2011 Mid-American Conference football standings
vteConf.Overall
TeamWLWL
East Division
Ohio xy6–210–4
Temple5–39–4
Kent State4–45–7
Bowling Green3–55–7
Miami (OH)3–54–8
Buffalo2–63–9
Akron0–81–11
West Division
Northern Illinois xy$7–111–3
Toledo x7–19–4
Western Michigan5–37–6
Ball State4–46–6
Eastern Michigan4–46–6
Central Michigan2–63–9
Championship: Northern Illinois 23, Ohio 20
$ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant

The 2011 MAC Championship Game was a college football game played at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 2, 2011, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, USA, to determine the 2011 champion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The game featured the Ohio Bobcats and the Northern Illinois Huskies. Sponsored by Marathon the game officially known as the "Marathon MAC Championship Game". Northern Illinois tied the record for their largest comeback in the school's history, coming back from down 20-0 to win 23-20 on the game's final play to win their second MAC championship of all time.

Teams

Ohio Bobcats

Coming into the conference championship game, the Ohio Bobcats owned a 9-3 record, including a five-game win streak including conference wins over Kent State, Akron, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, and Miami (Ohio). The Bobcats also started the season with three straight wins, before losing three games in four weeks to Rutgers, Buffalo, and Ball State.

Northern Illinois Huskies

The Huskies came into the game having won seven straight contests beforehand, giving them a 9-3 record. NIU started the season with a thrilling win over Army before losing back-to-back games to Power-5 opponents Kansas and Wisconsin. The Huskies final loss of the season, and only conference loss came two weeks later against Central Michigan on October 1. The Huskies also had MAC Vern Smith League MVP Chandler Harnish quarterbacking their offense.

Game summary

Quarter1234Total
Ohio10100020
Northern Illinois0071623

at Ford Field • Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: Friday, December 2, 2011
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: n/a (indoor stadium)
  • Referee: Rod Snodgrass
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst) and Eamon McAnaney (sideline)
Game information
First quarter (10:33) Ohio - Matt Weller 30 yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 01:34; OHIO 3-0) (4:05) Ohio - Donte Foster 24 yard pass from Phil Bates, Matt Weller kick (Drive: 8 plays, 70 yards, 3:57; OHIO 10-0) Second quarter (11:03) Ohio - Matt Weller 21 yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards, 06:11; OHIO 13-0) (2:35) Ohio - Tyler Tettleton 18 yard rush, Matt Weller kick (Drive: 9 plays, 87 yards, 03:50; OHIO 20-0) Third quarter (6:19) NIU - Nathan Palmer 39 yard pass from Chandler Harnish, Matthew Sims kick (Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 03:52, OHIO 20-7) Fourth quarter (7:36) NIU - Martel Moore 32 yards from Chandler Harnish, kick no good (Drive: 4 plays, 63 yards, 01:13, OHIO 20-13) (2:52) NIU - Nathan Palmer 22 yards from Chandler Harnish, Matthew Sims kick (Drive: 6 plays, 57 yards, 01:44, Tied 20-20) (0:00) NIU - Matthew Sims 33 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 01:18; NIU 23-20)

Statistics

StatisticsOHIONIU
First downs2119
Plays–yards71-37262–405
Rushes–yards39-13036–155
Passing yards258260
Passing: comp–att–int19-32-316–26–1
Time of possession20:2215:50
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
OhioPassingTyler Tettleton18/31, 218, 3 INT
RushingDonte Harden19 carries, 73 yards
ReceivingLaVon Brazil8 receptions, 124 yards
NIUPassingChandler Harnish16/26, 250 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
RushingJasmin Hopkins11 carries, 60 yards
ReceivingNathan Palmer4 receptions, 115 yards, 2 TD

See also