2012 Mid-American Conference football season

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2012 Mid-American Conference football season
League	NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)
Sport	football
Number of teams	13
Regular season
Season MVP	Jordan Lynch
Football seasons
← 2011 2013 →

2012 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Kent State x		8	–	0					11	–	3
Bowling Green		6	–	2					8	–	5
Ohio		4	–	4					9	–	4
Buffalo		3	–	5					4	–	8
Miami (OH)		3	–	5					4	–	8
UMass		1	–	7					1	–	11
Akron		0	–	8					1	–	11
West Division
No. 22 Northern Illinois x$		8	–	0					12	–	2
Toledo		6	–	2					9	–	4
Ball State		6	–	2					9	–	4
Central Michigan		4	–	4					7	–	6
Western Michigan		2	–	6					4	–	8
Eastern Michigan		1	–	7					2	–	10
Championship: Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37
$ – Conference champion and BCS representative as top non-AQ school to meet automatic qualification criteria x – Division champion/co-champions UMass not eligible for conference title or bowl game as part of FBS transition Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 Mid-American Conference football season is the 67th season for the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The University of Massachusetts joins the conference to create a 13-team, two-division league. Last season at the Marathon MAC Championship game, Northern Illinois defeated Ohio 23–20 for the championship.

Terry Bowden was hired as Akron 27th head coach before the season started.^[1] Chuck Amato was named the associate head coach and defensive coordinator.^[2]

Players

Name	Position	Old School	New School
C.J. James	DE	Colorado State	Akron

Index to colors and formatting
Mid-American member won
Mid-American member lost
Mid-American teams in bold

Date	Time	Visiting team	Home team	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Ref.
August 30	7:00 pm	No. 7 (FCS) Towson	Kent State	Dix Stadium • Kent, OH	ESPN3	W KSU 41-21	15,121
August 30	7:00 pm	UCF	Akron	InfoCision Stadium • Akron, OH	ESPN3	L UCF 56-14	12,616
August 30	7:00 pm	Eastern Michigan	Ball State	Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN	ESPN3	BSU 37-26	12,725
August 30	7:00 pm	SE Missouri State	Central Michigan	Kelly/Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPN3	W CMU 38-27	15,250
August 30	7:30 pm	UMass	Connecticut	Rentschler Field • East Hartford, CT	SNY/ESPN3	L UCONN 37-0	35,270
September 1	12:00 pm	Ohio	Penn State	Beaver Stadium • State College, PA	ESPN	W Ohio 24-14	97,186
September 1	12:00 pm	Buffalo	No. 6 Georgia	Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA	SECN	L UGA 23-45	92,446
September 1	12:00 pm	Miami	Ohio State	Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH	BTN	L OSU 56-10	105,039
September 1	12:00 pm	Western Michigan	Illinois	Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL	ESPNU	L UI 24-7	43,441
September 1	2:30 pm	Northern Illinois	Iowa	Soldier Field • Chicago, IL	ESPNU	L IU 18-17	52,117
September 1	3:30 pm	Bowling Green	Florida	Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL	ESPN	L UF 27-14	84,704
September 1	10:30 pm	Toledo	Arizona	Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ	ESPNU	L UA 24-17	48,670
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game.

Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: QB Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois
Coach of the Year: Darrell Hazell, Kent State
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois
Defensive Player of the Year: DT Chris Jones, Bowling Green
Special Teams Player of the Year: KR Dri Archer, Kent State
Freshman of the Year: WR Jaime Wilson, Western Michigan

2012 All-MAC First Team Offense
Quarterback – Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois
Center – Zac Kerin, Toledo
Offensive Linemen – Brian Winters, Kent State
Offensive Lineman – Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Dann O'Neill, Western Michigan
Offensive Linemen – Austin Holtz, Ball State
Tight End – Zane Fakes, Ball State
Wide Receiver – Martel Moore, Northern Illinois
Wide Receiver – Bernard Reedy, Toledo
Wide Receiver – Willie Snead IV, Ball State
Wide Receiver – Jamill Smith, Ball State
Running Back – Dri Archer, Kent State
Running Back – David Fluellen, Toledo
Placekicker – Steven Schott, Ball State

2012 All-MAC First Team Defense
Outside Linebacker – Khalil Mack, Buffalo
Outside Linebacker –Gabe Martin, Bowling Green
Inside Linebacker – Dan Molls, Toledo
Inside Linebacker – Perry McIntyre, UMass
Down Lineman – Chris Jones, Bowling Green
Down Lineman – Roosevelt Nix, Kent State
Down Lineman – Sean Progar-Jackson, Northern Illinois
Down Lineman – Alan Baxter, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back – Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back – Dayonne Nunley, Miami
Defensive Back – BooBoo Gates, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Jermaine Robinson, Toledo
Punter – Jay Karutz, Eastern Michigan

2012 All-MAC First Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Dri Archer, Kent State
Punt Return Specialist –Bernard Reedy, Toledo

2012 All-MAC Second Team Offense
Quarterback – Keith Wenning, Ball State
Center – Skyler Allen, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Eric Herman, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Josh Kline, Kent State
Offensive Lineman – Tyler Loos, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Jordan Roussos, Bowling Green
Tight End – Garrett Hoskins, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – Nick Harwell, Miami
Wide Receiver – Alex Neutz, Buffalo
Wide Receiver – Jaime Wilson, Western Michigan
Wide Receiver – Titus Davis, Central Michigan
Running Back – Beau Blankenship, Ohio
Running Back – Zurlon Tipton, Central Michigan
Placekicker – Matt Weller, Ohio

2012 All-MAC Second Team Defense
Outside Linebacker – Tyrone Clark, Northern Illinois
Outside Linebacker – Justin Cudworth, Eastern Michigan
Inside Linebacker – Travis Freeman, Ball State
Inside Linebacker – Luke Batton, Kent State
Down Lineman – Jonathan Newsome, Ball State
Down Lineman – Freddie Bishop, Western Michigan
Down Lineman – Steven Means, Buffalo
Down Lineman – Andy Mulumba, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Back – Jahleel Addae, Central Michigan
Defensive Back – Luke Wollet, Kent State
Defensive Back – Darren Thellen, UMass
Defensive Back – Justin Currie, Western Michigan
Punter – Brian Schmiedebusch, Bowling Green

2012 All-MAC Second Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Bernard Reedy, Toledo
Punt Return Specialist – Jaime Wilson, Western Michigan

2012 All-MAC Third Team Offense
Quarterback – Zac Dysert, Miami
Center – Kevin Galeher, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Greg Mancz, Toledo
Offensive Lineman – Dominic Flewellyn, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman – Jordan Hansel, Ball State
Offensive Lineman – Cam Lowry, Ball State
Tight End – Alex Bayer, Bowling Green
Wide Receiver – Marquelo Suel, Akron
Wide Receiver – Andy Cruse, Miami
Wide Receiver – Cody Wilson, Central Michigan
Wide Receiver – Alonzo Russell, Toledo
Running Back – Jahwan Edwards, Ball State
Running Back – Trayion Durham, Kent State
Placekicker – Jeremiah Detmer, Toledo

2012 All-MAC Third Team Defense
Outside Linebacker – C.J. Malauulu, Kent State
Outside Linebacker – Alphonso Lewis, Ohio
Inside Linebacker – Dwayne Woods, Bowling Green
Inside Linebacker – Desmond Bozeman, Western Michigan
Down Lineman – Nate Ollie, Ball State
Down Lineman – Jake Dooley, Kent State
Down Lineman – Neal Huynh, Ohio
Down Lineman – Ted Ouellet, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Cam Truss, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Eric Patterson, Ball State
Defensive Back – Cheatham Norrils, Toledo
Defensive Back – Johnnie Simon, Western Michigan
Punter – Colter Johnson, UMass

2012 All-MAC Third Team Specialists Kickoff Return Specialist – Jamill Smith, Ball State
Punt Return Specialist – Jamill Smith, Ball State

The MAC placed seven teams in bowl games in 2012. This was the highest number of MAC bowl teams in the conference's history. For the first time, the MAC placed a team in a BCS Bowl with Northern Illinois playing in the Orange Bowl.

NOTE: All times are local

Bowl	Date	Time	SBC team (Record)	Opponent (Record)	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	December 15	4:30 pm	Toledo (9–3)	Utah State (10–2)	Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID	ESPN	L 15–41	29,243
2012 Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl	December 21	7:30 pm	Ball State (9–3)	Central Florida (10–3)	Tropicana Field • St. Petersburg, FL	ESPN	L 17–38	21,759
2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl	December 26	6:30 pm	Western Kentucky (7–5)	Central Michigan (6–6)	Ford Field • Detroit, MI	ESPN	W 24–21	23,3104
2012 Military Bowl	December 27	3:00 pm	Bowling Green (8–4)	No. 24 San Jose State (10–2)	RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.	ESPN	L 20–29	17,835
2012 Advocare V100 Independence Bowl	December 28	1:00 pm	Louisiana-Monroe (8–4)	Ohio (8–4)	Independence Stadium • Shreveport, LA	ESPN	W 45–14	41,853
2013 Discover Orange Bowl	January 1	8:20 pm	No. 15 Northern Illinois (12–1)	No. 12 Florida St. (11–2)	Sun Life Stadium • Miami Gardens, FL	ESPN	L 10–31	72,073
2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl	January 6	8:00 pm	Arkansas St. (9–3)	No. 25 Kent State (11–2)	Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL	ESPN	L 13–17	37,913

Players	Class	Position	School
Isaiah Williams	So	DL	Akron
Justin March	So	LB	Akron