MAC Football

2026 MAC Football Week 3 Early Afternoon Live Game Thread

Six games in the early window gives MAC fans something to munch on over lunch.

Photo credit: JH Jimenez

It's officially Week 3 of the football season, meaning we're reaching the end of the non-conference season pretty soon.

There's lots of matchups in this window where our beloved conference doesn't have high hopes, but that small sliver is the reason we cheer, no?

Below, you'll see each game segmented into its own little space, with observations regarding each game updating in real time, so be sure to bookmark this page and refresh often!

Here's all the previews for the early window, with broadcast and gambling considerations inside:

Akron Zips vs. Minnesota Gophers

Akron kicks off to Minnesota to open the game (15:00 1Q.)
It didn't take very long for Minnesota to go down the field, as they got 30 yards on their very first play and capped it off with a 16-yard TD four plays later. Minnesota up 7-0 (12:19 1Q.)
We had expressed concerns about Akron's secondary in the preview and the first drive did nothing to assuage those fears. We'll see if they tighten up.
Disaster for Akron, as Jordan Gant fumbles the ball on a first-and-10 run and Minnesota's TJ Bush recovers.
The Zips defense manages to recover from the turnover and forces a three-and-out. Minnesota tries to pin the Zips inside their redzone and does.
Akron's offense can't repay the favor, punting the ball after a three-and-out.
Minnesota makes the Zips pay on the next possession, on back-to-back explosive plays to Javon Tracy, including a 44-yard receiving opener and a 20-yard follow-up.
The Akron defense bows up and forces Minnesota into a short field goal, putting the score at 10-0 Gophers (1:36 1Q)
Brayden Roggow has had to enter the game for Cibastian Broughton, and gets a cold welcome, with an incompletion and a 16-yard sack right away.
Akron's punt unit with a bad rep, netting only 42 yards on the punt and then giving up 64 yards on the return to Javon Tracy.
Minnesota only needed seven yards to score and got them, as Noah Jennings crosses the line to put the Gophers up 17-0. (10:55 2Q)
Roggow's arm getting a workout in relief, with eight pass attempts on a 13-yard drive. Unfortunately, two nasty penalties by Akron for illegal block and unsportsmanlike conduct force fourth-and-38 from the Minnesota 39. Not many calls for that scenario.

Bowling Green Falcons vs. Iowa State Cyclones

Bowling Green starts with the ball (15:00 1Q)
Jay Kastantin got some decent yardage on the first drive (23 yards), but the BG rushing game just can't find any room. They punt the ball back to Iowa State.
Oh, that's a bit of a surprise. Kyle Konrardy misses a field goal from 54 yards out, and that'll give BG a chance to try and tie the game. A good stop for the Falcons early.
Touchdown, Iowa State. They double up with a 34-yard completion from Jaylen Raynor to Jamal Polite to go up 14-0 (5:33 1Q).
BGSU has joined the scoring party! Jay Kastantin dumps the ball off to Winn Sharp and the receiver does the rest, torching the Cyclone secondary for a 59-yard burner! It's 14-7 Iowa State in Ames.
This game has not been the prettiest thing ever put to film for Bowling Green, but they've found ways to persevere. To wit, Drey Braxton just got in front of a Raynor pass to give BGSU another chance to tie.
Man, the BGSU defense has been holding up so well all game, but if the offense can't get going, it might be for naught.
On cue, Aiden Flora gashes the Falcons for a 61-yard TD on the first play of the ensuing series near the end of the quarter. Getting away from BG now, with Iowa State up 21-7 at quarter break.
Aiden Flora now over 100 yards on a 38-yard scamper.
Arnold Barnes gets a touchdown to put the score at 28-7 in favor of the home team with 9:47 2Q, and it might be a long day for the Falcons now.

Buffalo Bulls vs. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State won the toss and deferred (15:00 1Q)
The Bulls didn't get very far on their first possession, limited to a three-and-out. The special teams gave up a 38-yard reception, putting the Lions at the doorstep (Buffalo 38-yard line.)
The PSU offense looked to be searching for holes without putting themselves in danger. Eventually, they kick a short field goal after a three-and-out. Penn State up 3-0. (11:53 1Q)
Touchdown, Penn State. James Peoples gets PSU on the board with a 16-yard rush after the defense forced another punt. Penn State 10-0 (8:00 1Q)
It's not getting much better for Buffalo. Jason Wright fumbles the ball in the pocket and PSU recovers deep in UB territory.
PSU converts the turnover into a Andrew Rappleyea touchdown from Rocco Becht. It's 17-0 for the home team (6:19 1Q)
It seems no matter what UB does on offense, it doesn't quite work. Not unexpected, considering their last two games but at some point, they need to show something.
Well, maybe UB just needed to get a few calls going their way to figure something out. Two PSU penalties aid a scoring drive for the Bulls– though getting a field goal on the PSU 4 feels like a missed opportunity. PSU 17, UB 3 (1:39 1Q)
Penn State opens up the second quarter with a field goal to extend the lead to 20-3.
Guess who? It's Penn State again. Koby Howard gets in on the party with a 20-yard rushing score to put PSU up 27-3 (10:47 2Q)
UB's offense continues to look ugly. Two straight three-and-outs sandwich a forced PSU punt. It's getting to be a bit of a familiar story, even with a new quarterback at the helm.
SaVeon Brown gets called for roughing the passer on first-and-10 to put PSU on Buffalo's side of the field. The next play, PSU loses five of those yards on a fumble by Rocco Becht– who jumps on it.

Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Wyoming Cowboys

CMU will start the game with the ball (15:00 1Q)
Angel Flores is once again the starter at QB. There is intrigue today if CMU will stick to one QB or insist on their rotation after it produced less-than-stellar results vs. Colgate and New Mexico.
CMU converts an early fourth down to extend the drive. Awful bold go this early in the game.
The Chips once again struggle to finish a drive, but instead of going for it on fourth down again in the red zone, settle for a short field goal to go up 3-0.
This game, as you might have expected from reading our preview, has grounded to a halt as a field position game, as both teams have missed some opportunities in the pass game. The rain has certainly not helped here.

Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Wisconsin Badgers

EMU wins the toss and opts to kick, giving Wisconsin the ball. (15:00 1Q)
The Eagles forced a punt on Wisconsin's first offensive drive, which is encouraging. They've played well in first half action in all three of their games so far; the intrigue will be if they can keep that up over the course of a full game.
Noah Kim showing off good awareness with a 23-yard connection between him and Ronn Hardin to get into Badger territory.
Touchdown, EMU! Noah Kim finds Nick Devereaux for an 18-yard scoring strike and the Eagles are up 7-0 in Madison! (9:24 1Q)
The Eagles are just getting everything they like right now, as Rayquan Adkins plucks an interception to gift the offense another possession in favorable territory! Adkins has been an awesome addition to the secondary, impacting every game he's been in so far.
The offense can't do very much with it though, as they opt to pin Wisconsin down at their own nine-yard line.
Wisconsin eventually replies with a field goal, but they still trail 7-3 near the end of the first frame. It caps off a 14-play, 70-yard drive lasting over seven minutes. Luke Fickell will surely be frustrated by the lack of points if UW can't get anything going later.
EMU goes three-and-out on the next offensive possession. Trying not to worry, but you can't do that too much in a game like this.

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Like we described in our preview, the big story coming into this game is Ohio State trying to address mistakes from their previous game vs. Texas.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is 26 yards away from setting an all-time receiving mark for the Buckeyes. He's a simply unbelievable prospect.
Ohio State receives the ball to start the game. Kent State won and chose to kick. (15:00 1Q)
Ohio State showed their talent in a big way on the opening drive, knifing the KSU defense to the tune of 65 yards over seven plays, capping it off with Ja'Kobi Jackson's rushing score to go up 7-0 early 1Q.
"MAC Conference" alert from Gus Johnson, drink!
Jeremiah Smith gets the all-time receiving record at Ohio State on a 23-yard reception. He's tackled by A'tiq Muhammad.
Touchdown, Ohio State. This time it's Julian Sayin finding Nate Roberts for a six-yard score. Ohio State 14-0. (6:42 1Q)
Dru DeShields tosses a dangerous pass near the sidelines, but a tip by the Buckeye defender ends up in the hands of Ardell Banks and that's a third-and-long conversion! That's an exciting play for KSU, which has been flattened most of the time.
KSU goes for it on fourth-and-one on their side of midfield, handing the ball off to H-back Hunter Hopperton.... it's short. Kind of an odd call considering they ran the same play on the previous down.
Ohio State with another productive drive, as Isaiah West scores from four yards out to end a short two-minute drive. It's 21-0 OSU near the end of the first quarter.
Things are starting to snowball for Kent State, as another fallow offensive possession leads to a Bo Jackson touchdown run to put the score at 28-0. (No, not that Bo Jackson. And his real name is Lamar. No, not after that Lamar Jackson.) (9:29 2Q)
Aiden Burgess gets a nice sack on Julian Sayin on a fourth-and-five attempt at the KSU eight-yard line. That'll go up on the fridge.