Around The MAC
A look at the week inside the realm of MAC Football
As UMass re-enters the MAC in 2025, each week, we’ll keep you up-to-date on newsworthy items from around the league.
EMU OL RULED ELIGIBLE: The national law firm Shumaker secured a key court order keeping Eastern Michigan football player Blake Bustard eligible to play, thanks to a temporary restraining order issued by Judge Julia B. Owdziej against the NCAA.
The ruling shuns the enforcement of the “Five-Year Rule” and other eligibility bylaws that would have disqualified Bustard from playing this upcoming season.
“This is a victory not just for Blake, but for fairness in college sports,” said Shumaker attorney Diana Florence. “The NCAA’s rigid eligibility rules were threatening to derail a student-athlete’s future, and the court recognized the serious harm that would cause.”
The NCAA’s “Five-Year Rule” allows five-year athletes to compete in four seasons of play. Therefore, it accommodates redshirt years by giving players time to develop, allowing them to prioritize NIL opportunities.
However, there is a caveat. The rule has also been used to deny players such as Bustard eligibility in their final year.
Shumaker’s attorneys argued that denying eligibility without any justification would harm Bustard’s athletic career, personal development and ability to capitalize on NIL opportunities.
The court ruled in favor of Shumaker, ruling that it “is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify.” With the temporary order, Bustard can now fully participate in football activities at Eastern Michigan as the case is ongoing.
NIU LEGEND ADDED TO CFB HOF BALLOT: Dual-threat quarterback Jordan Lynch was named to the ballot of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame, which was announced last Monday by the National Football Foundation (NFF).
Lynch was a first-time nominee after getting inducted into the NIU Athletics and Mid-American Conference Halls of Fame in 2024.
During his storied career, Lynch helped lead NIU to a 24-4 record in 2012, where they won the MAC Championship and made an Orange Bowl appearance. The following year, NIU went undefeated in the regular season with Lynch.
The Chicago native was a third-place Heisman trophy finalist, making him the highest ranked ever in MAC history. Lynch received First-Team All-America honors from the Associated Press, Lindy's and Phil Steele in 2013 as an all-purpose player after making the AP and Phil Steele second teams as a junior. He set five NCAA and 25 school records.
Lynch never lost a road game (12-0) or a game at Huskie Stadium (11-0) as a starter.
Lynch won the MAC's Vern Smith Leadership (MVP) Award and was named the league's offensive player of the year in both 2012 and 2013. He was also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Manning Quarterback Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Senior CLASS Award and AT&T All-America Player of the Year awards as a senior.
SI RELEASES 5 MAC QBs “TO WATCH”: Sports Illustrated takes a look at some of the top signal-callers in the conference. None of the Minutemen quarterbacks made the list, but there are a few UMass opponents includes.
Akron, Central Michigan and Ohio all feature some of the league’s top quarterbacks, according to SI.
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