2026 MAC Football Week 4 Early Afternoon Live Game Thread

It's the final week of MAC games where the majority of the action will be against non-conference opponents! Let's enjoy some football with our morning coffee, shall we?

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!

Akron Zips vs. UNLV Rebels

Preview:

2026 MAC Football Week 4 Game Preview: Akron Zips vs. UNLV Rebels

The Zips host a Mountain West opponent for some non-conference action this weekend.

By The BeltJ.H. Jimenez

Updates:

• Akron is going to be down a ton of starters ahead of the game. As expected, QB Cibastian Broughton is out after suffering a foot injury vs. Minnesota. Other Zips out for today include DBs Catrell White and Alex Branch, as well as DL Omari Abor.
• The Akron/UNLV game is in and out with technical difficulties, but Brayden Roggow, as expected, gets the start at QB for the injured Broughton.
• Roggow takes a heavy roughing-the-passer penalty on an incomplete pass, but it's a sacrifice worth making, as the Zips approach midfield on the penalty yardage.
• Jordan Gant with 16 quick yards and the Zips are now in the UNLV redzone!
• TOUCHDOWN, Akron! Gant finishes off an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 12-yard scamper to the endzone, and the Zips take a 7-0 lead over UNLV!
• Jackson Arnold looking a lot sharper this drive for UNLV, with a nice 16-yard rope to Vincent Carter to get to the Akron side of the field.
• And just like that, the game is tied at 7, Arnold finds a wide-open Jet Thomas for a streaking 40-yard touchdown along the sideline. Doesn't get much easier than that. 7-7 8:17 1Q.
• It was a complete breakdown on the defense which gave UNLV the opportunity to tie. Thomas ran a simple wheel route out of the backfield and the corner on that side was too focused on the backfield to see him. No defender within 30 yards by the time the ball was out. That's happened a lot for the Zips secondary this season; it's a deeply concerning development.
• Akron knocking on the door thanks in part to Sean Patrick's big play ability. Set up on a Roggow 18-yard pass Miles Burris, Patrick gets 34 yards on three-straight runs to set up inside Rebel territory.
• .... Not really sure what the plan was there. Akron got a little cute and called halfback pass with Jordan Gant, but UNLV was all over it, smashing Gant as he threw. It gets picked on the wobble by Tre Fulton.
• Akron avoids disaster despite a raucous start to UNLV's new drive thanks to a 30-yard run by Jet Thomas. They force two incompletions and stuff a run to force the punt.
• Roggow has done a great job of connecting with Marcel Williams, hitting him up for targets of 16 and 25 yards on this drive.
• Akron looking at fourth-and-one from the UNLV 26 and gets aggressive, aiming to pass for the conversion. It falls incomplete, and UNLV takes over on downs. Feels like a field goal might have been the better call there, especially on a drive spanning over five minutes.
• UNLV's talent gap is starting to emerge here, as they drive right down the field for a touchdown, set up by a 37-yard connection between Arnold and Taeshaun Lyons.
• It's Jet Thomas for his second TD of the day, this time from two yards out on the reception. 14-7 UNLV 7:25 2Q.
• Marcel Williams is balling out for Akron, catching another big gainer, this time for 21 yards. He's at four catches for 68 yards.
• Akron settles for a field goal in their next extended drive, with Aidan Stire kicking it in from 36 yards out, 14-10 UNLV lead 2:44 2Q.
• Matthew Schramm was not listed on the injury report in the lead-up to the game, and was the starter last week, so it's curious Stire was on the boot.
• Outside of a few explosives given up, Akron has more or less looked really competitive against UNLV. They should be pretty happy with their performance considering they are down to their third-string QB. They trail 14-10 at the half.
• Well, that could not be a worse way to start the half for Akron. They give up a third-and-five to start, which leads to a 45-yard dagger on the very next play by Taz Reddicks on the reception.
• One play later, it's Jet Thomas for this third TD of the day on a 16-yard rush to put UNLV up 21-10.
• Akron gets forced into a three-and-out, but Joseph Castle flips the field on an impressive 63-yard boot. UNLV starts on their own 12-yard line.
• The Rebels absolutely gashing Akron's defense on this long drive, with gains of 11, 12, 10, 8 and 13 yards to start this drive.
• The Zips are lucky they managed to get in front of a few passes there considering how the drive started, forcing a Ramon Villela field goal. 24-10 UNLV 6:29 3Q.
• Sam Cantee, from nearby Avon, Ohio, intercepts Brayden Roggow's pass, and you start to get the sense this one is getting away from the Zips. We had highlighted Cantee as a player to watch in this game and he has delivered so far.
• Taz Reddicks gets behind the Zips defense for a 59-yard touchdown two plays later, and the Rebels go up 31-10 with 3:47 3Q.
• Roggow with perhaps the best toss of his burgeoning career, finding Kyan Mason for a 46-yard gain on a rainbow into the mitts.
• Tre Fulton gets the sack on Brayden Roggow on secod down to try and limit the damage; he's had a great personal day with an interception earlier.
• Ah, here's Matthew Schramm. He's on for a 44-yard field goal attempt... which is wide right of the mark. Not great.

Toledo Rockets vs. San Diego State Aztecs

Preview:

2026 MAC Football Week 4 Game Preview: San Diego State Aztecs at Toledo Rockets

Two pretty even squads get big final test before conference play.

By The BeltKeith Gregorski

Updates:

• San Diego State gets the ball, and have no problem driving down the field to start. The Toledo defense does manage to bow up in the redzone, however, limiting the damage to a field goal from 25 yards out. 3-0 SDSU 11:59 1Q.
• Connor Walendzak dictating the offensive tone early for Toledo, with 28 yards on five-straight running plays. John Alan Ricter's first pass attempt ends up falling incomplete.
• Ricter misfired on all three pass attempts of this drive, and it forces a punt. Mike Jacobs will surely be frustrated by the effort there.
• A holding penalty on third down dooms the Aztecs to a three-and-out. Their punt is shanked for 24 yards, and Toledo will pick up the ball at the SDSU 45-yard line.
• TOUCHDOWN, Toledo! Richter finds Adjatay Dabbs on a 19-yard strike and the Rockets make quick work of SDSU's special teams mistake. 7-3 UT 7:09 1Q.
• Ricter has really picked it up since that first series, completing four-straight on the current drive and 5-of-6 to get on the SDSU side of the field, including a nice 18-yarder to Sam Lee to convert a third-and-four.
• Toledo attempts to go for it from SDSU's 24-yard line on fourth-and-one, but Waldenzak's run up the middle is stuffed. A bitter end to what was looking like a decent drive.
• We're settling into a bit of a stalemate here, as both teams have punted on the last two drives.
• Ibrahim Traore gets called for another killer penalty on what was looking like a promising drive. Toledo still scores, but it's only a field goal. 10-3 UT 4:43 2Q.
• Toledo has really handled business against SDSU today, forcing yet another punt. The Aztec offense had questions coming in, but they're not finding many answers at the moment.
• TOUCHDOWN, Toledo! John Alan Ricter gets another one, this time on a pas to Bryson Hammer, who hauls in the 20-yard pass and turns it into a 78-yard score. UT is really starting to establish the tone, up 17-3 with 1:44 2Q.
• SDSU gets tricky, trying to catch Toledo sleeping on an onsides kick from Cooper Dileva to start the second half, but it goes three yards and Toledo is in prime scoring position.
• One play later, TOUCHDOWN, Toledo! John Alan Ricter connects with Bryson Hammer to put the Rockets up 24-3.
• The UT defense is holding it down right now, limiting SDSU to 116 total yards thus far, including 18 rushing yards on 17 attempts. A fairly powerful statement considering how last week went against Temple.
• Reice Griffin kicks another field goal for the effort, this one from 48 yards out, to cap an eight-play drive. Toledo leads 27-3 9:55 3Q.
• FUMBLE! Nicholas Thompson gets a hand in to force the ball out of Jordin Thomas' hands and Julian Fox is there to pick it up on the SDSU 13-yard line!
• The Rockets draw a personal foul on the first play of the new series, and the drive is killed after two incomplete passes. Reice Griffin trots up for the kick, and it's no good from 43 yards out.
• TOUCHDOWN, Toledo! Issac Zay's emergence continues, as he intercepts Jayden Denegal's pass attempt and takes it back 67 yards for the pick-six! UT in absolute control, up 34-3 6:34 3Q.

Ball State Cardinals at Kent State Golden Flashes

Preview:

2026 MAC Football Week 4 Game Preview: Ball State Cardinals at Kent State Golden Flashes

Neither team has played an opponent within 21 points. Perhaps they meet their match in this MAC opener.

By The BeltSteve Helwick

Updates:

• Ball State has game-time decisions to make on a trio of offensive starters, including QB Keldrick Luster, HB TJ Horton and WR Donovan Hamilton. Rotation offensive guard Zach Bandy is also listed as OUT today.
• The Cardinals defense forces a punt on the first drive, and now we get to see BSU QB Tyler Mizzell at the controls.
• FUMBLE! Johnny Thompson, in for the injured TJ Horton, gets lit up on a tackle and drops the ball. BSU falls on top, but they punt two plays later.
• KSU driving steadily, and Dru DeShields has been dealing, with nine rushing yards and a 20-yard connection with Wayne Harris to get deep into BSU territory.
• Touchdown, Kent State! Dru DeShields rolls out and spots Brandon White open in the back of the endzone from seven yards out. The Flashes strike first to go up 7-0 with 4:20 1Q.
• Bit of a sloppy return for Ball State, dropping the kickoff and very nearly fumbling the ball on the ensuing pickup and return.
• Kent State DB A'tiq Muhammed gets called for a pass interference, and that will give BSU some running room.
• Mizzell threads a nice ball to Donovan Hamilton (who was questionable to play entering today) for 13 yards to convert a third down and get to KSUs side of the field, but an unsportsmanlike penalty pushes them back and immediately kills the drive.
• A scuffle broke out after the ensuing punt, but the broadcast went to commercial before any resolution comes down. It was two unsportsmanlike conduct calls against Kent State. A really shocking one too, with one player tossing a player into a bench.
• Dru DeShields with an insane scramble play on fourth-and-12 deep inside his own territory. He finds Da'Realyst Clark wide open in the zone near the right sideline, and that's a 37-yard conversion!
• That's a killer for Ball State; they had forced a third-and-20 on the prior play and got a stop on it.
• Speaking of: Ball State draws a penalty for personal foul by hitting DeShields late on a QB slide. He's now being looked at for targeting. BSU has been one of the worst teams in the MAC in penalties against.
• Touchdown, Kent State! It's Dru DeShields on a seven-yard run, and the Flashes are now up 14-0 5:40 2Q.
• I know that college rules are more lax about how defenders can handle receivers, but that was excessive even by collegiate standards on Tyler Bivens.
• Kent State putting pedal to metal on this half-ending drive, with a 25-yard rush by Mason King to get to midfield right away– but a holding call forces them back to their own 40-yard line.
• KSU gets those yards back on a 25-yard pass from DeShields to Ardell Banks, and that will help set up a field goal attempt to try and enter the break up three scores.
• Kent State gets called for a false start after Ball State's timeout to attempt to ice the kick, turning it into a 53-yard try. Sean Leonard has plenty of leg behind it, and KSU leads 17-0 at the halftime break over Ball State.
• BSU with another strange special teams moment to start the third quarter. TJ Horton is too far back for the ball and it lands inbetween some of his blockers. Horton sprints over to get it and gets knocked to the ground hard in reply.
• I expressed earlier that Tyler Bivens had a pretty obvious DPI. Scratch that, Deondre Shepherd had an even worse one, grabbing the collar of Da'Realyst Clark and tossing him down from mid-air. Fortunately for him, KSU also committed a holding penalty on the play, which renders it null.
• Jalen Bonds with a Chris Berman-worthy highlight play, hauling in the toss from Tyler Mizzell, then plowing through one tackle, dodging another, and stradding the sideline for a 38-yard gain before being dragged down by a fleet of Flashes to set Ball State up inside the KSU 10-yard line.
• TOUCHDOWN, Ball State! Tyler Mizzell finds Donovan Hamilton underneath for a six-yard score, and the Cards are finally on the scoreboard. 17-7 KSU lead 6:50 3Q.

Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Lindenwood Lions

Preview:

FCS Round-Up: Week 4, 2026

Week 4 is the last of the Round-Ups as far as MAC/FCS games go. Hopefully, there’s no more road bumps from here.

By The BeltJ.H. Jimenez

Updates:

• EMU WR Nick Devereaux is OUT vs. Lindenwood. The Eagles have four offensive linemen also listed OUT, including Cole Dellinger and Guzzy Kayad. Starting OLs Joshua Anderson and Tyler Brumfield are QUESTIONABLE. Today's game will be a test of their depth in the trenches.
• EMU won the toss and deferred, giving Lindenwood the ball to start the game.
• The Eagles force a three-and-out on defense to start the game, an encouraging sign. The question will be more on offense, where they are dealing with a slew of injuries currently and have struggled in a general sense through three games.
• Noah Kim dealing early, with a 16-yard pass to open the game, and then a 26-yard pass to Benson Prosper and a 14-yarder to Harold Mack soon following.
• Touchdown, EMU! Amareon Blue caps the drive on a short rushing touchdown and the Eagles take an early 6-0 lead over FCS Lindenwood. (9:58 1Q)
• The lead stands at only 6-0 because Rudy Kessinger's PAT was blocked. Kessinger's struggles have been both apparent and startling so far in 2026.
• TOUCHDOWN, Eastern! Noah Kim hooks up with Benson Prosper for a 24-yard score with 3:53 1Q, and the Eagles are cruising already, up 13-0 on Lindenwood.
• The defense has come out to play for EMU, with two three-and-outs and a third punt so far.
• Rudy Kessinger makes up for the earlier PAT block with a field goal from 51 yards out to put EMU up 16-0 early 2Q.
• Lindenwood gets into EMU territory for the first time thanks in part to a personal foul penalty on Davion Williams, who was confirmed for targeting. The call erased a third-down stop for the Eagles D, which has been fairly pristine to this point.
• Elgin McDuffey saves the drive for EMU by collecting the sack on third-and-eight to force the punt!
• The tempo has started to slow up as we reach the end of the first half in Ypsilanti, with both teams punting the ball on their possessions. EMU will have a last chance to score here with under two minutes left, at the Lindenwood 40.
• It looked for a moment as if LU's Jalon Jones had intercepted Noah Kim, but on review, it's called an imcomplete pass. Jones, on the original play, had picked the ball off but fumbled the ball on the return, with a teammate picking it up.
• The stroke of replay luck gets converted to points, as Rudy Kessinger kicks a 42-yard field goal with 51 seconds to go in the half.