2018 MAC Championship Game

Last updated

2018 Marathon MAC Championship Game
22nd MAC Championship Game
1234Total
Northern Illinois01071330
Buffalo7157029
DateNovember 30, 2018
Season 2018
Stadium Ford Field
Location Detroit, Michigan
MVPOffense: Marcus Childers (QB, NIU)
Defense: Sutton Smith (LB, NIU)
Favorite Buffalo by 3
Referee Tim O'Dey [1]
Attendance10,255 [1]
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN2
Announcers Clay Matvick (Play-By-Play)
Dan Orlovsky (Analyst)
Paul Carcaterra (Sidelines)
MAC Championship Game
 < 2017   2019 > 
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Buffalo x  7 1   10 4  
Miami (OH)  6 2   6 6  
Ohio  6 2   9 4  
Akron  2 6   4 8  
Bowling Green  2 6   3 9  
Kent State  1 7   2 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois x$  6 2   8 6  
Western Michigan  5 3   7 6  
Eastern Michigan  5 3   7 6  
Toledo  5 3   7 6  
Ball State  3 5   4 8  
Central Michigan  0 8   1 11  
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions

The 2018 MAC Championship Game was an NCAA Division I college football conference championship game for the Mid-American Conference (MAC), that was played on November 30, 2018. [2] It was the 22nd Mid-American Conference Championship, and was played at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Sponsored by the Marathon Petroleum Corporation, the game was officially known as the Marathon MAC Championship Game. Northern Illinois scored the game's final 20 points to erase a 19-point second-half deficit and defeat Buffalo, 30–29. [3]

Contents

Teams

Northern Illinois Huskies

Northern Illinois went undefeated 6-0 in conference play, until the Huskies lost to Miami on November 14. The Huskies were able to clinch the West Division, after the last remaining contender, Western Michigan, lost their third conference game also that weekend, eliminating the Broncos from contention. Northern Illinois makes their first appearance in the title game since 2015.

Buffalo Bulls

Buffalo was able to clinch the East Division after defeating the Falcons of Bowling Green at the end of the season, compelling a conference record of 7-1. The Bulls make their first appearance in the game since 2008.

Buffalo vs. Northern Illinois series history

The match up was the 13th meeting against the Bulls and the Huskies. They last played each other last season in Amherst, New York. Northern Illinois defeated Buffalo in a close win of 14-13. After the 2016 match up, Northern Illinois lead the series, 11-1. Buffalo has not won against the Huskies since 1968. The championship game was the first time in history that the two schools played in post season.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP NIUBUFF
16:3813945:39BUFFKevin Marks 3-yard touchdown run, Alex McNulty kick good07
214:5511945:00BUFFAnthony Johnson 13-yard touchdown reception from Tyree Jackson, Alex McNulty kick failed013
29:5112755:04NIUSpencer Tears 13-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Childers, Andrew Gantz kick good713
25:419754:10BUFFAnthony Johnson 26-yard touchdown reception from Tyree Jackson, 2-point pass failed719
21:4212533:59NIU39-yard field goal by Andrew Gantz1019
20:038701:34BUFF24-yard field goal by Adam Mitcheson1022
311:258753:35BUFF Jaret Patterson 9-yard touchdown run, Adam Mitcheson kick good1029
30:175341:41NIUD.J. Brown 28-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Childers, Andrew Gantz kick good1729
412:514631:17NIUSpencer Tears 32-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Childers, Andrew Gantz kick good2429
41:098702:11NIUD.J. Brown 35-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Childers, 2-point pass failed3029
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.3029

Statistics

1234Total
Huskies01071330
Bulls7157029
StatisticsNIUBUFF
First downs2326
Plays–yards67–40977–394
Rushes–yards34–10942–142
Passing yards300252
Passing: Comp–Att–Int21–33–118–35–0
Time of possession24:5535:05
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northern IllinoisPassingMarcus Childers21/33, 300 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
RushingMarcus Childers15 car, 58 yds
ReceivingSpencer Tears6 rec, 73 yds, 2 TD
BuffaloPassingTyree Jackson18/35, 252 yds, 2 TD
RushingKevin Marks17 car, 72 yds, 1 TD
ReceivingAnthony Johnson7 rec, 124 yds, 2 TD

[1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "2018 Marathon MAC Football Championship" (PDF). getsomemaction.com. Mid-American Conference. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  2. "MAC Announces Updated 2018 Football Schedule". getsomemaction.com. Mid-American Conference. May 31, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  3. Lenzi, Rachel (December 1, 2018). "UB loses heartbreaker to Northern Illinois in MAC title game". The Buffalo News . Archived from the original on December 21, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.