The Mid-American Conference, most commonly known as the MAC released the complete 2023 master schedule for the conference and its’ 12 members on Wednesday morning.
Notable non-conference matchups on the schedule include Ohio helping open the 2023 college football season in week zero on August 26 on the road against San Diego State. Then in week one, Buffalo takes on the Wisconsin Badgers in the Badgers’ first game under new head coach Luke Fickell. Toledo, the defending MAC champions travel to Champaign to battle the Illinois Fighting Illini who look to build upon a first successful year under Bret Bielema. Also, Kent State will open the Kenni Burns era by making a trip to the Bounce House in week one to play UCF.
In week two, Ball State will travel to Athens to take on the defending back-to-back Georgia Bulldogs. Week three of the season features Bowling Green traveling to Michigan, Miami (OH) taking on Cincinnati, and Central Michigan traveling to Notre Dame. Last season, the then No. 8 ranked Fighting Irish were upset by the Sun Belt Conference’s Marshall Thundering Herd 26-21.
Other intriguing non-conference matchups include; Northern Illinois vs Nebraska and Western Michigan vs Iowa in week three. Akron taking on Indiana in week four as well as Bowling Green vs Georgia Tech in week five.
Key in-conference matchups on the schedule this year include; Buffalo versus Bowling Green on October 14, both programs were among the top in the conference last season and will have a chance to once again be at the top in 2023.
Ohio and Buffalo, the top two teams in the MAC East last season face off on November 7 in what could possibly decide the East Division in 2023. Toledo and Eastern Michigan were separated by one game in 2022 and their matchup just one day later on November 8 could also be another decisive game this upcoming season in the MAC’s West division.
Finally, one of the conference’s best rivalries, the Battle of I-75 between Bowling Green and Toledo is scheduled to take place in week 12 on November 14. Both teams should be battling for bowl eligibility in 2023 and the mid-November matchup could have even more on the line with potentially sending one team bowling and the other home for the offseason.
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