Four Mid-American Conference teams will play in bowl games this holiday season, but two eligible schools were left out of college football's postseason when bowl announcements were made official Sunday.
Temple, the preseason MAC favorite, finished 8-4 but couldn't secure a second consecutive bowl berth. Connecticut, the Big East champions, finished with the same record as Temple and lost to the Owls 30-16, but will play in the Fiesta Bowl.
Western Michigan (6-6) was also left out of the mix after ending the season on a three-game winning streak to become bowl eligibile.
MAC West champion Northern Illinois will be the first MAC team to play a bowl game as it heads to the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, on Dec. 18 to face Fresno State at 5:30 p.m. A few hours later, Ohio will play Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.
Toledo will play Florida International in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on Dec. 26 in Detroit. Miami, the MAC champions, will play Middle Tennessee State on Jan. 6 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala., to round out the conference's games.
Four teams is the fewest the MAC has sent to bowl games since 2007, when Ball State was one of three teams selected to the postseason.
Three of Ball State's opponents this season accepted a bowl bid. In addition to Toledo and Northern Illinois, Iowa will play in the Insight.com Bowl against Missouri on Dec. 28 in St. Louis.
Read More
Ball State tops Texas A&M in second game of Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament
By Logan Connor / 6 hours ago“It's the reason you come to play in tournaments like this, to play really good basketball teams,” head coach Brady Salle said after his team's Battle 4 Atlantis win
Indiana Pacers defeat the Washington Wizards at home
By Derran Cobb / 9 hours agoIn the Pacers first of four straight home games, the Blue and Gold would defeat the Wizards 115-103. Pascal Siakam led the way with 22 points.
Cardinals fall to Western Michigan in MAC Championship Final
By Daniel Kehn / 11 hours agoBall State ended the 2024 season with a loss to Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Championship Final.
