UMass Poised to Join MAC for 2025-26 Season

The Mid-American Conference board today voted to add the University of Massachusetts as a full member, beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, per The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. The news was confirmed by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. 

UMass is expected to join the conference in all sports. Up until now, the program had been an FBS Independent. UMass football was in the MAC from 2012-15, and with the program’s return, UConn and Notre Dame stand as the last FBS independent programs. The Fighting Irish, however, have a long-term scheduling agreement with the ACC. Army competed as an independent FBS member in 2023 but is slated to join the American Athletic Conference next academic year.

UMass school initially left the MAC after the ’15 season because the conference declined to bring all of the school’s sports to the conference. Conference USA also had conversations with UMass about joining the conference, per The Athletic.

UMass went 3–9 in football last season with wins over New Mexico State, Army and FCS member Merrimack.