Mid-American Conference 2015 Bowl Season Football Release
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Mid-American Conference 2015 Bowl Season Football Release Football Contact: Ken Mather, Assistant Commissioner for Media & Public Relations ([email protected]) Mid-American Conference, 24 Public Square, 15th Floor, Cleveland, Ohio 44113, 216-566-4622, www.mac-sports.com Become a fan of the Mid-American Conference on Facebook. Follow the MAC On Twitter @MACSports, Snapchat (MACSports) and Instagram (MACSports) MAC Standings MAC Storylines Conference Overall • The MAC tied a conference record with seven teams bowl WEST DIVISION W L Pct. Stk H A W L Pct. Stk H A N eligible this 2015 bowl season. The seven MAC bowl invitations #*Northern Illinois 6 2 .750 L1 3-1 3-1 8 5 .615 L2 5-1 3-3 0-1 for Bowling Green (10-3), Northern Illinois (8-5), Toledo (9-2), *Toledo 6 2 .750 L1 2-2 4-0 9 2 .818 L1 4-2 5-0 -- Ohio (8-4), Central Michigan (7-5), Western Michigan (7-5) and *Western Michigan 6 2 .750 W1 3-1 3-1 7 5 .583 W1 4-2 3-3 -- Akron (7-5) matches the Conference record for programs receiving *Central Michigan 6 2 .750 W2 3-1 3-1 7 5 .583 W2 4-2 3-3 -- a bowl invitation in a single season, which also occurred during Ball State 2 6 .250 L3 1-3 1-3 3 9 .250 L3 2-4 1-5 -- the 2012 bowl season. Eastern Michigan 0 8 .000 L8 0-4 0-4 1 11 .083 L10 0-6 1-5 -- Conference Overall • Bowling Green (GoDaddy), Northern Illinois (San Diego EAST DIVISION W L Pct. Stk H A W L Pct. Stk H A N County Credit Union Poinsettia), Toledo (Marmot Boca Raton), ^#*Bowling Green 7 1 .875 W1 3-1 4-0 10 3 .769 W2 3-2 6-1 1-0 Ohio (Raycom Media Camellia), Central Michigan (Quick Lane), *Ohio 5 3 .625 W3 3-1 2-2 8 4 .667 W3 5-1 3-3 -- Western Michigan (Popeyes Bahamas) and Akron (Famous Idaho *Akron 5 3 .625 W4 2-2 3-1 7 5 .583 W4 3-3 4-2 -- Potato) will represent the MAC this 2015 bowl season. Buffalo 3 5 .375 L3 1-3 2-2 5 7 .417 L3 3-4 2-3 -- Kent State 2 6 .250 L5 1-3 1-3 3 9 .250 L5 2-4 1-5 -- • This marks the eighth time in MAC history for the Conference Miami 2 6 .250 W1 1-3 1-3 3 9 .250 W1 2-4 1-5 -- to have five or more programs receive a bowl invitation (2004, UMass 2 6 .250 W1 0-4 2-2 3 9 .250 W1 1-5 2-4 -- 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) in a single-season. ^ MAC Champion; # Division Champion; * Bowl Invitation • In the previous four bowl seasons, the MAC has a record of MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 2015 BOWL SCHEDULE 8-14 in 22 bowl games – 2014 (2-3); 2013 (0-5); 2012 (2-5); 2011 Dec. 19: Raycom Media Camellia Bowl -- Montgomery, Ala.; 5:30 pm ET (4-1) – as ten different MAC programs have appeared in a bowl (ESPN); Ohio (8-4, 5-3 MAC) vs. Appalachian State (10-2, 7-1, Sun Belt) game in that span (2011-14). Ohio ended the regular season by winning its final three games to finish with an 8-4 overall record, and a 5-3 record for second place in the MAC East. Bobcats • Bowling Green won the 2015 Marathon MAC Football Cham- head coach Frank Solich is in his 11th year leading the Ohio football program. pionship with a 34-14 win over NIU on Dec. 4 at Ford Field in Detroit. This marked the second MAC Championship for Bowl- Dec. 22: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl -- Boise, Ida.; 3:30 pm ET (ESPN) ing Green in the last three seasons and the programs 12th overall Akron (7-5, 5-3 MAC) vs. Utah State (6-6, 5-3, Mountain West) Conference Championship (2015, 2013, 1992, 1991, 1985, 1982, Akron finished by winning its final four games to post a 7-5 overall record, 5-3 in the MAC East, and bowl eligible for the first time since 2005. Fourth-year head 1965, 1964, 1962, 1961, 1959 and 1956). Bowling Green (10-3, coach Terry Bowden will lead his Zips to its first bowl game under his leadership. 7-1 in the MAC) also clinched the East Division title for the program’s third consecutive East Division crown. Dec. 22: Marmot Boca Raton Bowl -- Boca Raton, Fla. 7:00 pm ET (ESPN) Toledo (9-2, 6-2 MAC) vs. Temple (10-3, 7-1, American Athletic) • Northern Illinois (8-5, 6-2) won its sixth consecutive MAC West Toledo completed the regular season as MAC West Division Co-Champions with Division title as the Huskies won the tie-breakers in the four-way a 9-2 overall record, 6-2 in the MAC West. Jason Candle was named head coach tie for first place in the West with NIU, Toledo, Western Michigan as Toledo will be making its second consecutive bowl appearance and its fifth and Central Michigan. All four teams are considered Co-West Di- bowl game in the last six years. vision Champions, however, NIU won the tie-breaker to represent Dec. 23: San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl --San Diego, Calif. the West Division in the Marathon MAC Football Championship 4:30 pm ET (ESPN); NIU (8-5, 6-2 MAC) vs. Boise St (8-4, 5-3, Mountain West) Game against Bowling Green. Northern Illinois won the MAC West Division Title for the sixth consecutive year and will be heading to a bowl game for a MAC record eighth consecutive season. • This was the third consecutive season that Bowling Green faced The Huskies suffered a 34-14 loss to Bowling Green in the Marathon MAC Foot- NIU in the Marathon MAC Football Championship Game. In ball Championship Game on Dec. 4. 2013, Bowling Green upset No. 14 ranked NIU, 47-27. Last year NIU defeated Bowling Green, 51-17, while the Falcons won the Dec. 23: GoDaddy Bowl -- Mobile, Ala. 8:00 pm ET (ESPN) 2015 Championship with a 34-14 win over NIU. Bowling Green (10-3, 7-1 MAC) vs. Georgia Southern (8-4, 6-2, Sun Belt) Bowling Green won its third consecutive MAC East Division title with a 9-3 overall record, 7-1 in the MAC, and defeated Northern Illinois, 34-14, to win the Follow MAC football 2015 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game on Dec. 4. The win was the with the MAC Digi- programs second MAC Championship in the last three seasons. tal Network at www. mac-sports.com. Dec. 24: Popeyes Bahamas Bowl -- Nassau, Bahamas, Noon ET (ESPN) Western Michigan (7-5, 6-2 MAC) vs. Middle Tennessee (6-5, 5-2, C-USA) Western Michigan received a bowl invitation for the second consecutive year for the first time in program history. The Broncos ended the season with the program’s first ever Top 25 win with a 35-30 win at Toledo to claim a share of the West title. Dec. 28: Quick Lane Bowl -- Detroit, Mich., 5:00 pm ET (ESPN2) Central Michigan (7-5, 6-2 MAC) vs. Minnesota (5-7, 2-6, Big Ten) The MAC has partnered with collegepressbox.com to continue Central Michigan finished with a 7-5 overall record, 6-2 in the MAC, and a share media services and provide access to information on the confer- of the MAC West Division title. First-year head coach John Bonamego led the ence and our membership including rosters, bios, game notes, Chippewas as they ended the regular season by winning their final two games and depth charts, stats, quotes, flipcards, media schedules and more. five of the last six regular season games. Mid-American Conference Football December, 2015 MAC BOWL HISTORY MAC Year-By-Year Bowl Results Since the conference inception in 1946, the MAC has played in 93 bowl games 1947 Sun - Cincinnati 18, Virginia Tech 8 with a 39-54 (.419) overall bowl record. In the early years, bowl games were 1948 Sun - Miami 13, Texas Tech 12 few and far between before the consistency of a single-bowl game became into 1950 Salad - Miami 34, Arizona State 21 existence in 1981. However, over the last decade the MAC has witnessed a 1951 Sun - West Texas State 14, Cincinnati 13 1954 Refrigerator Bowl - Delaware 19, Kent State 7 significant increase in the number of bowl invitations both from primary and 1961 Aviation Bowl - New Mexico 28, Western Michigan 12 secondary bowl partnerships, but also several at-large bowl selections as well. 1961 Mercy - Fresno State 36, Bowling Green 6 1962 Tangerine - Houston 49, Miami 21 From 1946 to 1980, the MAC appeared in a total of 17 bowl games in the first 35 1962 Sun - West Texas State 15, Ohio 14 1968 Tangerine - Richmond 49, Ohio 42 years of the Conference in operation. 1969 Tangerine - Toledo 56, Davidson 33 1970 Tangerine - Toledo 40, William & Mary 12 From 1981 to 2000, the MAC witnessed twenty consecutive years of receiving 1971 Tangerine - Toledo 28, Richmond 3 1972 Tangerine - Tampa 21, Kent State 18 only one bowl invitation each football season. 1973 Tangerine - Miami 16, Florida 7 1974 Tangerine - Miami 21, Georgia 10 The MAC forged a bowl partnership with Detroit from 1997-2013 (Motor City 1975 Tangerine - Miami 20, South Carolina 7 Bowl and Little Caesars Pizza Bowl).