Suddenly, the August and September schedule for the MAC is a lot more clear.
While there are still roughly three months until college football returns, the 2025 season is becoming more of a reality with each passing day. Thursday was a significant benchmark in the approach of the upcoming season, as kickoff times and television networks were revealed for matchups, especially early season games.
Now, every Mid-American Conference team knows the time, date, and network it will kick off during Week 1. Further details were revealed for other games down the road, including Week 2, Week 3, and even the November Midweek MACtion slate.
Here is every game which has a kickoff time or network finalized in the 2025 schedule:
Week 1
- Thursday, Aug. 28 — Ohio at Rutgers, 6 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Thursday, Aug. 28 — Lafayette (FCS) at Bowling Green, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Thursday, Aug. 28 — Wyoming at Akron, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Thursday, Aug. 28 — Buffalo at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Thursday, Aug. 28 — Miami (OH) at Wisconsin, 8 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Friday, Aug. 29 — Western Michigan at Michigan State, 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Friday, Aug. 29 — Central Michigan at San Jose State, 10:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — Ball State at Purdue, 12 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — Merrimack (FCS) at Kent State, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — Toledo at Kentucky, 12:45 p.m. ET (SEC Network)
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — Temple at UMass, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — Holy Cross (FCS) at Northern Illinois, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Aug. 30 — Eastern Michigan at Texas State, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Week 1 presents several national TV opportunities for the MAC including a triumvirate of games on FS1 on opening Thursday and Friday — Buffalo-Minnesota, Western Michigan-Michigan State, and Central Michigan-San Jose State. With a slew of Big Ten matchups this week, Big Ten Network also features a steady dose of MACtion with Ohio-Rutgers, Miami (OH)-Wisconsin, and Ball State-Purdue. The only other matchup outside of ESPN+ is the SEC Network showdown between Toledo and Kentucky, which kicks off at an unorthodox time of 12:45 p.m.
Week 2
- Friday, Sept. 5 — Northern Illinois at Maryland, 7:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Central Michigan at Pitt, 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Kent State at Texas Tech, 12 p.m. ET (TNT)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Miami (OH) at Rutgers, 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Bowling Green at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — North Texas at Western Michigan, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — St. Francis PA (FCS) at Buffalo, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Bryant (FCS) at UMass, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — West Virginia at Ohio, 4 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Western Kentucky at Toledo, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Long Island (FCS) at Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Ball State at Auburn, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
- Saturday, Sept. 6 — Akron at Nebraska, 7:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Northern Illinois and Maryland kick off Week 2 in a matchup that should garner plenty of attention as one of two FBS vs. FBS meetings that Friday night. The Week 2 MAC slate is loaded with ESPNU exposure, starting at noon ET with Central Michigan and Pitt, and then continuing to West Virginia’s trip to Ohio in the afternoon, and a Ball State-Auburn matchup in primetime. One other notable item about Week 2 is the arrival of TNT. TNT began hosting college football games during the 2024 playoff, but now the network has expanded to regular season coverage, and Kent State-Texas Tech will appear there Week 2 at noon.
Week 3
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Buffalo at Kent State, 12 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Central Michigan at Michigan, 12 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — New Hampshire (FCS) at Ball State, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Morgan State (FCS) at Toledo, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Liberty at Bowling Green, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Ohio at Ohio State, 7 p.m. ET (Peacock)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Western Michigan at Illinois, 7 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — UMass at Iowa, 7:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Eastern Michigan at Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
- Saturday, Sept. 13 — Akron at UAB, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Week 3 features the MAC’s first conference matchup of the season in Buffalo-Kent State, which kicks off at noon ET on CBS Sports Network. While four MAC teams partake in ESPN+ matchups this week, there is still plenty of national exposure for the league. Central Michigan and UMass take trips to Michigan and Iowa on Big Ten Network, respectively, while Western Michigan and Illinois clash on FS1 in primetime. Eastern Michigan also gets a noteworthy trip to SEC country against Kentucky on ESPNU.
Week 4
- Saturday, Sept. 20 — Wagner (FCS) at Central Michigan, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 20 — Gardner-Webb at Ohio, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 20 — Ball State at UConn, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
- Saturday, Sept. 20 — Duquesne (FCS) at Akron, Time TBD (ESPN+)
The seven remaining matchups not listed still have their time and network TBD. The only non-ESPN+ slot set in stone for Week 4 belongs to Ball State, which takes on non-conference opponent UConn on the road. Akron doesn’t have a definitive kickoff time for its home FCS matchup against Duquesne, but that game will be broadcast on ESPN+ — which is the expectation for all MAC vs. FCS matchups.
Week 5
- Saturday, Sept. 27 — Lindenwood (FCS) at Miami (OH), 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Saturday, Sept. 27 — Rhode Island (FCS) at Western Michigan, 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
There are three conference matchups and three non-conference matchups with undetermined kickoff times and networks for Week 5. Thus, the only matchups set in stone right now are the last two MAC vs. FCS games of the year.
Week 6
- Saturday, Oct. 4 — Ohio at Ball State, 12 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
The MAC showdown between Ohio and Ball State is already slated for a noon ET kickoff on CBS Sports Network. There are four other MAC matchups this Saturday and a non-conference game between Kent State and Oklahoma that remain undetermined for the time being.
Week 9
- Saturday, Oct. 25 — Toledo at Washington State, 3:30 p.m. (The CW)
The CW is now an integral part of the college football family, televising the ACC, Pac-12, and more. The network hasn’t been home to much MACtion, although Toledo played on The CW in the 2023 Arizona Bowl. The Rockets can find themselves back on the channel in 2025 during a trip to The Palouse to face Washington State. The times and networks of six conference games on this date have yet to be revealed.
Week 11
- Tuesday, Nov. 4 — UMass at Akron, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or CBS Sports Network)
- Tuesday, Nov. 4 — Miami (OH) at Ohio, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or CBS Sports Network)
- Wednesday, Nov. 5 — Kent State at Ball State, 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
- Wednesday, Nov. 5 — Northern Illinois at Toledo, 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
Midweek MACtion officially kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 4 with newcomer UMass facing Akron while Miami (OH) and Ohio square off in the Battle of the Bricks rivalry — a rematch of the 2024 MAC Championship Game. There are also two matchups Wednesday, with time and network options stated but not finalized. But it is confirmed ESPN2, ESPNU, and CBS Sports Network remain part of the Midweek MACtion rotation.
Week 12
- Tuesday, Nov. 11 — Kent State at Akron, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
- Tuesday, Nov. 11 — Ohio at Western Michigan, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU)
- Wednesday, Nov. 12 — Buffalo at Central Michigan, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Wednesday, Nov. 12 — Northern Illinois at UMass, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Wednesday, Nov. 12 — Toledo at Miami (OH), 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
The Midweek MACtion ramps up from four nationally televised matchups to five in Week 12, starting with a Tuesday two-step of the Wagon Wheel rivalry and Ohio vs. Western Michigan. On Wednesday, the games all kick off at 7 p.m. ET, but the networks will be assigned at a later date. However, no games are staggered this week, so everything will run concurrently.
Week 13
- Tuesday, Nov. 18 — Akron at Bowling Green, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Tuesday, Nov. 18 — UMass at Ohio, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Tuesday, Nov. 18 — Western Michigan at Northern Illinois, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Wednesday, Nov. 19 — Miami (OH) at Buffalo, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Wednesday, Nov. 19 — Central Michigan at Kent State, 7 p.m. (ESPN2 or ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
Once again, Week 13 presents five Midweek MACtion matchups on the usual networks of ESPN2, ESPNU, and CBS Sports Network. This week, the times are all homogeneous as all five kick off at 7 p.m. ET. — three on Tuesday and two on Wednesday.
Week 14
- Tuesday, Nov. 25 — Bowling Green at UMass, Time TBD (ESPN2 or ESPN+)
- Tuesday, Nov. 25 — Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan, Time TBD (ESPN2 or ESPN+)
- Friday, Nov. 28 — Ohio at Buffalo, 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
- Friday, Nov. 28 — Kent State at Northern Illinois, 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU or CBS Sports Network)
It’s a typical Thanksgiving week for the MAC, which sees its final pair of Midweek MACtion games Tuesday night, gets Wednesday off, and resumes on Black Friday. The Tuesday night game times are not set, but one will be ESPN2 and the other gets relegated to ESPN+. Meanwhile, the MAC receives a pair of noon games Black Friday with Ohio-Buffalo and Kent State-Northern Illinois, and one will be directed to ESPNU while the other lands on CBS Sports Network. Saturday’s Ball State-Miami (OH) and Toledo-Central Michigan times and networks have yet to be revealed.
Week 15
- Saturday, Dec. 6 — MAC Championship Game, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
For the fifth-straight year, the MAC Championship Game will kick off on Saturday at noon ET on ESPN. The game remains in its usual location of Ford Field in Detroit. For the second-straight year, there are no divisions so the MAC title game will feature the teams with the two best records in conference play.