MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL RECAP | NOVEMBER 3–4, 2026
BUFFALO 34, MIAMI (OHIO) 31 (OT)
OXFORD, Ohio — Buffalo rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun Miami (Ohio), 34-31, in overtime at Yager Stadium, strengthening its position in the Mid-American Conference championship race. Bulls quarterback Jason Wright spearheaded the comeback, throwing for 358 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for two additional scores, including the game-tying touchdown late in regulation. Wide receiver Chance Morrow torched the RedHawks secondary with 12 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns, providing the offensive firepower Buffalo needed to force overtime. Oliver Hautanen delivered the winning points with a 27-yard field goal before Miami failed to answer. The RedHawks received 112 rushing yards from D'Shawntae Jones and two touchdowns from Scoop Smith, but could not hold off the Bulls, who improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in MAC competition.
OHIO 28, AKRON 20
AKRON, Ohio — Ohio remained unbeaten in Mid-American Conference play, turning to explosive offense and timely defense to defeat Akron, 28-20, in a hard-fought road contest. Bobcats quarterback Nick Poulos completed 12 of 20 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another score, as running back Duncan Brune provided the decisive blow with a 91-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, finishing with 111 yards on just 10 carries. Wide receiver Dom Dorwart hauled in four passes for 108 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown reception, while linebacker Michael Molnar anchored the defense with 16 tackles. DJ Walker added a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. Akron received 112 rushing yards and a touchdown from Jordan Gant, along with 232 passing yards from Cibastian Broughton, but the Zips could not contain Ohio's big-play offense. The Bobcats improved to 7-2 overall and 5-0 in conference play.
MASSACHUSETTS 31, BALL STATE 30 (OT)
AMHERST, Mass. — Massachusetts survived a determined Ball State comeback, edging the Cardinals, 31-30, in overtime behind a career performance from quarterback William "Pop" Watson III. Watson completed 17 of 25 passes for a career-high 302 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 rushing yards and two scores, including the decisive 13-yard touchdown run in overtime. Wide receiver Kezion Dia-Johnson contributed three receptions for 97 yards, while Jabari Lewis added 78 receiving yards and a touchdown. Ball State running back Jalen Bonds powered the Cardinals with 132 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, while quarterback Keldric Luster threw for 182 yards and a score. After forcing overtime with a late touchdown, Ball State's missed extra point in the extra session proved costly, allowing the Minutemen to escape with their fifth victory of the season.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 35, EASTERN MICHIGAN 7
DETROIT, Mich. — Central Michigan dominated its in-state rival from start to finish, rolling past Eastern Michigan, 35-7, at Ford Field behind a punishing rushing attack and a relentless defensive performance. Chippewas running back Nick Woodford led the offensive assault with 123 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, while quarterback Jadyn Glasser completed 14 of 19 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Nasir Williams added three receptions for 57 yards and a score as Central Michigan amassed 418 yards of total offense, including 235 on the ground. Defensively, the Chippewas held Eastern Michigan to just 177 total yards and carried a commanding 35-0 advantage before surrendering a late touchdown. Eagles running back Amareon Blue managed 42 rushing yards against a Central Michigan defense that controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the contest. The victory lifted the Chippewas to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in MAC play.
TOLEDO 20, SACRAMENTO STATE 17
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Toledo leaned on a physical rushing attack and a stingy defensive effort to hold off Sacramento State, 20-17, securing another important victory in the Mid-American Conference championship chase. Rockets running back CJ Miller carried the offensive workload, grinding out 135 yards on 27 attempts as Toledo totaled 230 rushing yards. Quarterback John Alan Richter threw for 60 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown strike to Anthony Simpson, while Autavius Ison delivered a pivotal 19-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. Kicker Reice Griffith connected on field goals of 34 and 40 yards, providing the margin of victory. Sacramento State receiver Raiden Brown collected five receptions for 108 yards, but the Rockets defense limited the Hornets to just eight net rushing yards, forcing the hosts to rely heavily on their passing attack. Toledo withstood a late rally to improve to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in MAC competition, keeping the Rockets firmly in contention for a conference championship berth.