2018 MAC Championship Game
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game
| game_name = MAC Championship Game
| title_sponsor = Marathon
| subheader = 22nd MAC Championship Game
| image =
| caption =
| date_game_played = November 30
| year_game_played = 2018
| football_season = 2018
| stadium = Ford Field
| city = Detroit, Michigan
| visitor_school = Northern Illinois University
| visitor_name_short = Northern Illinois
| visitor_nickname = Huskies
| visitor_record = 7–5
| visitor_rank_AP =
| visitor_rank_coaches =
| visitor_rank_CFP =
| visitor_coach = Rod Carey
| visitor_1q = 0
| visitor_2q = 10
| visitor_3q = 7
| visitor_4q = 13
| home_school = University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
| home_name_short = Buffalo
| home_nickname = Bulls
| home_record = 10–2
| home_coach = Lance Leipold
| home_1q = 7
| home_2q = 15
| home_3q = 7
| home_4q = 0
| MVP = Offense: Marcus Childers (QB, NIU)
Defense: Sutton Smith (LB, NIU)
| odds = Buffalo by 3
| anthem =
| halftime =
| us_network = ESPN2
| us_announcers = Clay Matvick (Play-By-Play)
Dan Orlovsky (Analyst)
Paul Carcaterra (Sidelines)
| ratings =
| intl_network =
| intl_announcers =
}}
{{2018 Mid-American Conference football standings}}
The 2018 MAC Championship Game was an NCAA Division I college football conference championship game for the Mid-American Conference (MAC), that was played on November 30, 2018.{{cite web |title=MAC Announces Updated 2018 Football Schedule |url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2018/5/31/mac-announces-updated-2018-football-schedule.aspx |website=getsomemaction.com |publisher=Mid-American Conference |date=May 31, 2018 |accessdate=August 27, 2018 |language=en}} It was the 22nd Mid-American Conference Championship, and was played at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Sponsored by the Marathon Petroleum Corporation, the game was officially known as the Marathon MAC Championship Game. Northern Illinois scored the game's final 20 points to erase a 19-point second-half deficit and defeat Buffalo, 30–29.{{cite news|url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/ub-loses-heartbreaker-to-northern-illinois-in-mac-title-game/article_b80b7728-eff4-5f14-8dba-06bf5e5c5b55.html|title=UB loses heartbreaker to Northern Illinois in MAC title game|date=December 1, 2018|agency=The Buffalo News|author=Lenzi, Rachel|accessdate=December 21, 2020|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221055512/https://buffalonews.com/sports/college/ub-loses-heartbreaker-to-northern-illinois-in-mac-title-game/article_b80b7728-eff4-5f14-8dba-06bf5e5c5b55.html|archivedate=December 21, 2020}}
Teams
=Northern Illinois Huskies=
{{main article|2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team}}
Northern Illinois went undefeated 6-0 in conference play, until the Huskies lost to Miami on November 14. The Huskies were able to clinch the West Division, after the last remaining contender, Western Michigan, lost their third conference game also that weekend, eliminating the Broncos from contention. Northern Illinois makes their first appearance in the title game since 2015.
=Buffalo Bulls=
{{main article|2018 Buffalo Bulls football team}}
Buffalo was able to clinch the East Division after defeating the Falcons of Bowling Green at the end of the season, compelling a conference record of 7-1. The Bulls make their first appearance in the game since 2008.
=Buffalo vs. Northern Illinois series history=
The match up was the 13th meeting against the Bulls and the Huskies. They last played each other last season in Amherst, New York. Northern Illinois defeated Buffalo in a close win of 14-13. After the 2016 match up, Northern Illinois lead the series, 11-1. Buffalo has not won against the Huskies since 1968. The championship game was the first time in history that the two schools played in post season.
{{Clear}}
Game summary
=Scoring summary=
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryStart|VisitorName=NIU|HomeName=BUFF|state=}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=1
| Time=6:38
| Team=BUFF
| DrivePlays=13
| DriveLength=94
| DriveTime=5:39
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Kevin Marks
| yards=3
| Kicker=Alex McNulty
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=0
| Home=7
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=14:55
| Team=BUFF
| DrivePlays=11
| DriveLength=94
| DriveTime=5:00
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Anthony Johnson
| QB=Tyree Jackson
| yards=13
| Kicker=Alex McNulty
| kickresult=failed
| Visitor=0
| Home=13
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=9:51
| Team=NIU
| DrivePlays=12
| DriveLength=75
| DriveTime=5:04
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Spencer Tears
| QB=Marcus Childers
| yards=13
| Kicker=Andrew Gantz
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=7
| Home=13
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=5:41
| Team=BUFF
| DrivePlays=9
| DriveLength=75
| DriveTime=4:10
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Anthony Johnson
| QB=Tyree Jackson
| yards=26
| 2pt type=pass
| 2pt result=failed
| Visitor=7
| Home=19
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=1:42
| Team=NIU
| DrivePlays=12
| DriveLength=53
| DriveTime=3:59
| Type=FG
| yards=39
| Kicker=Andrew Gantz
| Visitor=10
| Home=19
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=0:03
| Team=BUFF
| DrivePlays=8
| DriveLength=70
| DriveTime=1:34
| Type=FG
| yards=24
| Kicker=Adam Mitcheson
| Visitor=10
| Home=22
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=11:25
| Team=BUFF
| DrivePlays=8
| DriveLength=75
| DriveTime=3:35
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Jaret Patterson
| yards=9
| Kicker=Adam Mitcheson
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=10
| Home=29
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=0:17
| Team=NIU
| DrivePlays=5
| DriveLength=34
| DriveTime=1:41
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=D.J. Brown
| QB=Marcus Childers
| yards=28
| Kicker=Andrew Gantz
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=17
| Home=29
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=4
| Time=12:51
| Team=NIU
| DrivePlays=4
| DriveLength=63
| DriveTime=1:17
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Spencer Tears
| QB=Marcus Childers
| yards=32
| Kicker=Andrew Gantz
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=24
| Home=29
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=4
| Time=1:09
| Team=NIU
| DrivePlays=8
| DriveLength=70
| DriveTime=2:11
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=D.J. Brown
| QB=Marcus Childers
| yards=35
| 2pt type=pass
| 2pt result=failed
| Visitor=30
| Home=29
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEnd|Visitor=30|Home=29}}
=Statistics=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Huskies
|R1=0 |R2=10|R3=7 |R4=13
|Home=Bulls
|H1=7 |H2=15|H3=7 |H4=0
}}
| class="wikitable"
! Statistics !!style="{{NCAA color cell|Northern Illinois Huskies}}; text-align:center;"|NIU !!style="{{NCAA color cell|Buffalo Bulls}}; text-align:center;"|BUFF | ||
| First downs | 23 | 26 |
| Plays–yards | 67–409 | 77–394 |
| Rushes–yards | 34–109 | 42–142 |
| Passing yards | 300 | 252 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 21–33–1 | 18–35–0 |
| Time of possession | 24:55 | 35:05 |
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| |rowspan=3 style="{{NCAA color cell|Northern Illinois Huskies}}; text-align:center;"|Northern Illinois | Passing | Marcus Childers | 21/33, 300 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Marcus Childers | 15 car, 58 yds | |
| Receiving | Spencer Tears | 6 rec, 73 yds, 2 TD | |
| rowspan=3 style="{{NCAA color cell|Buffalo Bulls}}; text-align:center;"|Buffalo | Passing | Tyree Jackson | 18/35, 252 yds, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Kevin Marks | 17 car, 72 yds, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Anthony Johnson | 7 rec, 124 yds, 2 TD |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2018 NCAA football conference championships}}
{{MAC Championship Game navbox}}
{{Northern Illinois Huskies football navbox}}
{{Buffalo Bulls football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2018 Mid-American Football Championship Game}}
Category:MAC Championship Game
Category:Buffalo Bulls football games
Category:Northern Illinois Huskies football games
Category:American football competitions in Detroit
{{Collegefootball-stub}}