# 2011 MAC Championship Game
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/2011_MAC_Championship_Game
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/2011_MAC_Championship_Game.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_MAC_Championship_Game
> Source revision: 1221379958
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game
| game_name = MAC Championship Game
| title_sponsor = Marathon
| subheader = Conference Championship
| image =
| caption =
| date_game_played = December 2
| year_game_played = 2011
| football_season = 2011
| stadium = [Ford Field](/source/Ford_Field)
| city = [Detroit, Michigan](/source/Detroit%2C_Michigan)
| visitor_school = Ohio University
| visitor_name_short = Ohio
| visitor_nickname = Bobcats
| visitor_record = 9–3
| visitor_rank_AP =
| visitor_rank_coaches =
| visitor_rank_BCS =
| visitor_coach = [Frank Solich](/source/Frank_Solich)
| visitor_1q = 10
| visitor_2q = 10
| visitor_3q = 0
| visitor_4q = 0
| home_school = Northern Illinois University
| home_name_short = Northern Illinois
| home_nickname = Huskies
| home_record = 9–3
| home_rank_AP =
| home_rank_coaches =
| home_rank_BCS =
| home_coach = [Dave Doeren](/source/Dave_Doeren)
| home_1q = 0
| home_2q = 0
| home_3q = 7
| home_4q = 16
| MVP = WR [Nathan Palmer](/source/Nathan_Palmer) (NIU)
| odds = NIU by 3.5
| anthem =
| referee = Ron Snodgrass
| halftime =
| attendance = 13,052
| us_network = [ESPN2](/source/ESPN_College_Football)
| us_announcers = [Joe Tessitore](/source/Joe_Tessitore) (play-by-play)
[Rod Gilmore](/source/Rod_Gilmore) (analysis)
Eamon McAnaney (sideline)
| ratings =
| intl_network =
| intl_announcers =
}}
{{2011 Mid-American Conference football standings}}
The '''2011 MAC Championship Game''' was a [college football](/source/college_football) game played at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 2, 2011, at [Ford Field](/source/Ford_Field) in [Detroit, Michigan](/source/Detroit), USA, to determine the [2011](/source/2011_NCAA_Division_I_FBS_football_season) champion of the [Mid-American Conference](/source/Mid-American_Conference) (MAC).[{{cite web |title=Huskies Claim First MAC Football Title Since 1983 |url=https://getsomemaction.com/news/2011/12/2/FB_139295.aspx |website=Get Some MACtion}}] The game featured the [Ohio Bobcats](/source/2011_Ohio_Bobcats_football_team) and the [Northern Illinois Huskies](/source/2011_Northern_Illinois_Huskies_football_team). Sponsored by [Marathon](/source/Marathon_Petroleum) 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.[{{cite web |title=2011 MAC Championship Game - NIU 23, Ohio 20 |url=https://niuhuskies.com/news/2011/12/3/2011_Marathon_MAC_Championship_Game_NIU_23_Ohio_20.aspx |website=NIUHuskies.com}}]
==Teams==
===Ohio Bobcats===
{{main|2011 Ohio Bobcats football team}}
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](/source/Kent_State_Golden_Flashes_football), [Akron](/source/Akron_Zips_football), [Central Michigan](/source/Central_Michigan_Chippewas_football), [Bowling Green](/source/Bowling_Green_Falcons_football), and [Miami (Ohio)](/source/Miami_Redhawks_football). The Bobcats also started the season with three straight wins, before losing three games in four weeks to [Rutgers](/source/Rutgers_Scarlet_Knights_football), [Buffalo](/source/Buffalo_Bulls_football), and [Ball State](/source/Ball_State_Cardinals_football).
===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](/source/Army_Black_Knights_football) before losing back-to-back games to [Power-5](/source/Power_Five_conferences) opponents [Kansas](/source/Kansas_Jayhawks_football) and [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin_Badgers_football). 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](/source/Chandler_Harnish) quarterbacking their offense.
==Game summary==
{{Americanfootballbox
|titlestyle= {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Mid-American Conference|color=white}}; text-align:center;
|state=autocollapse
|bg=#fff
|bg2=#eee
|title=2011 Marathon MAC Championship Game
|date=Friday, December 2, 2011
|time= 6:00 p.m. [CST](/source/Central_Standard_Time)
|road='''Ohio'''
|R1=10|R2=10|R3=0|R4=0
|home=Northern Illinois
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=7|H4=16
|stadium= [Ford Field](/source/Ford_Field) • [Detroit, Michigan](/source/Detroit%2C_Michigan)
|attendance=
|weather=n/a (''indoor stadium'')
|referee=Rod Snodgrass
|TV=[ESPN2](/source/ESPN_College_Football)
|TVAnnouncers=[Joe Tessitore](/source/Joe_Tessitore) (play-by-play), [Rod Gilmore](/source/Rod_Gilmore) (analyst) and Eamon McAnaney (sideline)
|reference=
|scoring=
;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===
{{AmFootballGameStatistics
| Float = Left
| Visitor = Ohio Bobcats
| VisitorDisplay = OHIO
| Home = Northern Illinois Huskies
| HomeDisplay = NIU
| VisFirsts = 21
| VisPlaysYds = 71-372
| VisRushing = 39-130
| VisPassYds = 258
| VisPassing = 19-32-3
| VisTOP = 20:22
| HomeFirsts = 19
| HomePlaysYds = 62–405
| HomeRushing = 36–155
| HomePassYds = 260
| HomePassing = 16–26–1
| HomeTOP = 15:50
}}
{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers
| Float = Right
| Visitor = Ohio Bobcats
| VisitorDisplay = Ohio
| Home = Northern Illinois Huskies
| HomeDisplay = NIU
| VisPasser = Tyler Tettleton
| VisPassStats = 18/31, 218, 3 INT
| VisRusher = Donte Harden
| VisRushStats = 19 carries, 73 yards
| VisReceiver = LaVon Brazil
| VisReceivingStats = 8 receptions, 124 yards
| HomePasser = Chandler Harnish
| HomePassStats = 16/26, 250 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
| HomeRusher = Jasmin Hopkins
| HomeRushStats = 11 carries, 60 yards
| HomeReceiver = Nathan Palmer
| HomeReceivingStats = 4 receptions, 115 yards, 2 TD
}}
[{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/313362459| title = Ohio vs. Northern Illinois - Box Score - December 2, 2011 - ESPN}}]
{{Clear}}
==See also==
*[List of Mid-American Conference football champions](/source/List_of_Mid-American_Conference_football_champions)
*[Mid-American Conference football individual awards](/source/Mid-American_Conference_football_individual_awards)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{2011 NCAA football conference championships}}
{{MAC Championship Game navbox}}
{{Northern Illinois Huskies football navbox}}
{{Ohio Bobcats football navbox}}
Championship Game
Category:MAC Championship Game
Category:Northern Illinois Huskies football games
Category:Ohio Bobcats football games
Category:American football competitions in Detroit
Category:December 2011 sports events in the United States
MAC Championship
Category:2011 in Detroit
{{collegefootball-stub}}
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [2011 MAC Championship Game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_MAC_Championship_Game) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_MAC_Championship_Game?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.