is such a core memory for me

[rosswelling]

Growing up around the MAC schools it brings me joy knowing that other people can watch and appreciate their sports. These schools all know each other very well and actually have good rivalries. I live in between Toledo and BGSU and every year the battle of I-75 is must watch for everyone (go Falcons).

[jdunc]

Theres nothing better than turning on espn on a cold Thursday night to find the random Toledo vs Northern Illinois game playing. The vibes are immaculate.

[stevec]

I have always loved watching MAC FB on weekdays, they are always entertaining and that’s what it’s about. I give credit to the MAC for hanging tough through the changing tides in conferences.

[Shelby]

Bo Shembechler was also a Miami (OH) head coach for a time. As an University of Akron alumni I really appreciate this video as I have a good amount of love for this conference.

[marklohrum]

One of the best aspects of MAC football is travel. With 6 programs in Ohio and 3 in Michigan, road trips are easy. Students can follow their team easily, with a road trip, tailgating, and a football game all on a Saturday, and get Sunday to catch up on homework and get back to classes on Monday.

[CamBoone]

This is the quickest I’ve clicked play, like, and commented in a while! I absolutely love this series you’re doing

[magallan]

Shout out to Dri Archer for giving Kent State their only ever double digit win season in 2012

[jimmaloney]

A number of my relatives went to BGSU and I still have family who live there. I'll always have a soft spot for BGSU and the MAC. Love me some MACtion!

[weskeaton]

One addition/subtraction you missed was that Missouri joined the MAC for wrestling in 2013, dominated in a way that made everyone realize that it was horrible for the conference, and then left in 2022. MAC wrestling has also recently added a bunch of other schools including Cleveland State.

[twobadour]

Can't wait to see some MAC conference realignment now that this video is done. You know it's going to happen

[MetalGod]

Excellent video about the MAC! You know, what I like about the MAC is that it really is an underdog conference, but it’s also like the Little Engine That Could. Always reliable and capable of hanging with the Big Boys. More importantly, the MAC has, by and large, done a great job of staying true to their Middle America roots. And a lot of sports legends, particularly in football, have made their mark in the MAC. Great history.

[williamrauschenberg]

Frank Solich never getting his MAC title is a tragedy. Ohio Bobcats football is truly cursed.

[andrewsever]

I love this series. Thank you for making it

[peytonsawyer]

Maction is one of my favorite parts of college football every year, the mac not being a big time conference for me is what makes it more fun to watch year after year