The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Massachusetts
Football Ends Home Slate with 22-14 Loss to UMass
November 10 | Football
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AKRON, Ohio – Jawon Chisholm led Akron with 103 yards rushing and Marquelo Suel had 105 yards receiving as the Zips football team's second-half comeback effort fell short in a 22-14 loss to visiting Massachusetts in Mid-American Conference play on Saturday at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.
Dalton Williams, who completed 34-of-51 passes for 332 yards, connected with Suel on a 19-yard touchdown strike to pull Akron (1-10, 0-7 MAC) within what would prove to be the final margin with 2:27 to play.
The Zips' defense held UMass (1-9, 1-5) on its next drive and got the ball back on the Akron 41 with 1:54 remaining. Williams went 2-for-4 passing in UA's final drive before getting sacked and fumbling away the ball on fourth down and two to end the push.
The Zips' quarterback finished the day with four interceptions.
Down 15-0 at the half, UA got on the scoreboard with a 1-yard TD run by Chisholm, who had 23 carries and logged his sixth 100-yard game of the season, with 8:49 to go in the third. That score completed a 10-play, 61-yard drive for the home team.
The Minutemen made it 22-7 when QB Mike Wegzyn scored on a 1-yard run with 3:59 to play.
UMass scored its first six points on field goals, a 23-yarder and 26-yarder, then Wegzyn completed a 24-yard TD pass to Alan Williams with 6:35 left before the half. The Minutemen's two-point conversion attempt after that score was unsuccessful, but a 35-yard field goal with 13 seconds left was good and provided the 15-point cushion at the break.
Suel tallied his second 100-yard effort of the year and third of his career off 10 catches. Chisholm also posted four catches for 44 yards.
Wegzyn completed 23-of-39 passes for 266 yards and had one interception for UMass. Williams finished the day with six catches and 86 yards receiving for the Minutemen.
UA's Justin March tied UMass' Darren Thellen with a game-high 11 tackles. Kurt Mangum had nine stops for the Zips.
Akron again led in the total offensive yardage category, 427-327.
After a bye week, Akron ends the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at MAC West Division foe Toledo. The game is scheduled to be televised by ESPN2 and kick off at 7 p.m. ET.
Zips Notebook: With his 103-yard rushing performance today, Jawon Chisholm has 906 yards on the ground this season (163 carries) ... Marquelo Suel had a 105-yard receiving game (eight catches) against Miami (Ohio) earlier this season (Sept. 29), and a 112-yard receiving (11 catches) performance last season against Central Michigan (Oct. 29, 2011) ... Dalton Williams has 3,335 passing yards in 2012, holding position as third most in a season in program history ... Williams' 34 completions today ties as third most in a game in school history (Luke Getsy versus Memphis in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26, 2005) ... J.D. Griggs made his first career interception in the first quarter ... UA honored its 14-player senior class of Adam Bice, Micklos Blake, Avis Commack, Troy Gilmer, J.D. Griggs, Quentin Hines, Rhyne Ladrach, Kurt Mangum, Josh Richmond, Vinnie Rizzo, Adam Steiner, Mitch Straight, Marquelo Suel and Dalton Williams in an on-field ceremony before the game.
