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The 2020 All-MAC teams and individual awards were revealed Tuesday morning, following the completion of the conference’s 6-game regular season schedule which ran from Nov. 4 to Dec. 12.
Individual Awards
- Vern Smith Leadership Award (MAC MVP): Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo
- MAC Offensive Player of the Year: Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo
- MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Martin, ILB, Ball State
- MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Hairston, DE, Central Michigan
- MAC Special Teams Player of the Year: D’Wayne Eskridge, WR/RS, Western Michigan
- MAC Freshman of the Year: Lew Nichols, RB, Central Michigan
- MAC Coach of the Year: Lance Leipold, Buffalo
First Team
2020 All-MAC First Team
| Pos. | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Player | College |
| QB | Dustin Crum | Kent State |
| RB | Teon Dollard | Akron |
| RB | Jaret Patterson | Buffalo |
| WR | Justin Hall | Ball State |
| WR | Isaiah McKoy | Kent State |
| WR | Tyrice Richie | Northern Illinois |
| WR | D'Wayne Eskridge | Western Michigan |
| TE | Quintin Morris | Bowling Green |
| OL | Kayode Awosika | Buffalo |
| OL | Mike Novitsky | Buffalo |
| OL | Tommy Doyle | Miami (OH) |
| OL | Bryce Harris | Toledo |
| OL | Mike Caliendo | Western Michigan |
| DL | Malcolm Koonce | Buffalo |
| DL | Ralph Holley | Western Michigan |
| DL | Troy Hairston II | Central Michigan |
| DL | Mohamed Diallo | Central Michigan |
| ILB | Brandon Martin | Ball State |
| ILB | James Patterson | Buffalo |
| OLB | Anthony Ekpe | Ball State |
| OLB | Troy Brown | Central Michigan |
| DB | Bryce Cosby | Ball State |
| DB | Willie Reed | Central Michigan |
| DB | Noski LaFleur | Eastern Michigan |
| DB | Bricen Garner | Western Michigan |
| K | Marshall Meeder | Central Michigan |
| P | Luke Elzinga | Central Michigan |
| KR | Justin Hall | Ball State |
| KR | D'Wayne Eskridge | Western Michigan |
Second Team
2020 All-MAC Second Team
| Pos. | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Player | College |
| QB | Drew Plitt | Ball State |
| RB | De'Montre Tuggle | Ohio |
| RB | La'Darius Jefferson | Western Michigan |
| WR | Antonio Nunn | Buffalo |
| WR | Kalil Pimpleton | Central Michigan |
| WR | Jack Sorenson | Miami (OH) |
| WR | Skyy Moore | Western Michigan |
| TE | Daniel Crawford | Northern Illinois |
| OL | Curtis Blackwell | Ball State |
| OL | Jake Fuzak | Buffalo |
| OL | Derek Smith | Central Michigan |
| OL | Bill Kuduk | Kent State |
| OL | Jaylon Moore | Western Michigan |
| DL | Turan Rush | Eastern Michigan |
| DL | Weston Kramer | Northern Illinois |
| DL | Desjuan Johnson | Toledo |
| DL | Austin Conrad | Ohio |
| ILB | Bubba Arslanian | Akron |
| ILB | Terry Myrick | Eastern Michigan |
| OLB | Christian Albright | Ball State |
| OLB | Jamal Hines | Toledo |
| DB | Antonio Phillips | Ball State |
| DB | Jordan Gandy | Northern Illinois |
| DB | Tycen Anderson | Toledo |
| DB | Nate Bauer | Toledo |
| K | Chad Ryland | Eastern Michigan |
| P | Nathan Snyder | Ball State |
| KR | Trayvon Rudolph | Northern Illinois |
| KR | De'Montre Tuggle | Ohio |
Third Team
2020 All-MAC Third Team
| Pos. | Player | College |
|---|---|---|
| Pos. | Player | College |
| QB | Kaleb Eleby | Western Michigan |
| RB | Caleb Huntley | Ball State |
| RB | Kevin Marks | Buffalo |
| WR | Yo'Heinz Tyler | Ball State |
| WR | Hassan Beydoun | Eastern Michigan |
| WR | Isaiah Winstead | Toledo |
| WR | Jaylen Hall | Western Michigan |
| TE | Zac Lefebvre | Buffalo |
| OL | Sidy Sow | Eastern Michigan |
| OL | Nathan Monnin | Kent State |
| OL | Danny Godlevske | Miami (OH) |
| OL | Brayden Patton | Northern Illinois |
| OL | Brett Kitrell | Ohio |
| DL | Eddie Wilson | Buffalo |
| DL | Jose Ramirez | Eastern Michigan |
| DL | Kam Butler | Miami (OH) |
| DL | Lonnie Phelps | Miami (OH) |
| ILB | Jaylin Thomas | Ball State |
| ILB | Kyle Pugh | Northern Illinois |
| ILB | Treshaun Hayward | Western Michigan |
| OLB | Kholbe Coleman | Bowling Green |
| DB | A.J. Watts | Akron |
| DB | Devonni Reed | Central Michigan |
| DB | Emmanuel Rugamba | Miami (OH) |
| DB | Devin Lafayette | Northern Illinois |
| K | Alex McNulty | Buffalo |
| P | Nick Mihalic | Western Michigan |
| KR | Bryson Denley | Bowling Green |
| KR | Ron Cook | Buffalo |
All-MAC Breakdown by Team - Total (First, Second, Third)
- Ball State - 13 (5, 5, 3)
- Buffalo - 12 (5, 2, 5)
- Western Michigan - 12 (5, 3, 4)
- Central Michigan - 9 (6, 2, 1)
- Northern Illinois - 8 (1, 4, 3)
- Eastern Michigan - 7 (1, 3, 3)
- Toledo - 6 (1, 4, 1)
- Miami (OH) - 6 (1, 1, 4)
- Kent State - 4 (2, 1, 1)
- Ohio - 4 (0, 3, 1)
- Akron - 3 (1, 1, 1)
- Bowling Green - 3 (1, 0, 2)
Additional Notes
- Ball State received the most overall selections with 13.
- Central Michigan received the most First Team selections with 6, including four on defense, the kicker, and the punter.
- Three players made multiple appearances on All-MAC teams. Ball State’s Justin Hall and Western Michigan’s D’Wayne Eskridge both landed First Team selections as wide receivers and return specialists, while Ohio’s De’Montre Tuggle earned a Second Team nomination as a running back and kick returner.
- Jaret Patterson is the first Buffalo player ever to win the Vern Smith Leadership Award, which recognizes the conference’s MVP.
- A pair of twins appeared on the All-MAC First Team this year — Buffalo running back James Patterson and Buffalo inside linebacker James Patterson.
- Troy Hairston and Brandon Martin are the first MAC Co-Defensive Players of the Year since 1980.
- Buffalo head coach Lance Leipold won his second MAC Coach of the Year award after winning his first in 2018, joining P.J. Fleck (Western Michigan), Bob Pruett (Marshall), Gary Pinkel (Toledo), Paul Schudel (Ball State), Gary Blackney (Bowling Green), Herb Deromedi (Central Michigan), Denny Stolz (Bowling Green), Bill Mallory (Miami/Northern Illinois), Chuck Stobart (Toledo), and Frank Lauterbur (Toledo) as multi-time recipients of the honor.
- Buffalo kicker Alex McNulty made the All-MAC Third Team despite not making a field goal this season. The Bulls attempted one field goal in total, but McNulty was a perfect 36/36 on extra points.