| Game Name: | MAC Championship Game |
| Title Sponsor: | Marathon |
| Subheader: | 22nd MAC Championship Game |
| 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 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 |
| Referee: | Tim O'Dey |
| Attendance: | 10,255 |
| Us Network: | ESPN2 |
| Us Announcers: | Clay Matvick (Play-By-Play) Dan Orlovsky (Analyst) Paul Carcaterra (Sidelines) |
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.[1] 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.[2]
See main article: article and 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.
See main article: article and 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.
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.
| Statistics | NIU | 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 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 |