2016 Mid-American Conference football season

Sports season
2016 Mid-American Conference football season
LeagueNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
SportFootball
DurationSeptember 2016 – December 2016
Number of teams12
2017 NFL Draft
Top draft pickCorey Davis (Western Michigan)
Picked byTennessee Titans, 5th overall
Regular Season
Season MVPCorey Davis
Top scorerButch Hampton (128 points)
East Division championsOhio Bobcats
Western Division championsWestern Michigan Broncos
MAC Championship Game
ChampionsWestern Michigan
Football seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Mid-American Conference football standings
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Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Ohio xy   6 2     8 6  
Miami (OH) x   6 2     6 7  
Akron   3 5     5 7  
Bowling Green   3 5     4 8  
Kent State   2 6     3 9  
Buffalo   1 7     2 10  
West Division
No. 15 Western Michigan xy$   8 0     13 1  
Toledo   6 2     9 4  
Northern Illinois   5 3     5 7  
Eastern Michigan   4 4     7 6  
Central Michigan   3 5     6 7  
Ball State   1 7     4 8  
Championship: Western Michigan 29, Ohio 23
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2016 Mid-American Conference football season was the 71st[citation needed] season for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and was part of the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season.[1]

Previous season

Preseason

Preseason poll

On July 28, 2016, the conference held its MAC Football Media Day. A poll of the league's media members was conducted. Western Michigan and Bowling Green were chosen to win their respective divisions while Western Michigan was predicted to win the MAC Championship game.[2]

East Division

Rank Team
1 Bowling Green (12)
2 Ohio (10)
3 Akron (4)
4 Buffalo
5 Miami
6 Kent State
(first place votes)

West Division

Rank Team
1 Western Michigan (19)
2 Toledo (2)
3 Northern Illinois (3)
4 Central Michigan (2)
5 Ball State
6 Eastern Michigan
(first place votes)

MAC Championship Game winner

Rank Team
1 Western Michigan (19)
2 Toledo (2)
2 Northern Illinois (2)
3 Central Michigan (1)
3 Bowling Green (1)
3 Akron (1)

Head coaches

East Division

West Division

Pre-season coaching changes

Regular season

Postseason awards

2016 MAC Specialty Award Winners

Coach of The Year – P. J. Fleck, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year – Javon Hagan, Ohio
Offensive Player of the Year – Corey Davis, Western Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year – Tarell Basham, Ohio
Special Teams Player of the Year – Darius Phillips, Western Michigan
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner – Zach Terrell, Western Michigan

All Conference Teams

2016 All–MAC First Team Offense
Quarterback – Logan Woodside, Toledo
Offensive Linemen – Taylor Moton, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Storm Morton, Toledo
Offensive Lineman – Chukwuma Okorafor, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Max Scharping, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Mike Ebert, Toledo
Tight End – Michael Roberts, Toledo
Wide Receiver – Corey Davis, Western Michigan
Wide Receiver – Kenny Golladay, Northern Illinois
Wide Receiver – Cody Thompson, Toledo
Wide Receiver – Scott Miller, Bowling Green
Running Back – Kareem Hunt, Toledo
Running Back – James Gilbert, Ball State
Placekicker – Louis Zervos, Ohio

2016 All–MAC First team Defense
Outside Linebacker – Blair Brown, Ohio
Outside Linebacker – Ulysees Gilbert, Akron
Inside Linebacker – Quentin Poling, Ohio
Inside Linebacker – Malik Fountain, Central Michigan
Down Lineman – Tarell Basham, Ohio
Down Lineman – Terence Waugh, Kent State
Down Lineman – John Stepec, Toledo
Down Lineman – Pat O'Connor, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Back – Darius Phillips, Western Michigan
Defensive Back – Amari Coleman, Central Michigan
Defensive Back – Heath Harding, Miami
Defensive Back – Najee Murray, Kent State
Punter – Joe Davidson, Bowling Green

2016 All–MAC First Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Aregeros Turnerm, Northern Illinois
Punt Return Specialist – JoJo Natson, Akron

2016 All–MAC Second Team Offense
Quarterback – Zach Terrell, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – John Keenoy, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Troy Watson, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Levon Myers, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Collin Buchanan, Miami
Tight End – Mason Schreck, Buffalo
Wide Receiver – Corey Willis, Central Michigan
Wide Receiver – Kevonn Mabon, Ball State
Wide Receiver – Jon'Vea Johnson, Toledo
Wide Receiver – Jojo Natson, Akron
Running Back – Jarvion Franklin, Western Michigan
Running Back – Joel Bouagnon, Northern Illinois
Placekicker – Paul Fricano, Eastern Michigan

2016 All–MAC Second Team Defense
Outside Linebacker – Trenton Greene, Bowling Green
Outside Linebacker – Asantay Brown, Western Michigan
Inside Linebacker – Robert Spillane, Western Michigan
Inside Linebacker – Khalil Hodge, Buffalo
Down Lineback – Joe Ostman, Central Michigan
Down Lineback – JT Jones, Miami
Down Lineback – Treyvon Hester, Toledo
Down Lineback – Keion Adams, Western Michigan
Defensive Back – Shawun Lurry, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back – Dejuan Rogers, Toledo
Defensive Back – Javon Hagan, Ohio
Defensive Back – Jerrell Foster, Kent State
Punter – Austin Barnes, Eastern Michigan

2016 All–MAC Second Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Darius Phillips, Western Michigan
Punt Return Specialist – Darius Phillips, Western Michigan

2016 All–MAC Third Team Offense
Quarterback – Cooper Rush, Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Andrew Wylie, Eastern Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Jake Pruehs, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Tim Mcauiffe, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman – Logan Dietz, Bowling Green
Tight End – Donnie Ernsberger, Western Michigan
Wide Receiver – Jerome Lane, Akron
Wide Receiver – Sebastian Smith, Ohio
Wide Receiver – Sergion Bradley, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – James Gardner, Miami
Running Back – Jordan Johnson, Buffalo
Running Back – Fred Coppet, Bowling Green
Placekicker – Tom O'Leary, Akron

2016 All–MAC Third Team Defense
Outside Linebacker – Sean Wiggins, Ball State
Outside Linebacker – De'Andre Montgomery, Miami
Inside Linebacker – Ju'Wuan Woodley Toledo
Inside Linebacker – Junior McMullen, Miami
Down Lineman – Jeremiah Harris, Eastern Michigan
Down Lineman – Jon Cunningham, Kent State
Down Lineman – Casey Sayles, Ohio
Down Lineman – Anthony Winbush, Ball State
Defensive Back – Justin Ferguson, Western Michigan
Defensive Back – Josh Cox, Central Michigan
Defensive Back – Daquan Pace, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Back – Jamari Bozeman, Bowling Green
Punter – Michael Farkas, Ohio

2016 All–MAC Third Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Maurice Thomas, Miami
Punt Return Specialist – Corey Jones, Toledo

[3]

Bowl Games

Six MAC schools participated in bowl games.

NOTE: All times are local

Bowl Date Time MAC team (Record) Opponent (Record) Site TV Result Attendance
2016 Camellia Bowl Dec. 17 Toledo (9–3) Appalachian St. (9–3) Cramton BowlMontgomery, AL ESPN
2016 Miami Beach Bowl Dec. 19 Central Michigan (6–6) Tulsa (9–3) Marlins ParkMiami, FL ESPN
2016 Dollar General Bowl Dec. 23 Ohio (8–5) Troy (9–3) Marlins ParkMiami, FL ESPN
2016 Bahamas Bowl Dec. 23 Eastern Michigan (7–5) Old Dominion (9–3) Thomas Robinson StadiumNassau, Bahamas ESPN
2016 St. Petersburg Bowl Dec. 26 Miami (6–6) Mississippi State (5–7) Tropicana FieldSt. Petersburg, FL ESPN
2017 Cotton Bowl Classic Jan. 2 Western Michigan (13–0) Wisconsin (10–3) AT&T StadiumArlington, TX ESPN

Home game attendance

Team Stadium Capacity Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Total Average % of Capacity
Akron InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field 30,000 11,061 15,381† 11,094 11,321 6,559 6,605 62,021 10,336 34.46%
Ball State Scheumann Stadium 22,500 10,902† 7,249 10,739 5,614 4,442 38,946 7,789 34.62%
Bowling Green Doyt Perry Stadium 24,000 15,318 16,384 19,382† 16,121 13,612 10,021 90,838 15,139 63.08%
Buffalo UB Stadium 33,500 18,657 19,217 20,532† 16,092 15,012 15,447 104,957 17,492 52.22%
Central Michigan Kelly/Shorts Stadium 30,255 16,215 19,922 30,411 20,044 9,236 8,619 104,447 17,407 57.54%
Eastern Michigan Rynearson Stadium 30,200 14,221 17,012 21,412† 16,481 15,603 19,147 103,876 17,312 57.33%
Kent State Dix Stadium 25,319 13,540 14,265 20,167† 8,429 4,536 4,450 65,387 10,897 43.04%
Miami (OH) Yager Stadium 24,286 17,369 19,822 22,212† 15,160 14,270 13,824 102,657 17,109 70.45%
Northern Illinois Huskie Stadium 24,000 14,513 15,496† 8,495 11,801 4,790 55,095 11,019 45.9%
Ohio Peden Stadium 24,000 23,093 22,265 23,077 23,566† 17,113 18,025 127,139 21,189 88.29%
Toledo Glass Bowl 26,248 23,439 19,379 30,147 17,821 16,154 16,826 123,766 20,627 78.59%
Western Michigan Waldo Stadium 30,200 23,727 17,208 28,042† 23,721 26,136 24,191 143,025 23,838 78.93%

Bold – Exceed capacity
†Season High

References

  1. ^ Myerberg, Paul (August 17, 2016). "College football 2016: Mid-American Conference preview". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  2. ^ "Western Michigan Tabbed As 2016 MAC Champions In Preseason Media Poll". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  3. ^ http://mac–sports.com/news/[permanent dead link]
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2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season
Conference seasons
Inter-conference
All-Americans