One of the most beloved conferences in the world of college football betting is the MAC, with mid-week action coming from this league elevating it to center stage late in conference play. But the entire season in the MAC is full of intrigue, both on Saturdays and during the week. Here, we look at the MAC championship betting landscape and what bettors need to keep in mind when betting this league this year.
MAC Football Championship Odds
| Team | MAC Championship Odds |
| Bowling Green | +300 |
| Toledo | +300 |
| Ohio | +550 |
| Miami (OH) | +700 |
| Western Michigan | +700 |
| Northern Illinois | +1000 |
| Eastern Michigan | +1600 |
| Buffalo | +1800 |
| Central Michigan | +2000 |
| Akron | +12500 |
| Ball State | +12500 |
| Kent State | +40000 |
MAC Football Championship Betting Preview
The MAC is wide open early in the 2024 college football season. There are six teams at +1000 or shorter odds to win the conference title as conference play gets going, with every one of those teams having a legitimate case to be made that this is their year. Among those teams are Bowling Green and Toledo, who have the best odds to win the MAC title, as both teams get set for the grind of conference play in this league.
Bowling Green’s status as one of the MAC favorites is interesting, as they had a really tough non-conference season to judge. They went 1-3, with their lone win coming against an FCS opponent in Fordham. After that, they lost to Penn State and Texas A&M, which were understandable. But a loss to Old Dominion before the start of MAC play is concerning as this team looks to prove it deserves to be a favorite in this league in 2024.
Bettors should also avoid counting out Ohio, Miami (OH), Western Michigan, and Northern Illinois, who all have plenty of talent by MAC standards. Bettors need to remember not to judge these teams entirely based on their non-conference performances early in the season, as they may look bad against power conference teams. But Northern Illinois’ non-conference win over Notre Dame was certainly an impressive one that could springboard the Huskies to a MAC championship in 2024.
MAC Football Conference Betting & Handicapping
The MAC is a breeding ground for coaches, so coaches come, and coaches go. Teams get into a form cycle and play well for a few years and then fade away into oblivion. Northern Illinois was a constant in this league with four conference titles from 2011-18 and six straight Conference Championship Game appearances from 2010-15, fell on hard times from 2018-2020, and then won the Conference Championship Game again in 2021. Buffalo had a similar run over a few years before Lance Leipold jumped ship.
It can be a tough conference to handicap from a futures standpoint because just about anybody can beat just about anybody else in a given week. Very little defense is played in this conference, so the games are high-variance and often high-scoring. That kind of environment does make it challenging to pinpoint a winner and the best team.
Expect the unexpected in the MAC, where roster turnover and personnel changes are common, and teams have a hard time sustaining consistency as a result.
MAC Football Championship History
| Year | MAC Champion |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Miami (OH) |
| 2022 | Toledo |
| 2021 | Northern Illinois |
| 2020 | Ball State |
| 2019 | Miami (OH) |
| 2018 | Northern Illinois |
| 2017 | Toledo |
| 2016 | Western Michigan |
| 2015 | Bowling Green |
| 2014 | Northern Illinois |
| 2013 | Bowling Green |
| 2012 | Northern Illinois |
MAC Football Championship Wins
| All Time Wins | MAC Team | Last Yr Won |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Toledo | 2022 |
| 11 | Miami (OH) | 2023 |
| 9 | Bowling Green | 2015 |
| 7 | Central Michigan | 2009 |
| 6 | Northern Illinois | 2021 |
| 6 | Ball State | 2020 |
| 5 | Marshall | 2002 |
| 3 | Western Michigan | 2016 |
| 3 | Ohio | 1968 |
| 1 | Buffalo | 2008 |
| 1 | Akron | 2005 |
| 1 | Eastern Michigan | 1987 |
| 1 | Kent State | 1972 |
