2005 MAC Championship Game

2005 Marathon MAC Championship Game
Conference Championship
Akron Zips Northern Illinois Huskies
(6–5) (7–4)
31 30
Head coach: 
J.D. Brookhart		 Head coach: 
Joe Novak
1234 Total
Akron 100021 31
Northern Illinois 010146 30
Date December 1, 2005
Season 2005
Stadium Ford Field
Location Detroit, Michigan
MVP QB Luke Getsy (Akron)
Referee Bill Alge[1]
Attendance 12,051[1]
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN
Announcers Mike Tirico, Kirk Herbstreit, Erin Andrews[2]

The 2005 MAC Championship Game was played on December 1, 2005 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.[2] The game featured the Akron Zips, winners of the Mid-American Conference East Division, and the Northern Illinois Huskies, winners of the West Division.

Down 14 points the fourth quarter, the Zips manufactured a comeback. Northern Illinois led by 6 points with 17 seconds remaining in regulation when Luke Getsy connected with Domenik Hixon on a 36-yard touchdown pass. This and the subsequent successful extra point attempt would prove to be the game winning plays. Their victory earned the Akron football program its first MAC championship and bowl game berth.[3][4]

2005 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
Akron xy$  5 –3     7 –6  
Miami x  5 –3     7 –4  
Bowling Green x  5 –3     6 –5  
Ohio  3 –5     4 –7  
Buffalo  1 –7     1 –10  
Kent State  0 –8     1 –10  
West Division
Northern Illinois xy  6 –2     7 –5  
Toledo x  6 –2     9 –3  
Western Michigan  5 –3     7 –4  
Central Michigan  5 –3     6 –5  
Ball State  4 –4     4 –7  
Eastern Michigan  3 –5     4 –7  
Championship: Akron 31, NIU 30
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

References

  1. 1 2 "Akron 31, NIU 30". MAC-Sports.com. 2005-12-01. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  2. 1 2 "Akron and NIU Meet In Football Championship Game" (Press release). MAC-Sports.com. 2005-11-30. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
  3. ↑ http://gozips.com/news/2005/12/2/12_2_2005_2621.aspx?path=football
  4. ↑ "Zips Win First MAC Championship" (Press release). MAC-Sports.com. 2005-12-01. Retrieved 2009-09-22.


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