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College football game
2021 Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship Game
1 2 3 4
Total
Kent State
0 0 10 13
23
Northern Illinois
10 7 7 17
41
Date December 4, 2021 Season 2021 Stadium Ford Field Location Detroit, Michigan MVP Offense: Jay Ducker (RB, Northern Illinois) Defense: C. J. Brown (DB, Northern Illinois) Special Teams: John Richardson (PK, Northern Illinois) Favorite Kent State by 3.5 Referee Jeremy Valentine[ 1] Attendance 10,317 Network ESPN Announcers Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
The 2021 MAC Championship Game was a college football game played on December 4, 2021, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan . It was the 25th edition of the MAC Football Championship Game and determined the champion of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for the 2021 season . The game began at 12:00 p.m. EST and aired on ESPN . The game featured the Northern Illinois Huskies , the Western Division champions, and the Kent State Golden Flashes , the Eastern Division champions. Sponsored by mortgage lending company Quicken Loans through their Rocket Mortgage brand, the game was officially known as the Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship Game .[ 2]
The 2021 MAC Championship Game will feature the Kent State Golden Flashes , champions of the East Division, and the Northern Illinois Huskies , champions of the West Division. This will be the teams' 30th all-time meeting; Northern Illinois enters the game leading the series 21–8.[ 3] The teams first met in 1949 , and have been Mid-American Conference opponents since 1975 .[ 3] The teams last met earlier in the season, with Kent State defeating Northern Illinois 52–47, to break a ten-game losing streak to the Huskies;[ 4] prior to 2021, the teams last faced off in 2017, with Northern Illinois winning, 24–3.[ 5]
Kent State clinched a spot in the championship game following their win over Miami (OH) .[ 6] It marked their first Eastern Division title since 2012 ; Kent State is looking for their first MAC title since 1972 .
Northern Illinois clinched a berth in the championship game following their win over Buffalo .[ 7]
2021 Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship Game
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Kent State
0
0
10 13 23
Northern Illinois
10
7
7 17 41
at Ford Field • Detroit, Michigan
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
Kent State
Northern Illinois
1
9:43
10
41
5:17
Northern Illinois
37-yard field goal by John Richardson
0
3
1
2:09
10
78
4:57
Northern Illinois
Clint Ratkovich 2-yard touchdown run, John Richardson kick good
0
10
2
8:33
15
81
7:52
Northern Illinois
Rocky Lombardi 1-yard touchdown run, John Richardson kick good
0
17
3
11:38
9
56
3:22
Kent State
41-yard field goal by Andrew Glass
3
17
3
3:55
Northern Illinois
Interception returned 26 yards for touchdown by CJ Brown, John Richardson kick good
3
24
3
0:27
9
75
3:28
Kent State
Nykeim Johnson 17-yard touchdown reception from Dustin Crum , Andrew Glass kick good
10
24
4
10:54
8
75
4:33
Northern Illinois
Rocky Lombardi 5-yard touchdown run, John Richardson kick good
10
31
4
6:55
5
21
2:48
Northern Illinois
Rocky Lombardi 2-yard touchdown run, John Richardson kick good
10
38
4
4:16
10
78
2:39
Kent State
Collin Schlee 4-yard touchdown run, Andrew Glass kick good
17
38
4
2:01
5
17
2:15
Northern Illinois
30-yard field goal by John Richardson
17
41
4
0:00
10
92
2:01
Kent State
Luke Floriea 17-yard touchdown reception from Collin Schlee, kick not attempted, time expired
23
41
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
23
41
Statistics
KENT
NIU
First downs
24
28
Plays–yards
62–391
76–368
Rushes–yards
36–195
61–266
Passing yards
196
102
Passing: comp –att –int
16–26–2
7–15–1
Time of possession
19:59
40:01
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Kent State
Passing
Dustin Crum
11/21, 128 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Xavier Williams
8 carries, 93 yards
Receiving
Dante Cephas
7 receptions, 102 yards
Northern Illinois
Passing
Rocky Lombardi
7/15, 102 yards, 1 INT
Rushing
Jay Ducker
29 carries, 146 yards
Receiving
Trayvon Rudolph
3 receptions, 50 yards
^ "Officiating crews for the 2021 college football conference championship games" . footballzebras.com . November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021 .
^ "Rocket Mortgage sponsors MAC championship game to help keep it in Detroit" . Detroit News . Retrieved August 9, 2022 .
^ a b "2021 Northern Illinois Football Game Notes - MAC Championship" (PDF) . Northern Illinois Huskies Football . Retrieved December 3, 2021 .
^ "Kent State scores 31 points in 2nd quarter, beats NIU 52-47" . CBS Sports . November 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021 .
^ "2021 Northern Illinois Football Media Guide" (PDF) . Northern Illinois Huskies Football . Retrieved December 3, 2021 .
^ "Kent State football beats Miami, advances to MAC Championship game" . kentwired.com . Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021 .
^ "NIU Huskies Beat Buffalo, Clinch Mac West Division" . chicago.cbslocal.com . Retrieved November 18, 2021 .
Division I FBS Division I FCS
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons