| Year Game Played: | 2005 |
| Title Sponsor: | Marathon |
| Game Name: | MAC Championship Game |
| Subheader: | Conference Championship |
| Football Season: | 2005 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Akron |
| Visitor Nickname: | Zips |
| Visitor School: | University of Akron |
| Home Name Short: | Northern Illinois |
| Home Nickname: | Huskies |
| Home School: | Northern Illinois University |
| Visitor Record: | 6 - 5 |
| Home Record: | 7 - 4 |
| Visitor Coach: | J.D. Brookhart |
| Home Coach: | Joe Novak |
| Visitor 1Q: | 10 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 21 |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 10 |
| Home 3Q: | 14 |
| Home 4Q: | 6 |
| Date Game Played: | December 1 |
| Stadium: | Ford Field |
| City: | Detroit, Michigan |
| Mvp: | QB Luke Getsy (Akron) |
| Odds: | Northern Illinois by 13 |
| Referee: | Bill Alge[1] |
| Attendance: | 12,051 |
| Us Network: | ESPN |
| Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
| Us Announcers: | Mike Tirico, Kirk Herbstreit, Erin Andrews |
The 2005 MAC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2005, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.[2] The game featured the Akron Zips, winners of the Mid-American Conference East Division, and the Northern Illinois Huskies, winners of the West Division.
Down 14 points the fourth quarter, the Zips manufactured a comeback. Northern Illinois led by 6 points with 17 seconds remaining in regulation when Luke Getsy connected with Domenik Hixon on a 36-yard touchdown pass. This and the subsequent successful extra point attempt would prove to be the game winning plays. Their victory earned the Akron football program its first MAC championship and bowl game berth.[3] [4]