MAC Roundup: Chippewas to determine conference’s bowl season fate
The Mid-American Conference sits at 3-3 after six of its seven bowl games so far this year.
Central Michigan’s bowl game on Dec. 28 will determine if conference will have its first winning bowl record since 2011 and second since 2003. It would be the second time the MAC would have four bowl wins in a single season.
The first six MAC games have had drama, with two teams winning their first bowl game in program history (Western Michigan and Akron), one team beating a ranked opponent (Toledo), one falling on a last-second field goal (Ohio) and the MAC West and MAC East champs giving up a combined 113 points (Northern Illinois and Bowling Green).
Central Michigan and Minnesota kickoff Monday at 5 p.m. in Detroit’s Quick Lane Bowl. Minnesota is the only Power Five team to play a MAC team this bowl season and only the second Power Five team to play CMU in a bowl in program history (Purdue, 2011).
The last time a MAC team beat a Power Five team in a bowl game was in 2003 when Bowling Green beat Northwestern.
2015 MAC bowl games
Bowl: Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
Date: Dec. 19
Final: Appalachian State 31, Ohio 29
Notes: The Bobcats took the lead with 1:47 to go on a 21-yard field goal before the Mountaineers hit the game-winning 23-yard field goal as time expired. This was Appalachian State’s first bowl game since moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Bowl: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho)
Date: Dec. 22
Final: Akron 23, Utah State 21
Notes: Akron’s only other bowl game in program history was a 38-31 loss to Memphis in the 2005 Motor City Bowl. The Zips scored their first touchdown of the day on a wide receiver pass to quarterback Thomas Woodson. Kicker Robert Stein was named MVP after hitting three field goals.
Bowl: Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Florida)
Date: Dec. 22
Final: Toledo 32, No. 24 Temple 17
Notes: The Rockets gained 435 total yards on the Owls in route to their 10th bowl win in program history — no other MAC team has more than five. Toledo recovered a late Temple onside-kick attempt and Kareem Hunt clinched the victory with a 41-yard touchdown run in the final minutes.
Bowl: Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego, California)
Date: Dec. 23
Final: Boise State 55, Northern Illinois 7
Notes: The Huskies were outgained 654-33 Wednesday, falling in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season. NIU’s only touchdown of the day came on a 96-yard kickoff return, making the game 24-7 at the time. Boise State has been to a bowl game 16 times in the last 17 seasons, with 11 wins and six in the last seven years.
Bowl: GoDaddy Bowl (Mobile, Alabama)
Date: Dec. 23
Final: Georgia Southern 58, Bowling Green 27
Notes: The Falcons led 27-23 at halftime before allowing 35 unanswered points in the second half. MAC Player of the Year Matt Johnson was 15-for-34 with 246 yards passing and three scores on a wet night in Mobile. Georgia Southern had 452 yards rushing in the victory.
Bowl: Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (Nassau, Bahamas)
Date: Dec. 24
Final: Western Michigan 45, Middle Tennessee State 31
Notes: The Broncos broke a 24-24 tie in the fourth quarter with a 68-yard pass to Daniel Braverman — one of four WMU touchdowns Thursday going longer than 45 yards. Jamauri Bogan carried the ball 19 times for 215 yards and four scores for the Broncos in their first bowl victory in seven tries.
Bowl: Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit, Michigan)
Date: Dec. 28
Final: Central Michigan vs. Minnesota
Notes: The Golden Gophers are 5.5-point favorites and are one of three 5-7 teams in a bowl game this year.
