The University of Akron Athletics
MAC East Lead at Stake in Zips' Homecoming Game
October 24 | Football
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AKRON - The football teams at Akron (4-4, 3-0 MAC-E) and Marshall (3-4, 2-0 MAC-E) have not met in over two years and this Saturday night the eighth meeting of the series will be for sole leadership of the Mid-American Conference East Division. The winner will be in the driver's seat for a berth in the MAC Championship Game Dec. 2 in Huntington, W.Va.
"I'm not sure Marshall doesn't have the best defense we've played against, and that includes a great Virginia Tech team that's ranked pretty high in the country," said Zip coach Lee Owens. The Thundering Herd are three-time defending MAC champions.
This will undoubtedly be the biggest MAC game Akron has played in its nine seasons in the league. Celebrating its 100th season of football, Akron has yet to win a conference title.
It's no secret the MAC West is the stronger division this season and Western Michigan, after an impressive 52-22 win over Northern Illinois last Saturday, appears ready to clinch a second straight berth in the title contest.
Meanwhile, the Zips dropped their second straight home game, falling 38-35 to Connecticut. UA went 0-2 against Huskies, dropping a 52-35 decision to Northern Illinois the week before.
"As hard as I tried, as much as I said, they weren't going to hear me," said Owens, referring to his team maybe looking past UConn. "Looking ahead and not really concentrating on this Connecticut team that I knew was going to come in here with a week off and have something to prove and play us awfully well."
Football Game Day Info
Date: Oct. 28, 2000
Site: Akron, Ohio
Stadium: Rubber Bowl (35,202)
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. ET
Team Records: UA is 4-4, 3-0 in the MAC-E; Marshall is 3-4, 2-0 in
the MAC-E
Radio: ESPN 1350-AM. Steve French and Joe Dunn are the talent
TV: ESPN-Plus
Series: 5-2, Marshall
Zip Football Quick Facts
Location: Akron, Ohio (NE Ohio, pop. 223,000)
Enrollment: 23,264
Founded: 1870
Conference: Mid-American
President: Dr. Luis M. Proenza
AD: Michael J. Thomas
Head Coach: Lee Owens
Alma Mater: Bluffton, 1977
Age: 44
6th Yr. at Akron: 23-40
Overall: same
1999: 7-4, 5-3 MAC (3rd East)
HS Record: 89-32-2 (11 yrs.)
Offense: Offset-I
Defense: Flex 50
Marshall Coach: Bob Pruett
At Marshall: 53-8, 5th season
Overall: same
Last Week
Akron: lost to Connecticut, 38-35
Marshall: beat Kent, 34-12
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Jason Wiggins |
MEDICAL UPDATE: Senior DL Jason Wiggins (knee) is out for the remainder of the season. Senior LB Louis Mackey suffered a shoulder injury and a concussion against NIU and did not dress for UConn. He is questionable for Marshall. Sophomore DB Corvin Amos (foot injury) did not dress for the UConn game and is probable for Marshall. Junior OL Paul Ondrusek (left knee) was injured in the first half against UConn, and is probable for Marshall.
MAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Just one Zip was nominated for MAC Player of the Week, after Saturday's 38-35 loss to UConn: OFFENSIVE- Brandon Payne (career-high 207 rushing yards, 241 all-purpose yards).
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Butchie Washington |
UCONN GAME NOTES: The Zips have dropped two in a row at home for the first time since Sept., 1996, with losses to 15th-ranked Virginia Tech and Toledo ... QB Butchie Washington tossed two more scoring passes (eight in the last three weeks) and is now at 33 for his career ... WR Lavel Bailey broke the UA career receptions mark of 127 previously held by Dan Ruff (1967-70). Bailey is at 130 career catches. He also extended his string to 21 games with at least one reception ... Brandon Payne scored his 10th touchdown of the season and the 24th of his career to move into 10th place on the Zips all-time scoring list ... Junior linebacker Terrell Colbert and true freshman defensive back Rickey McKenzie made their first career starts.
HOMECOMING: Zips are 46-28-2 in Homecoming Games, including a 55-25 win over Bowling Green last year ... The Akron Beacon Journal is sponsoring this year's Homecoming tilt with a "Fill The Bowl" promotion ... In conjunction with the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, fans can receive a discounted general admission ticket for only $4 by bringing a non-perishable canned good to the Rubber Bowl or the JAR Arena athletic ticket office ... Tailgate City opens at 5:30 p.m., with a fireworks show planned for after the game.
WOW: Two years ago when Marshall played at the Rubber Bowl, with Chad Pennington and Doug Chapman, the Thundering Herd rushed for 56 net yards and won the game 27-16. The Zips sacked Pennington four times for 27 yards in losses.
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Brandon Payne |
OFF THE CUFF: The Zips have scored at least 35 points in each of four home games and have averaged 35.5 ppg. ... Zips (404.6 yards/game) are one of four MAC teams averaging 400 or more yards of total offense per game (1. Marshall, 2. Ohio, 4. Northern Illinois) ... Zips, Herd rank 2, 3 in the MAC in average yards per offensive play at 5.9 and 5.8, respectively. Ohio is #1 at 6.1 ... Akron is third in the league in first downs, third-down conversions and sacks allowed (total of 8 for 38 yards lost) ... Butchie Washington ranks third in the MAC in passing efficiency (130.6) ... Lavel Bailey ranks second in the MAC in reception yards per game (91.0) and leads the league at 20.2 yards per catch ... Zip backs Brandon Payne (119.2) and Jimmie Gray (64.0) have averaged 183.2 ground yards together on turf ... on natural grass, Payne (55.0) and Gray (36.0) have combined to average 91.0 yards ... Payne is third in all-purpose yardage (129.3 per gm), fourth in the MAC in rushing (95.1), fifth in scoring (7.5) and sixth in punt returns (8.4) ... Dwight Smith continues to lead the nation in INTs with eight, although he has not had one the last three games ... the Zips are a plus-2 in turnover margin and are second in the MAC with 10 INTs ... Akron doubled its season sack total at BG with four and had three vs. UConn ... eight different Zips have at least one quarterback sack ... largest Bowl crowd under Lee Owens: 18,887 vs. Bowling Green, 1997.
SERIES: 5-2, Marshall. The Herd has won both MAC games in this series (1997, 1998). The two teams did not play last year.
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Rickey McKenzie |
BAPTISM BY FIRE: Two true freshmen DBs Maurice Taylor (Warren G. Harding) and Rickey McKenzie (Elkhart, Ind.) were activated for the Miami game and saw duty on special teams. McKenzie started against Connecticut. Taylor and rookie DL Doug Sutton are both out of Warren G. Harding HS.
IT MIGHT NOT BE AS BAD ...: The Zips have been touched for 90 points in the last two games and dropped to 13th in the league in total defense (421.0). Yet in other statistics, Akron's defense looks much better: scoring (8th, 30.5), pass efficiency (4th, 113.4), and third-down conversions (8th, 38.9). The Zips are second in the MAC in interceptions (10) and are a +2 in the giveaway/takeaway department. Akron is seventh in the MAC in net punt (34.3).
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Jermaine Williams |
JENKS: Overshadowed in the loss to Connecticut was a pretty solid effort by senior defensive tackle Jermaine Williams (Akron/Central-Hower). Nicknamed Jenks, Williams had six solo tackles, including two TFLs (minus-15) and one pass break-up. The 6-2, 278-pounder has 10 career tackles for loss ... Coach Owens says junior Terrell Colbert (Rahway, N.J./Merced J.C.) played well in his first I-A college start. Colbert started at middle linebacker and was credited with seven solo tackles and two assists, including one TFL.
THE STEEL CURTAIN: Both from Pittsburgh, Pa., and both have produced plenty of points for the Zips junior place kicker Zac Derr (Shaler) and sophomore tailback Brandon Payne (Woodland Hills). Both are among Akron's top 10 all-time leading scorers (166, 152 points) and have combined for 318 points.
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Lavel Bailey |
RECORD WATCH: Wide receiver Lavel Bailey caught his 130th career pass vs. UConn and surpassed all-time Akron leader Dan Ruff (127) by three receptions. His career totals for yardage (2,429) and touchdowns (20) are all second on UA's leader board, trailing one man: Ruff (1967-70). Ruff's numbers: 2,531 and 27 are all within striking distance. Bailey enjoyed his 10th career 100-yard receiving game (his third of the season) against NIU (4 recs, 156 yds, 1 TD). He had six grabs for 131 yards and two TDs against UCF.
Bailey and Jake Schifino now hold six of the 20 longest pass receptions in UA history. Bailey's 80-yard TD catch vs. NIU tied for fifth longest in school history. Schifino's 78-yard scoring grab is the ninth longest on record.
Vs. UConn, tailback Brandon Payne scored two touchdowns. Payne piled up a career-high 207 yards (31 carries) on the ground, with four runs of more than 15 yards. With his career-rushing total at 1,606 yards (84.5 yds/game), Payne's career point total stands at 152 (10th place on the UA career scoring list). Currently at 95.1 rushing yds/game, he would have to average 80.0 over Akron's final three games to become the Zips' first Div. I-A 1,000-yard rusher.
Vs. UConn, quarterback Butchie Washington, already the UA record holder for career completions (437), passing yardage (6,129), touchdowns (33) and career total offense (6,405), enjoyed his 23rd career 150-yard passing game and will make his 36th consecutive start vs. Marshall - the second longest streak in Division I-A (36, Jason McKinley, Houston). Washington has thrown for 200-plus yards in six of Akron's eight games to date. On his current pace (1,749 passing yds in 8 games), he'll break the UA season passing mark of 2,170 set by Mike Johnson in 1988.
Also vs. Connecticut, junior PK Zac Derr added five XPs and is in sixth place on the all-time Akron scoring chart (166 points). He had 24 kicking points in the wins over Ohio and Miami.
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Dwight Smith |
WATCH LISTS: Three Zips have been nominated for national awards. Zip senior DB Dwight Smith is on the 40-man Watch List for the Jim Thorpe Award. Smith, a top 20 pick at his position by The Sporting News and rated the nation's 14th best corner by Rivals.com, currently leads the nation with eight interceptions. Smith is the second Zip (Andre McCray tabbed in 1998) in three years to be listed by the Thorpe Award, which recognizes the nation's premier defensive back.
Sophomore tailback Brandon Payne is on the Watch List for the Doak Walker Award, which recognizes the nation's outstanding running back. The 1999 MAC Freshman of the Year has had 207- and 188-yard rushing games this season.
Sure-handed Tim Ritley (Perry/Lake Perry) has been nominated for the inaugural John Mackey Award, symbolic of the country's outstanding tight end. A top candidate for Academic All-American, Ritley has 11 receptions for 180 yards (one TD at BG) to date and has 31 career catches and four touchdowns in 30 career games. He also caught a two-point pass vs. NIU.
In addition, senior captain Rich Reliford (Bolingbrook, Ill.) has been nominated for the National Scholar-Athlete Postgraduate Scholarship Awards.
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Matt Zuercher |
ACADEMIC NOMINATIONS: Four Zips have been nominated for the GTE Academic All-District Team: junior PK Zac Derr (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler), junior TE Tim Ritley (Lake Perry), senior DL Jason Wiggins (Columbus/St. Francis DeSales) and junior fullback Matt Zuercher (Waynedale). Ritley is an honorable mention choice for the 2000 Anson Mount Scholar-Athlete award (Drew Brees winner) and was first-team All-District last fall.
1-2 PUNCH: How about the passing catching duo of senior Lavel Bailey and junior Jake Schifino? Thru eight games, they've combined for 65 catches, 1,249 yards and 10 TDs.
INVITED: Dwight Smith has been invited to play in the Tyco Gridiron Classic Jan. 13, 2001, at the Florida Citrus Bowl and in the Delchamps Senior Bowl, Jan. 20, in Mobile, Ala. The Gridiron Classic matches Team Florida against Team USA. Ex-Zip great Jason Taylor played in the 1997 Senior Bowl and was the North Defensive MVP.
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Rich Reliford |
VETERAN CREW: There are 20 seniors on this year's Akron squad, with 11 of the 20 being starters. The Zips' captains for the 2000 season are: FB Tony McCray (Akron/Buchtel), DB Rich Reliford (Bolingbrook, Ill.), DB Dwight Smith (Detroit, Mich./Central) and QB Butchie Washington (Columbus/ Beechcroft) all seniors. McCray is the younger brother of former Zip captain Andre McCray and might be the fastest fullback in the MAC.
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK: UA is calling this week "Championship Week." The Zip women's cross country team will seek to defend its MAC crown Saturday in Schoolcraft, Mich. The football team is attempting to clear a major hurdle enroute to the MAC East Division title. The Akron men's soccer team can win its fourth straight MAC regular-season title with a win Sunday at BG.
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Jeremiah Danielson |
SENIOR MEMBER: Zip offensive guard Jeremiah Danielson (American Samoa/City College of San Francisco) turned 28 on Sept. 28. Next to Florida State's Chris Weinke, Danielson is the second oldest player in Division I-A after having served four years in the Navy, including two-plus years with the Presidential Honor Guard in Washington, D.C. He enrolled at City College of San Francisco in January of 1997 and joined the Zips for spring semester, 1999.
MAC ROUNDUP
Last Week's Scores
Connecticut 38, Akron 35
Ball State 44, Buffalo 35
Bowling Green 20, E. Michigan 6
Marshall 34, Kent 12
W. Michigan 52, No. Illinois 22
Ohio 52, C. Michigan 3
Idle- Miami, Toledo
This Week's Schedule
Marshall at Akron, 7:05
Toledo at Navy, Noon
Ball State at C. Michigan, 1:00
Buffalo at No. Illinois, 1:05 CT
W. Michigan at Kent, 2:00
Miami at Cincinnati, 2:00
Idle- Bowling Green, E. Michigan, Ohio
Next Week's Schedule
W. Michigan at Ball State, 1:00
Kent at Buffalo, 1:00
C. Michigan at E. Michigan, 1:00
Ohio at Miami, 1:00
Toledo at No. Illinois, 1:05 CT
Marshall at Bowling Green, 1:30
Idle- Akron
2000 MAC Standings
East Division Conf* Overall Akron 3-0 4-4 Marshall 2-0 3-4 Miami 2-1 4-3 Ohio 2-1 5-3 Buffalo 1-2 1-6 Bowling Green 1-3 2-6 Kent 0-4 1-7
West Division Conf* Overall W. Michigan 2-0 6-1 Toledo 2-1 6-1 Northern Illinois 1-1 4-3 Ball State 1-1 3-4 C. Michigan 0-1 1-6 E. Michigan 0-2 1-7 *Conf record will count only games within the division. Cross-over games will be used in the event of a three-way tie.
MAC Championship Game, Dec. 2
Huntington, W. Va.
Motor City Bowl, Dec. 27
Pontiac Silverdome
SEPT. 5, 1998
Marshall 27, Akron 16
Akron Rubber Bowl
Herd 3 7 3 14 27 Zips 0 0 7 9 16
AKRON - Doug Chapman scored two late TDs to rally Marshall to a 27-16 victory over stubborn Akron. The 45th annual Acme-Zip Game attracted a crowd of 15,623 to the Rubber Bowl on a perfect night for football.
Trailing 10-0 at halftime, the Zips came out throwing in the third quarter and took a 16-13 lead on Zac Derr's 44-yard field goal with 9:44 to play.
James "Butchie" Washington accumulated 287 yards of total offense (10th best in UA history), including 243 passing on 18-of-31. His favorite target was sophomore Lavel Bailey, who caught 12 balls for a school-record 201 yards and one TD.
Washington's counterpart, Chad Pennington, played big when it mattered most, directing the Herd on a 10-play, 72-yard TD drive to regain the lead 20-16 with 4:39 left.
On the ensuing drive, facing third-and-10 at his own 35, Washington made his only mistake of the evening and threw into the arms of Daninelle Derricott, who returned the ball to the UA 38. Five plays later, Pennington and Chapman hooked up on a 14-yard catch and run TD strike.
Defensively, the Zips played exceptionally well for three and one-half quarters, sacking Pennington four times for 27 yards in losses and limiting the Herd to 56 rushing yards for the game.
Scoring Summary
MU Malashevich 20 FG, 2:26
MU Chapman 4 run (Malashevich kick), 0:16
UA Culler 1 run (Derr kick), 3:16
MU Malashevich 29 FG, 0:04
UA Bailey 46 pass from Washington (kick failed), 13:28
UA Derr 44 FG, 9:44
MU Chapman 5 run (Malashevich kick), 4:39
MU Chapman 14 pass from Pennington (Malashevich kick), 2:36
Team Stats MU UA First Downs 20 17 Rushing yards 29-56 37-81 Passes 25-37-0 18-31-1 Passing yards 280 243 Total offense 66-336 68-324 Punts-avg 5-40.6 5-44.0 Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0 Penalties-yards 8-59 10-93 Possession time 27:26 32:34
Individual Leaders
Rushing UA: Washington 13-44, Lomax 12-18, Culler 7-16; MU: Chapman
20-68, Turner 4-10.
Passing UA: Washington 18-31-1-243; MU: Pennington
25-37-0-280.
Receiving UA: Bailey 12-201, Lagasse 3-11, Whitt 2-12, Ritley
1-19; MU: Colclough 6-64, Poole 6-38, Williams 5-106.
OCT. 21, 2000
Connecticut 38, Akron 35
Rubber Bowl
Huskies 7 17 18 10 38 Zips 13 8 7 7 35
AKRON - Geoff Heyl's 30-yard field goal with four seconds left enabled Connecticut to upset Akron, 38-35, in a non-conference college football game at the Rubber Bowl on Oct. 21.
For the second week in a row the Zips (4-4, 3-0 MAC East) scored 35 points and lost. Akron dropped a 52-35 decision on Oct. 14 to No. Illinois at home.
"We didn't consistently make stops," said Zip coach Lee Owens. "You can sum the game up right down to the last two minutes of the game. You tie the game up and play for overtime and let them go all the way down the field and kick a field goal. You can't win football games if you can't stop them at the end with your defense."
Connecticut, playing its first season of Division I-A football, fell behind 14-0, but battled back to take its first lead, 35-28, with 6:17 to play.
The Zips calmly drove 67 yards in nine plays to tie the score at 35-all with 2:46 to go. Senior fullback Tony McCray scored on a 2-yard plunge. The Zips converted on a huge fourth-and-2 at their own 41 when Butchie Washington tossed a strike to tight end Tim Ritley, good for 12 yards.
The Huskies took possession at their 17-yard line and proceeded to march down the field into Heyl's range. Holder Luke Richmond did a sensational job to field a poor snap and Heyl split the uprights.
Zip sophomore tailback Brandon Payne rushed for a career-high 207 yards on 31 carries. Payne also was involved in the turning point play of the game.
With the Zips leading 28-21, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Payne fielded a UConn at his own 8 and went 92 yards the other way for an apparent touchdown. A late flag at the Zips 16 brought the spectacular return back.
Scoring Summary
UA Payne 1 run (Derr kick), 7:49
UA Gray 17 run (Derr kick), 5:11
UC Small 2 run (Heyl kick), 0:11
UC Small 3 run (Heyl kick), 6:50
UA Bailey 30 pass from Washington (Derr kick), 4:47
UC Small 3 run (Heyl kick), 12:29
UA Bailey 4 pass from Washington (Derr kick), 3:01
UC Tracey 1 run (Heyl kick), 8:11
UC O'Connor 9 pass fropm Tracey (Heyl kick), 6:17
UA McCray 2 run (Derr kick), 2:46
UC Heyl 30 FG, 0:04
Team Stats UCONN UA First Downs 25 24 Rushing yards 43-106 50-289 Passes 22-35-0 17-32-1 Passing yards 293 147 Total offense 78-399 82-436 Punts-avg 4-47.5 3-37.3 Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-2 Penalties-yards 5-31 8-54 Possession time 31:10 28:50
Individual Leaders
Rushing UA: Payne 31-207, McCray 9-80; UCONN: Benson 19-70, Small
18-43.
Passing UA: Washington 16-31-1-152; UCONN: Tracey 22-35-0-293.
Receiving UA: Bailey 6-80, Schifino 4-24, Payne 2-14; UCONN:
Fitzsimmons 4-95, O'Connor 4-55, Hill 4-43, Collins 4-40.
(In Mid-American Conference play)
UA 100-Yard Rushing Games Rusher Att Yds Opponent Brandon Payne 24 188 v. Miami, 00 Brandon Payne 34 161 v. Kent, 99 Mike Lagasse 26 139 v. Miami, 98 Greg Lomax 21 174 at C. Michigan, 98 Greg Lomax 16 100 at Kent, 98 Greg Lomax 11 125 v. Ball St., 98 Greg Lomax 18 173 v. Kent, 97 Greg Lomax 15 150 v. Ohio, 97 Greg Lomax 15 117 at Marshall, 97 Yasin Reeder 23 201 at E. Michigan, 96 Yasin Reeder 15 140 v. Bowling Gr., 96 Chris Rooney 10 102 at Kent, 96 Greg Lomax 29 105 at Toledo, 95 Tommy Dunn 26 132 v. Kent, 95 Terrel Dixon 23 136 v. Ohio, 95 DeShawn Brown 29 146 v. Ohio, 94 DeShawn Brown 20 122 v. C. Michigan, 94 DeShawn Brown 10 177 at Ohio, 93 Symeon Floyd 20 124 v. Miami, 93 Marcel Weems 23 124 at C. Michigan, 93 Marcel Weems 12 146 at Ohio, 92 Marcel Weems 25 149 at W. Michigan, 92
UA 200-Yard Passing Games Passer C-A Yds Opponent B. Washington 12-28 324 v. NIU, 00 B. Washington 16-26 242 at BG, 00 B. Washington 9-19 214 v. Miami, 00 B. Washington 20-32 258 at Ohio, 00 B. Washington 11-23 233 at Miami, 99 B. Washington 13-19 241 v. BGSU, 99 B. Washington 22-41 284 v. EMU, 98 B. Washington 16-38 304 at Ohio, 98 B. Washington 18-31 243 v. Marshall, 98 Greg Gromek 16-24 263 v. C.Michigan, 97 Brian Magrell 17-25 202 v. EMU, 95 Brian Magrell 25-40 347 v. Ball St., 94 Marcel Weems 10-19 244 v. Kent, 93
UA 100-Yard Receiving Games Receiver Rec Yds Opponent Lavel Bailey 4 156 v. NIU, 00 Lavel Bailey 6 108 at BG, 00 Jake Schifino 3 123 v. Miami, 00 Lavel Bailey 4 153 at Miami, 99 Lavel Bailey 4 145 v. W. Michigan, 99 Lavel Bailey 5 112 v. BGSU, 99 Lavel Bailey 5 122 v. EMU, 99 Lavel Bailey 8 124 v. EMU, 98 Lavel Bailey 12 201 v. Marshall, 98 Willie Spencer 8 106 at Marshall, 97 Willie Spencer 5 102 v. C. Michigan, 97 Devon Scott 5 122 v. Bowling Gr., 96 Eddie Alford 11 135 at W. Michigan, 95 Eddie Alford 9 141 v. E. Michigan, 95 DeShawn Brown 10 154 at Ball State, 94 Kenny Chapman 3 124 v. E. Michigan, 93 Kenny Chapman 7 123 at W. Michigan, 93 Kenny Chapman 6 137 v. Kent, 93 Jeff Blakely 3 103 v. Kent, 93
UA 250-Yard All-Purpose Games Player Yds Opponent Greg Lomax 259 at C. Michigan, 98 Yasin Reeder 255 at E. Michigan, 96
2000 Zips' Football Schedule (4-4, 3-0 MAC-E) Sept. 2 Virginia Tech 52, Akron 23 Sept. 9 Central Michigan 17, Akron 7 Sept. 16 Akron 35, UCF 24 Sept. 23 Akron 23, Ohio 20* Sept. 30 Akron 37, Miami 20* Oct. 7 Akron 27, Bowling Green 21* Oct. 14 No. Illinois 52, Akron 35 Oct. 21 Connecticut 38, Akron 35 Oct. 28 Marshall at Akron* (HC)(TV) 7:05 pm Nov. 11 Buffalo at Akron* 7:00 pm Nov. 18 Akron at Kent* 2:00 pm *MAC East game All Times are Eastern
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