2019 MAC Championship Game

The 2019 MAC Championship Game was a college football game played on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, to determine the 2019 champion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).^[2] With sponsorship from Marathon Petroleum, the game was officially the 2019 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game.^[3] The game featured the East division champions Miami (of Ohio) and the West division champions Central Michigan, and was the conference's 23rd championship game. The game was won by Miami, 26–21.

2019 Marathon MAC Championship Game
Conference Championship
Miami RedHawks Central Michigan Chippewas (7–5) (8–4) 26 21 Head coach:  Chuck Martin Head coach:  Jim McElwain
1 2 3 4 Total Miami 7 3 7 9 26 Central Michigan 0 14 0 7 21
Date	December 7, 2019
Season	2019
Stadium	Ford Field
Location	Detroit, Michigan
MVP	Offense: Jack Sorensen (WR, Miami) Defense: Emmanuel Rugamba (LB, Miami)
Favorite	Central Michigan by 6[1]
Referee	Ron Hudson
Attendance	22,427
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN2
Announcers	Anish Shroff (play-by-play), John Congemi (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline)
MAC Championship Game  < 2018  2020 >

2019 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Miami (OH) x$		6	–	2					8	–	6
Ohio		5	–	3					7	–	6
Buffalo		5	–	3					8	–	5
Kent State		5	–	3					7	–	6
Bowling Green		2	–	6					3	–	9
Akron		0	–	8					0	–	12
West Division
Central Michigan x		6	–	2					8	–	6
Western Michigan		5	–	3					7	–	6
Ball State		4	–	4					5	–	7
Northern Illinois		4	–	4					5	–	7
Toledo		3	–	5					6	–	6
Eastern Michigan		3	–	5					6	–	7
Championship: Miami 26, Central Michigan 21
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions

Previous season

The 2018 MAC Championship Game featured East Division champion Buffalo against West Division champion Northern Illinois. The Huskies upset the Bulls in a 30–29, to win their fourth title.^[4]

Teams

The 2019 MAC Championship Game will be contested by the Miami RedHawks, East Division champions, and the Central Michigan Chippewas of West division. Miami leads the all-time series 14–13–1; the teams last met in 2017, when Miami won 31–14.

Miami

Miami clinched its spot in the Championship Game after Buffalo lost to Kent State on November 14. A day after Miami defeated Bowling Green, to gain their seventh win their conference.^[5] This is Miami's fifth overall appearance in the Championship Game, their first since 2010. The RedHawks compile a 2–2 record in the game, winning in 2003 and in 2010.

Central Michigan

The Chippewas entered the game 8-4 and 6-2 in the MAC. Their four losses came to Wisconsin, Miami (FL), Western Michigan and Buffalo. They clinched the division in the last week of the season, with a win over Toledo. The Chippewas are 3-0 in MAC Championship games, with their most recent win coming in 2009.

Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Miami	7	3	7	9	26
Central Michigan	0	14	0	7	21

Game information

First Quarter (13:59) MIA – Jaylon Bester 1 yard rush, Sam Sloman kick (Drive: 2 plays, 2 yards, 1:01; Miami 7–0) Second Quarter (11:46) CMU – Tommy Lazzaro 21 yard rush, Ryan Tice kick (Drive: 14 plays, 90 yards, 7:07; Tied 7–7) (8:26) MIA – Sam Sloman 41 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, –4 yards, 0:58; Miami 10–7) (0:30) CMU – Quinten Dormady 11 yard pass to Tyrone Scott, Ryan Tice kick (Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 2:27; Central Michigan 14–10) Third Quarter (12:05) MIA – Brent Gabbert 31 yard pass to Jack Sorenson, Sam Sloman kick (Drive: 4 plays, 67 yards, 1:07; Miami 17–14) Fourth Quarter (11:38) MIA – Sam Sloman 33 yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:18; Miami 20–14) (4:06) MIA – Sam Sloman 48 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 6:01; Miami 23–14) (1:24) CMU – Tommy Lazzaro 4 yard rush, Ryan Tice kick (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:42; Miami 23–21) (0:28) MIA – Sam Sloman 42 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:56; Miami 26–21)

2019 MAC Championship Game

at Ford Field • Detroit, Michigan

• Date: Saturday, December 7, 2019
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 22,427
• Referee: Ron Hudson
• TV announcers (ESPN2): Anish Shroff (play-by-play), John Congemi (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline)
• ESPN game summary

Statistics

Statistics MIA CMU First downs 15 20 Plays–yards 62–272 74–355 Rushes–yards 35–76 31–99 Passing yards 196 256 Passing: comp–att–int 14–27–0 27–43–1 Time of possession 30:05 29:55

Team Category Player Statistics Miami (OH) Passing Brett Gabbert 14/27, 196 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jaylon Bester 20 carries, 66 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jack Sorenson 8 receptions, 123 yards, 1 TD Central Michigan Passing Quinten Dormady 26/41, 232 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Tommy Lazzaro 6 carries, 48 yards, 2 TD Receiving JaCorey Sullivan 7 receptions, 64 yards

See also

• List of Mid-American Conference football champions