MAC Football

MAC Football Week 5 Overview: When and How To Watch

It's officially conference season ladies and gentleman. This week we have three MAC on MAC games for your viewing pleasure.

By Bryan M. Vance Sep 23, 2013, 9:00am EDT

These Chippewas fans are fired up for another week of MACtion

Day & Time (ET)	Road		Home		Watch It
Saturday, Noon	Miami	0-3	Illinois	2-1	B1G Network
Well this should be interesting. Miami just got beat by Cincinnati in a game that was much more lopsided than the final 14-0 score. Two weeks ago Illinois stopmed that same Cincinnati team 45-17. The Illini have about as potent of a passing game as you'll see, and Miami...well they stink. Expect a heavily one-sided game here.
Saturday, Noon	Northern Illinois	3-0	Purdue	1-3 (0-1 B1G)	ESPN2/WatchESPN
Well look what we have here...NIU get's another shot at head coach Darrell Hazell after beating his Kent State Golden Flashes in the 2012 MAC Championship game. This time around though, Hazell is with Purdue, and the Boilermakers are off to an interesting start. They're better than their 1-3 record suggests, though it's not clear by how much. NIU is NIU and should have no problems scoring. Enjoy this one, as it's likely the last MAC team you'll see on ESPN until November.
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.	Akron	1-3	Bowling Green	3-1 (1-0 MAC)	ESPN3
This week marks the real beginning of conference season for most teams across the nation, and this week Akron-BG kicks off the MAC in conference slate of games. Matt Johnson and Bowling Green will likely have little problems putting up points on Akron. The thing to watch will be how effective can the Kyle Pohl-show be against the MAC's best defense.
Saturday, 3 p.m.	Toledo	2-2 (1-0 MAC)	Ball State	3-1 (1-0 MAC)	ESPN3
This one should be a treat. Two of the conference's best going at it this early is unusual, but it's well welcomed. Both squads are coming off big conference wins, and feature deadly offenses. The winner of this will likely come down to whoever has the ball last. Just the way #MACtion should be.
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.	Central Michigan	1-3 (0-1 MAC)	NC State	(2-1, 0-1 ACC)	ESPN3
In our second installment of former MAC coaches hosting old foes in new places, the CMU Chippewas head down south to take on former NIU coach Dave Doeren and his NC State Wolfpack. CMU has had problems turning the ball over and will need every possession it can get against the Wolfpack.
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.	UConn	0-3	Buffalo	1-2	ESPN3
Which Buffalo will show up this week? Week 1's version, the team we saw in Week 2, or the bumbling fools we saw in Week 3? UConn may be win less, but its not terrible. Khalil Mack and the defense will need a big game, and the offense will need to show up to win this one because the Huskies are hungry for their first win of the season.
Saturday, 7 p.m.	Kent State	1-3 (0-1 MAC)	Western Michigan	0-4	ESPN3
Man oh man. What a rough Week 5 finale. Neither team has looked remotely good in the first four weeks, and this could be more of the same. Might we see a Dri Archer appearance in this? Will TVT get his head together? Will both teams continue to slip further into mediocrity?