DETROIT (WXYZ) — Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University will be facing off in Downtown Detroit for the next two years.
The agreement calls for a midweek November game at Ford Field beginning in 2026. The Mid-American Conference will announce this year's exact date in 2026.
"Taking this rivalry to Detroit places Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and the Mid-American Conference on a major stage in a city with a strong football tradition," said EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee in a news release. "Ford Field offers a championship setting for the student-athletes and improves access for our 98,000 alumni across metro Detroit. I cannot thank CMU Athletic Director Amy Folan and the Detroit Lions enough for their partnership, as it shows a commitment to expanding college football experiences in the region and strengthening connections between both universities and the city."
"This will be an incredible experience for our student-athletes and fans to be able to participate in two regular season games at Ford Field in Detroit," said CMU's Zyzelewski Family Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan in a news release. "Our goal is to showcase the entire University in one of our most important markets. We have over 70,000 alumni in the metropolitan Detroit region, and we are happy to bring CMU to them to reconnect. I want to thank the Detroit Lions, the Mid-American Conference, and Eastern Michigan Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee for coming together to make this outstanding opportunity happen."
Eastern Michigan will be the home team in 2026, and Central Michigan in 2027. Tickets for the 2026 game will go on sale in the spring.
The football rivalry between EMU and CMU is the longest-running in the MAC at 103 games. It is also the second-longest running series within the state of Michigan, trailing only the Michigan-Michigan State series, which has been played 118 times
