2015 MAC Championship Game

Last updated

2015 Marathon MAC Championship Game
Conference Championship
1234Total
Bowling Green7147634
Northern Illinois0014014
DateDecember 4, 2015
Season 2015
Stadium Ford Field
Location Detroit, Michigan
MVPTravis Greene (RB, Bowling Green)
Favorite Bowling Green by 14
Attendance16,425
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN2/IMG College
Announcers Dave Flemming, Mack Brown, Allison Williams (ESPN2)
David Shumate, Jon Jansen (IMG College)
MAC Championship Game
 < 2014   2016 > 
2015 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Bowling Green x$  7 1   10 4  
Ohio  5 3   8 5  
Akron  5 3   8 5  
Buffalo  3 5   5 7  
Kent State  2 6   3 9  
Miami (OH)  2 6   3 9  
UMass  2 6   3 9  
West Division
Northern Illinois xy  6 2   8 6  
Western Michigan x  6 2   8 5  
Toledo x  6 2   10 2  
Central Michigan x  6 2   7 6  
Ball State  2 6   3 9  
Eastern Michigan  0 8   1 11  
Championship: Bowling Green 34, Northern Illinois 14
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant

The 2015 MAC Championship Game was an NCAA Division I college football conference championship game for the Mid-American Conference. The game was played at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, December 4, 2015, and featured Bowling Green (East Division winners) defeat Northern Illinois (West Division) 34–14.

Contents

History

For the third consecutive season the Bowling Green Falcons and Northern Illinois Huskies faced off in the MAC Championship Game. The previous season, the Huskies defeated the Falcons 51-17 to win the conference title. 2015 marked the sixth consecutive MAC Championship appearance for the Huskies. They are 3-3 in previous appearances. [1]

This was the fourth MAC Championship Game appearance for Bowling Green and their third consecutive appearance; they first appeared in 2003 and are 1-2 in previous appearances. Their Championship was in 2013. [2]

Teams

Bowling Green Falcons

Bowling Green dominated the MAC East, with their only conference loss coming to West division co-champion Toledo. Bowling Green's resume also featured non-conference wins over Big Ten Conference teams Maryland and Purdue and a narrow three-point loss to a Memphis team that finished 9–3 in the regular season. [3] Bowling Green clinched a berth in the championship game following their win over Western Michigan on November 11th. [4]

Northern Illinois Huskies

The Huskies clinched a spot in the game following a tie breaker advantage over Toledo, Western Michigan and Central Michigan in the West Division. [5]

Scoring summary

2015 MAC Championship Game
Bowling Green Falcons (9–3, 7–1) vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (8–4, 6–2)
Quarter1234Total
Bowling Green7147634
Northern Illinois0014014

at Ford FieldDetroit, MI

  • Date: Friday, December 4, 2015
  • Game time: 8:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: N/A (game played indoors)
  • Game attendance: 16,425
  • Referee: M. Kluczynski • Umpire: Bob Holcomb • Linesman: Kole Knueppel • Line judge: Mark Bennett • Back judge: Doug Warns • Field judge: D. Pender • Side judge: Rich Ames • Center judge: Bryan Banks
  • TV announcers (ESPN2/IMG College): Dave Flemming, Mack Brown, Allison Williams (ESPN2)
    David Shumate, Jon Jansen (IMG College)
  • [6]
Game information
First Quarter
  • (04:15) BGSU – Fred Coppet 4 yard run (Tyler Tate kick) (Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 2:40; Bowling Green 7–0)
Second quarter
  • (05:28) BGSU – Derek Lee 2 yard pass from Matt Johnson (Tyler Tate kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 17 yards, :56; Bowling Green 14–0)
  • (01:04) BGSU – Travis Greene 25 yard run (Tyler Tate kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 2:32; Bowling Green 21–0)
Third quarter
  • (12:26) BGSU – Roger Lewis 45 yard pass from Matt Johnson (Tyler Tate kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 73 yards, 1:37; Bowling Green 28–0)
  • (05:43) NIU – Desroy Maxwell 32 yard pass from Tommy Fiedler (Christian Hagan kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 1:29; Bowling Green 28–7)
  • (02:24) NIU – Shawun Lurry 64 yard interception return (Christian Hagan kick) (Bowling Green 28–14)
Fourth quarter
  • (12:32) BGSU – Travis Greene 1 yard run (Tyler Tate kick blocked) (Drive: 12 plays, 83 yards, 4:47; Bowling Green 34–14)
StatisticsBowling GreenNorthern Illinois
First downs2517
Plays–yards501259
Rushes–yards53-266-338–107-0
Passing yards235152
Passing: compattint25–37–212–28–3
Time of possession34:2625:34
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Bowling GreenPassing Matt Johnson 25/37, 235 yards, 2 TDS, 2 INTS
RushingTravis Greene29 carries, 183 yards, 2 TDS
Receiving Gehrig Dieter 7 receptions, 75 yards
Northern IllinoisPassingTommy Fiedler12/28, 152 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTS
Rushing Joel Bouagnon 14 carries, 57 yards
ReceivingDesroy Maxwell3 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD

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References

  1. "2015 MAC Championship Game Postgame Notes". niuhuskies.com. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  2. "2015 MAC Champs!!! Falcons Soar To 12th MAC Championship In School History". bsgufalcons.com. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  3. "2015 Football Schedule". Bowling Green State University Athletics. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  4. "Three In A ROW! Falcons Clinch MAC East With 41-27 Win At WMU". bgsufalcons.com. bgsufalcons. November 12, 2015.
  5. "Huskies Return to Detroit! Marathon MAC Championship Game Tickets On Sale". niuhuskies.com. bgsufalcons. November 27, 2015.
  6. "Box score (Bowling Green vs Northern Illinois)". bgsufalcons.com. bgsufalcons. December 4, 2015.