Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Have Georgia on Their Minds as First 2026-27 MAC-SBC Challenge Matchups are Announced
July 02, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Stroh Center, Falcon Fanatics
BGSU Women Will Host Georgia Southern While Men Travel to Face Georgia State in November
CLEVELAND, Ohio (BGSU Strategic Communications) – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Sun Belt Conferences (SBC) have announced the matchups for the first round of this season's MAC-SBC Challenge, and the Bowling Green State University basketball teams each will begin the 2026-27 campaign against a Georgia-based foe.
The BGSU women's basketball Falcons will host Georgia Southern on Monday, November 2, at the Stroh Center, while the BGSU men's basketball team will travel to face Georgia State on that same date.
The Falcon men are 1-0 against Georgia State, with the lone previous matchup having taken place in the 2008-09 season opener (Nov. 14, 2008). In the NABC Classic in Minneapolis, Minn., Brian Moten hit a game-tying three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation before Joe Jakubowski's buzzer-beating triple gave the Falcons a 77-76 overtime win over the Panthers.
The BGSU women will be meeting Georgia Southern for the first time.
The 12 MAC men's and women's basketball teams face off against 12 Sun Belt teams in a pair of contests each year, with each game being carried on an ESPN platform. Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge will be guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
The second round of the 2026-27 season, scheduled for Saturday, February 6, will feature Sun Belt women's teams hosting MAC opponents and MAC men's teams hosting Sun Belt opponents.
The BGSU men's basketball team has an overall record of 3-3 in MAC-SBC Challenge games. Coach Todd Simon's club is a perfect 3-0 in home games in the challenge, with wins over Arkansas State (2023-24), Coastal Carolina (2024-25) and Texas State (2025-26) at the Stroh Center.
Coach Fred Chmiel's women's basketball Falcons are 4-2 in MAC-SBC Challenge matchups to date. BGSU has won four consecutive games in the challenge, with wins over Southern Miss and at Arkansas State in '24-25, and victories at Louisiana and vs. Coastal Carolina last season.
The matchups for the February games will be announced in January.
FUTURE MAC-SBC CHALLENGE DATES
2026-27
Nov. 2 – BGSU women host Georgia Southern
Nov. 2 – BGSU men at Georgia State
Feb. 6 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Feb. 6 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
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2027-28
Nov. 8 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Nov. 8 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
Feb. 5 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Feb. 5 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men
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2028-29
Nov. 6 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Nov. 6 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men
Feb. 3 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Feb. 3 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
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The BGSU women's basketball Falcons will host Georgia Southern on Monday, November 2, at the Stroh Center, while the BGSU men's basketball team will travel to face Georgia State on that same date.
The Falcon men are 1-0 against Georgia State, with the lone previous matchup having taken place in the 2008-09 season opener (Nov. 14, 2008). In the NABC Classic in Minneapolis, Minn., Brian Moten hit a game-tying three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation before Joe Jakubowski's buzzer-beating triple gave the Falcons a 77-76 overtime win over the Panthers.
The BGSU women will be meeting Georgia Southern for the first time.
The 12 MAC men's and women's basketball teams face off against 12 Sun Belt teams in a pair of contests each year, with each game being carried on an ESPN platform. Each MAC and Sun Belt team included in the MAC-SBC Challenge will be guaranteed one home and one away game each season.
The second round of the 2026-27 season, scheduled for Saturday, February 6, will feature Sun Belt women's teams hosting MAC opponents and MAC men's teams hosting Sun Belt opponents.
The BGSU men's basketball team has an overall record of 3-3 in MAC-SBC Challenge games. Coach Todd Simon's club is a perfect 3-0 in home games in the challenge, with wins over Arkansas State (2023-24), Coastal Carolina (2024-25) and Texas State (2025-26) at the Stroh Center.
Coach Fred Chmiel's women's basketball Falcons are 4-2 in MAC-SBC Challenge matchups to date. BGSU has won four consecutive games in the challenge, with wins over Southern Miss and at Arkansas State in '24-25, and victories at Louisiana and vs. Coastal Carolina last season.
The matchups for the February games will be announced in January.
FUTURE MAC-SBC CHALLENGE DATES
2026-27
Nov. 2 – BGSU women host Georgia Southern
Nov. 2 – BGSU men at Georgia State
Feb. 6 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Feb. 6 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
Â
2027-28
Nov. 8 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Nov. 8 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
Feb. 5 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Feb. 5 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men
Â
2028-29
Nov. 6 – Sun Belt Women at MAC Women
Nov. 6 – MAC Men at Sun Belt Men
Feb. 3 – MAC Women at Sun Belt Women
Feb. 3 – Sun Belt Men at MAC Men
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