The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron Statement on Changes to 2008 and 2009 Football Schedule
March 11 | Football
With the release of today's 2008 Mid-American Conference
football schedule, the University of Akron Director of Athletics
Mack Rhoades addressed several changes to the Zips' non-conference
opponents, namely opening 2008 at Wisconsin and its cancellation of
the home-and-home series with Kentucky for 2008 and ‘09
seasons.
"Prior to my arrival in January of 2006, there were signed
contracts with five non-conference opponents for the 2008 season,"
Rhoades said. "Also, since the time of those contracts being
signed, Temple was added to the Mid-American Conference as a
football member, creating scheduling challenges for the league in
2007, for the 2008 season and the immediate future for both
conference and non-conference opponents.
"Due to these circumstances, the University of Akron will not play
at the University of Kentucky in the 2008 season, nor will the
Wildcats come to Akron in 2009 to open the University's new
InfoCision Stadium. Although we worked very hard — in
conjunction with the Mid-American Conference, to adhere to the
signed contract from June of 2004, we regret that a solution to
this matter could not be resolved. We offer our sincerest apologies
to the University of Kentucky for any inconveniences and thank
Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart for his cooperation.
"However, we are pleased to announce the Akron football team will
open the 2008 season at the University of Wisconsin. Also, we are
excited another team from a premier football conference will be in
Akron to christen InfoCision Stadium, as fellow Big Ten member,
Indiana University, will be the Zips' first home game of the 2009
season. That contest is currently set for September 19, one week
later than the previously announced date for the first game in
InfoCision Stadium."
Wisconsin is coming off a 9-4 season and played Tennessee in the
2008 Outback Bowl. The last time Akron faced Wisconsin was Sept. 6,
2003 in Madison when the 18th-ranked Badgers held off the Zips for
a 48-31 victory. Indiana posted a 7-6 record in 2007, including a
41-24 win over Akron, and, as a program on the rise in the Big 10
Conference, played in its first bowl game, the 2007 Insight Bowl,
since the 1993 season.
"Located in the footprint of the Big 10, we are excited to play
these two programs, both of whom have great name recognition and
excellent football programs," Rhoades said. "Also, the opportunity
to play at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium will be an awesome
experience for our student-athletes as University of Akron
supporters can attest from their trip to Madison in 2003.
"The excitement currently surrounding the Indiana football program
is evident by the large group of fans that made the long trip to
Arizona for this season's Insight Bowl. We feel the opening of our
new stadium will attract a large crowd alone. However, the
relatively short distance from Bloomington to Akron, as well as
having IU alumni chapters in both Akron and Cleveland, will help
ensure the already expected sell-out for the first game to be
played at InfoCision Stadium will be a reality."
