2026 MAC Football Week 5 Early Gameday Feed and Analysis

It is officially Week 5, which means the start of the MAC slate for the majority of teams!

There are no noon kickoffs for the first time in the 2026 season (for non-Week 0 action), letting us slide into action with a little more time to wake up. Two games will kick off before the 3:30 slate, with WMU taking on Buffalo and Toledo facing Ball State.

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!

Western Michigan Broncos vs. Buffalo Bulls

Preview:

2026 MAC Football Week 5 Game Preview: Western Michigan Broncos at Buffalo Bulls

Western Michigan and Buffalo once gave us a 7OT classic. What’s in store for this MAC opener?

By The BeltSteve Helwick

Updates:

• Availability reports are out for the Western Michigan/Buffalo contest. SAF Micah Davis is OUT as expected for the Broncos, while WR Aveion Chenault is QUESTIONABLE. For Buffalo, they're down three pieces on offense, including WR Jasiah Gathings, QB Elijah Holmes and HB Terrance Shelton Jr.
• Touchdown, Western Michigan! A no-nonsense drive by the Broncos is capped by a Jalen Buckley run up the middle from nine yards out. 7-0 WMU 9:25 1Q.
• WMU got pretty much whatever they wanted on that drive, averaging 8.4 yards per play and no being stopped for a loss once. Broc Lowry completed both of his passes and faced no pressure.
• Oh! WMU tries the onsides kick hoping to catch Buffalo asleep, but the Bulls manage to wrangle the ball in.
• Touchdown, Buffalo! Jason Wright gets the WMU defense to bite on a gorgeous play action on the first play from scrimmage and chucks the ball deep to Patrick Clacks III for a 59-yard scoring bomb. 7-7 9:13 1Q.
• Buffalo's defense found a sorely-needed stop on second-and-six, with a pair of Bulls dragging down Ofa Mataele. Then on third down, Cornell Evans gets into the backfield again to bring down Broc Lowry for a loss of seven yards. Punt incoming.
• Scoop Gardner absolutely CRUNCHED Jason Wright on that first-down pass attempt. Got by his assignment quickly and stuck Wright in the chest pads to force a wobbler.
• That Gardner hurry neuters the previous 16-yard run and forces UB to consider a fourth-and-one on WMU's 38.
• Buffalo converts for a five-yard gain and the drive continues.
• When Jason Wright is on, he is so much fun to watch. He just pinpointed Jaylen Andrews for an 18-yard reception that he practically had no choice but to catch. It was that well placed.
• Buffalo with some questionable runs once they get inside the five-yard line. It's fourth-and-one now, and it feels like they have no choice but to go here.
• Touchdown, Buffalo! Messiah Burch has to handle a bad snap on the HB Wildcat look, but he hauls it in and leaps over the right side of the line to score! 14-7 UB lead 14:25 2Q!
• UB found a way to move the ball on RMU last week, with the majority of their drives going over 10 plays. Seems like they're building on it, because that scoring drive went over 14 plays and took nearly half the first quarter. They had to be aggressive to max it out, with two fourth-down conversions.
• Don't see that one every day: UB head coach Pete Lembo draws an unsportsmanlike conduct flag after arguing with an official over a defensive pass interference call. That's 30 free yards for WMU after it looked to be a UB three-and-out.
• The Bulls defense stands to the occasion after that sloppy exchange and forces a turnover-on-downs thanks to a tipped pass at the line. They're playing out of their minds today considering their previous performances.
• After that clinical first drive, WMU's offense has looked really disjointed. Some unexpected losses in the run game has forced them to rely on the pass a little more and results are mixed.
• That was the first Buffalo drive where they looked overwhelmed by WMU's defense. Lost three yards on a first-down rush play, then an additional five yards on a follow-up attempt at a screen pass.
• WMU finally finds an explosive play, with a fake jet sweep allowing tight end Nathan Levicki to move upfield for a 47-yard reception. It comes one play after UB draws a pass interference call on third-and-six.
• Absolute disaster end to what was a promising drive, as Ofa Mataele fumbled the ball right after the Levicki reception for an 11-yard loss to effectively kill their momentum.
• WMU now tries for a 42-yard field goal from Dieter Kelly. It's good from the right hash, and they cut the deficit to 14-10 UB with 1:46 2Q.
• Buffalo on another steady drive, moving the chains primarily on the ground. Unfortunately for UB, Jason Wright gets sacked for a seven-yard loss with 28 seconds to go in the half and they'll run the clock down to go into halftime with the lead.
• The main thing which sticks out looking at the halftime stats is that WMU has been unable to move the ball on the ground after their first drive, with just 35 rushing yards compared to 113 pass yards– with 33 of those yards on the first drive. Even granting part of that is due to sacks and a fumble, it's something to keep an eye on.
• Western goes into the bag of tricks after two big gains to get into UB territory, but WMU loses nine yards on a double reverse play to go back to the wrong side of midfield.
• UB gets the ball back, but two bad sacks allowed really limit what the offense is able to do, and the Bulls punt it back to the Broncos.
• WMU has been getting a lot of pressure to start the second half, with two different rushers getting the sacks on the drive, including Dakari Frazier and Kedrick Burley.
• The Broncos should consider themselves lucky their personal foul on the first punt did not affect the drive after giving UB a fresh set of downs. Lot of uncharacteristic tendencies showing out today.
• Neither side really giving very much as the third quarter winds down, with lots of punts and little in the way of yards.
• Chance Morrow finally injects some urgency in the situation, with a gritty 18-yard reception to put the ball on the WMU 37-yard line as we wind down towards the end of the third quarter.
• The Bulls can't complete the drive with max points, but they'll happily take a short field goal to go up 17-10 with 13:03 remaining.
• WMU moving with urgency now, with a pair of big passes getting WMU to midfield before slowing the tempo down with the run game.
• Touchdown, Western Michigan! Broc Lowry plows through several tackle attempts and gets the ball over the line from five yards out. We're all tied up at 17 with 6:56 remaining.
• Western Michigan on the march after forcing a short Buffalo drive, now at the UB 28-yard line with 1:17 remaining. Sure feels like this is going to come down to a field goal try for the win.
• Broc Lowry on the QB power to the right gets eight yards, and WMU is in complete control, with UB down to two timeouts and 1:14 remaining at the UB 20-yard line.
• WMU kicks the field goal from 38 yards out to take a 20-17 lead, but there's still 1:22 remaining, with Buffalo holding on to a timeout.
• Buffalo airing it out in an effort to respond with a score and draws a pass interference penalty in the redzone. They're at the WMU 15 with 52 seconds remaining.
• Western calls timeout with 42 seconds remaining after a Jason Wright run puts the Bulls into first-and-goal from the WMU five-yard line.
• Jason Wright looks to run, but pulls back at the last moment and tries to complete a pass. It's broken up by WMU, and that forces fourth-and-one at the goal line with 11 seconds remaining.
• UB opts to go for the win, with Wright faking the give to the halfback, then not standing still looking at the endzone. Pressure comes, he flushes out, and stretches his arm towards the goal line– but he's stopped a yard short!
• WMU will win the game, if only barely! Final score: WMU 20, Buffalo 17.

Toledo Rockets at Ball State Cardinals

Preview:

2026 MAC Football Week 5 Game Preview: Ball State Cardinals vs. Toledo Rockets

Toledo starts their MAC campaign on the road against a wounded Cardinals squad.

By The BeltJ.H. Jimenez

Updates:

• Starting center Luke Rector and starting tackle Jonathan Harder are OUT for Toledo, while WR Isaiah Thatcher is OUT for Ball State.
• Also for Ball State: QB Keldrick Luster is once again questionable. HB Jalen Bonds is a new addition to the questionable list. HB TJ Hrton is not listed. EDGE rusher Lucas Szymborski is also questionable.
• Ball State with possession to start, and they find 16 quick yards. Keldrick Luster does indeed start for the Cardinals at QB today after missing last week vs. Kent State.
• Toledo thought they had a six-yard loss on TJ Horton's first carry, but a facemask rewards Ball State a vital set of downs and yards.
• Another defensive penalty for Toledo, this time a pass interference call. BSU marches up the field once again, now at the UT 29.
• Tyler Mizzell now in for Keldrick Luster and gets a 14-yard pass play right away. Luster comes back for an incomplete pass, then Mizzell gets another 14-yard gain, this time on his feet.
• The QB carousel ends in a scoring play for BSU, as Keldric Luster finds Alex Scherle for a four-yard touchdown to take the lead on Toledo by a 7-0 margin with 10:09 1Q.
• I admit intrigue at Ball State's decision to bring out the QB rotation so late in that drive. I wonder if it was necessitated by Luster's status coming in or if it was planned over the week. We'll see how it develops.
• CJ Miller isn't discouraged by getting stuck for a tackle-for-loss on his first carry, immediately gashing the BSU defense for a 50-yard carry down the sideline.
• The drive ends with a 43-yard field goal by Reice Griffith, as UT cuts the deficit to 7-3 8:05 1Q.
• FUMBLE! Andrew Zock gets the best of Keldrick Luster, strip-sacking him. An exchange ensues, but UT comes up with it deep in BSU territory with a chance to take the lead.
• The officials could consider reviewing the play; Ball State's sideline is certainly pleading their case.
• Officials opt not to look at the play, and the Rockets offense takes the field. They get a holding call on the first play.
• That was Ball State's best shot of shutting down a sudden drive, but Adjatay Dabbs notches 16 yards on third-and-13 to put the Rockets right outside of the BSU redzone.
• Chris Jackson with an excellent pass break-up on third-and-goal on sticky coverage alongside Dabbs. That's going to be a crucial play if this pace keeps up.
• Reice Griffin kicks his second field goal of the day, this one from 21 yards out. 7-6 Ball State lead 3:47 1Q.
• BSU DL Kendrick Gilbert takes a hit to his knee from a teammate, and has to get helped off the field. It was a grisly play which had all his teammates surrounding him.
• Keldrick Luster with a nice 33-yard connection with Johnny Thompson Jr. on a nice screen pass to get into Toledo territory.
• Andrew Zock is injured after Thompson's three-yard run, and there is attention being paid to his left arm/shoulder area.
• Brody Boehm has the boot for a 38-yard field goal try from the right hash, and the Cards extend their lead to 10-6 over Toledo 10:49 2Q.
• Through the first 20 minutes of play, Toledo only has 20 passing yards. That's honestly stunning. Lots of drops, overthrows and miscommunications today.
• Daryll Barnett bails out what could have been another bad drive with a 20-yard gain on third-and-11. Richter had to step up in the pocket to avoid a sack to even get the play off. That doubles their passing output on the day.
• Toledo has been one of the worst teams on fourth-down in the NCAA, so it's not a surprise they're punting on fourth-and-one at the Ball State 47... but you can't help but feel like that's a minor victory for the Cards. Nothing going right for the Rockets so far.
• SAFETY DANCE! Keldrick Luster gets pressured by a free defender, rolls out of the pocket and then tosses the ball to nowhere in particular while in the endzone. Toledo gets rewarded a safety via penalty, and also retain the ball. 10-8 Ball State 7:58 2Q.
• Brutal defensive penalty on what was a third-down stop. Willizhaun Yates gets called for defensive holding, and what was a three-and-out is now an extended drive. That sort of mistake has killed BSU all season.
• HUGE turnover-on-downs by Ball State, stuffing Connor Walendzak on fourth-and-one. Toledo's woes continue on fourth-down, where they were 3-of-11 coming into today.
• An absolute madcaps catch by Jamarion McDougle allows Ball State to set up shop in the Toledo redzone– and more critically, could put them in contention to lead by two scores with just over two minutes before the halftime break.
• Oof, that's a bad series of plays. Johnny Thompson gets stiffed on third-and-four, then Brody Boehm missess from 26 yards away on a field goal. That will give Toledo new life before the end of the first half.
• Touchdown, Toledo! The Rockets make quick work of Ball State's defense, getting 80 yards in just over 85 seconds to score a touchdown at the gun. John Alan Richter finds Daryl Barnett Jr., and Toledo takes a 15-10 lead into the halftime break.
• UT looking to extend their newly-found lead after receiving the ball to start the third quarter. They're at the Ball State 41-yard line after converting on fourth-and-one from the BSU 45.
• Mikeah Webster comes up clutch on third-down, breaking up a pass intended for Adjatay Dabbs to force a punt. No points-stacking for UT.
• Toledo gets the ball back after a quick BSU series, and five plays later, Connor Walendzak gets a 30-yard touchdown rush to put Toledo up 22-10 2:57 3Q.
• NOT SO FAST, says TJ Horton! He houses a 66-yard carry for points, and the deficit gets cut to 22-17 in favor of the Rockets just two plays later.
• John Alan Richter showing off the arm now, with an 18-yard conversion on third down, a 30-yard pass to get into BSU's redzone and an 16-yarder to get inside the five-yard line.
• Touchdown, Toledo! CJ Miller polishes off the drive with a two-yard run up the middle. It was eight plays for 75 yards, putting UT back up 29-17 13:27 4Q.
• Ball State needs to score here desperately to have any chance to mount a comeback here.
• The Cards are still utilizing their quarterback rotation, trying to find a spark, but a loss of yards by TJ Horton on third-down forces a fourth-and-five inside their own territory.
• Oh dear, a delay of game. That won't help.
• Fourth-and-10, and Tate Hoover just can't get the ball across the line after a nine-yard drive. Toledo takes over on downs.
• Toledo melting down as much clock as they can here, up two scores. Autavious Isom really pounding the pavement here, with six-straight rushes to start the drive.
• Connor Walendzak avenges an earlier miss on fourth-down, converting a fourth-and-one at Ball State's 14-yard line.
• Reice Griffith with another short field goal, and Toledo is now up 32-17 with 3:30 remaining.
• TJ Horton hasn't give up yet, with a nice 49-yard return to set BSU up on UT's side of midfield.
• Keldrick Luster's pass falls incomplete, but a facemask penalty on Andrew Zock gives the Ball State drive new life.
• Touchdown, Ball State! Luster makes Zock pay immediately, with a 33-yard connection with Jabari Smith to pull the tally within eight points at 32-24 with 2:09 left.
• Ball State using their timeouts to try and get the ball back, their latest after a third-down conversion by CJ Miller.
• Touchdown, Toledo! CJ Miller calls game on a 68-yard touchdown run with 1:35 remaining. Toledo up 39-24.
• Ball State with one last drive, but Keldrick Luster gets intercepted by Julian Fox, and that will end the game.