The calendar has turned to August, and the sound of #MACtion can be heard getting closer and closer with each day. Each year, a MAC team earns the right to be sacrificed to a Power 4 program for a sweet payday. Since 1991 (except for the COVID-19 season), the MAC has defeated at least one Power Conference team. Last year, Northern Illinois stole a win in South Bend against the eventual CFP National Runners-up, Notre Dame. The following week, Toledo went down to Mississippi State and dominated the Bulldogs, 41-17, for the conference’s first win over an SEC team since the Rockets took down Arkansas in 2015.
This year, the MAC suits up against a Power 4 opponent 24 times in the regular season (no, the Pac-2 doesn’t count). Three matchups could result in the MAC program flying the infamous pirate flag.
Will the MAC #FlyTheFlag Against a Power 4 Opponent This Year?
Bowling Green at Cincinnati
#MACtion is chaotic even in the most boring of seasons. Now that a former Heisman winner has taken the helm, Bowling Green might be the biggest wild card of the 2025 season. Eddie George takes over after four years at Tennessee State, where he compiled a 24-22 record and an NCAA Division I Football Tournament appearance last year. This year’s matchup will be the fifth time the Falcons and Bearcats face off. Bowling Green won each of the first four meetings, but the two haven’t faced off since 1994.
This team is going to be interesting. It’s full of transfers, particularly from the FCS level. George took over in February, not giving him much time to get ready for 2025. Even then, he’s building the 2025 team similar to Deion Sanders’ first year at Colorado. Notre Dame/Arizona State/Missouri transfer quarterback Drew Pyne is set to take over the offense, hoping to replicate his 2022 season with Notre Dame (2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns, 64.6% completion percentage).
Defensively, Bowling Green will be led by former FCS stars Eriq George (12.5 tackles for loss at Tennessee State; is also the coach’s son) and Gideon ESPN Lampron (26.5 tackles for loss at Dayton).
Cincinnati might be the worst Power 4 team on the MAC non-conference slate. While this matchup may not be as sure-fire as the other two matchups, the hype surrounding the new head coach is palpable. The Bearcats seem like they are on the decline, while Bowling Green looks to be ascending.
Ohio at Rutgers
Last year’s MAC Champions have three Power 4 opponents on the schedule. It’ll take a bit of a miracle for the Bobcats to come out on top in Columbus against Ohio State. And, while an upset at West Virginia is possible, the Bobcats’ best bet is at Rutgers. Ohio has had its fair share of bouts against the Big Ten, and it holds a 1-2 record against the Scarlet Knights. Ohio took the first matchup in 1937, but Rutgers has won each of the last two in 2006 and 2011.
The biggest question for Ohio will be whether it can overcome the mass exodus. Tim Albin left and took four coaches and six players with him to Charlotte. However, Parker Navarro returns as possibly the best quarterback in the conference. He finally got his chance last year and contributed 2,423 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air. He also added 1,046 yards, and his 18 rushing touchdowns were third-best among non-service academy quarterbacks. Sieh Bangura returns after a year in Minnesota to lead the running backs.
Defense was the strength for the Bobcats last year, and while they have to replace a handful of pieces, Albin didn’t poach the defensive coordinator. Rutgers has a quarterback in Athan Kaliakmanis who can sling it, but overall, the offense was not great in 2024. Week 1 is going to be exciting all around the nation. However, Ohio has an opportunity to kick off the season with a B1G win.
Rutgers also faces Miami the following week. The MAC has two very real opportunities to fly the flag in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Toledo at Kentucky
The most likely matchup with a MAC win over a Power 4 program has to be the MAC favorite against one of the worst SEC programs. Toledo has faced an SEC team just six times in history and heads into 2025 with two wins, including last year’s impressive aforementioned win. This will be the second time the Rockets and Wildcats face off. Kentucky took the 2019 matchup, 38-24.
Tucker Gleason is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football, and he’s leading a team on the rise. The last time we saw Toledo, the Rockets pulled off a six-overtime win against Pitt. Toledo has the most returning production in the MAC, and it adds former Kentucky running back Chip Trayanum to lead the way. Receivers Junior Vandeross III and Northern Illinois transfer Trayvon Rudolph will pace what looks to be the top offense in the conference.
The Rockets’ defense has produced two top-65 picks over the last two NFL drafts. The next man up might be safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Over the last two seasons, McNeil-Warren has 130 tackles, six tackles for loss, three interceptions, eight pass breakups, and five forced fumbles. If Toledo is going to extend the streak, its defense, led by a strong secondary, will keep Kentucky’s already disappointing offense floundering.
Main Image: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
