MAC approves move to nine-game conference schedule starting in 2028
The Mid-American Conference's athletic directors approved a move to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in the 2028 season, maintaining an eight-game schedule for 2027 while continuing to field four non-conference opponents annually. Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said the change positions the league for long-term success amid ongoing college football restructuring.
Who this affects
Quoted from the advisory linked below. The desk does not restate it.
- Affected
- all Mid-American Conference football teams
- Fixed in
- 2028 season
- What to do
- adapt schedules to nine-game conference format beginning 2028; maintain eight-game conference schedule through 2027
The Mid-American Conference's athletic directors approved an expansion to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in the 2028 season, according to ESPN's reporting. The MAC will maintain an eight-game league schedule for the 2027 season while continuing to play four non-conference opponents annually.
Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher stated the change reflects the league's response to evolving college football. "College football continues to change, and our responsibility is to make thoughtful decisions that position the Mid-American Conference and our institutions for long-term success," Steinbrecher said in the announcement. "Moving to a nine-game conference schedule provides greater conference exposure for our programs while maintaining flexibility for meaningful non-conference competition."
The MAC remained a 13-member football league after adding Sacramento State to replace Northern Illinois, which departed for the Mountain West. Through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, ten MAC teams have played road games against Power 4 opponents, with six more scheduled to do so this Saturday, per ESPN.
The league will announce additional details about the nine-game schedule structure and opponent rotations later, according to ESPN, after considering factors related to competitive balance, geographic rivalries, travel, and home-game opportunities.
The MAC will expand from eight to nine conference games starting in 2028, preserving four non-conference slots while specific opponent rotation details remain unannounced.
How the MAC structures opponent rotations to preserve geographic rivalries while ensuring balanced home-game distribution across the league will determine whether the schedule change strengthens or fractures traditional conference matchups.
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Sources
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