The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Massachusetts
Football Cruises to 30-6 Win over Massachusetts on Senior Night
November 18 | Football
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AKRON, Ohio -- The University of Akron football team ended the 2014 home slate in style on a frigid Tuesday night, cruising to a 30-6 victory over Massachusetts at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.
The win pushed the Zips to 5-6 overall and 3-4 in Mid-American Conference play, while the Minutemen fell to 3-8 overall and 3-4 in the MAC.
The UA offense converted on 6-of-7 opportunities in the red zone and accumulated 27 first downs to the Minutemen's 11. Akron posted 134 yards on the ground, while junior QB Kyle Pohl threw two TD passes and picked up 277 passing yards after going 26-of-40 in the air.
The Akron defense held UMass to 67 yards rushing 168 yards passing, led by junior LB Jatavis Brown who picked up a team-high nine total tackles. Brown was followed by senior LB Justin March with eight, including seven solo stops.
Junior WR Zach D'Orazio led the team in receptions with 10 for 121 yards, both career highs.
In the first quarter, Akron got on the board by scoring on back-to-back possessions, jumping out to a 10-0 lead by the 2:37 mark. Junior PK Robert Stein split the uprights from 26 yards out to give Akron a 3-0 edge before Pohl connected on a seven-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver L.T. Smith III. The completion capped off a five-play, 49-yard scoring drive.
After a 24-yard field goal from Stein increased Akron's lead to 13-0, the Zips recorded a pair of interceptions on successive UMass possessions from senior safety Martel Durant and senior safety Devonte Morgan. Morgan returned his first career interception to the UMass 29, setting up a 12-yard TD pass to RB Conor Hundley for a 20-0 Zips lead with 25 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Morgan also picked up his first career fumble recovery.
Akron carried the 20-0 lead into the locker room at the half.
To start the second half, Massachusetts QB Austin Whipple found Rodney Mills on the end of a 72-yard pass to bring the Minutemen to a first-and-goal situation. A one-yard reception by Jean Sifrin cut the Akron lead to 20-6 with 12:06 in the third quarter.
Hundley ran it in for his second touchdown of the night, coming on a 12-yard carry to make it a 27-6 game with 2:54 left in the third. A Stein field goal at the 3:40 mark in the final quarter iced the game at 30-6.
Before the game, Akron honored its 26 seniors before the game as part of Senior Night.
The Zips travel to take on crosstown rival Kent State in the last regular-season game of the 2014 slate on Tuesday, Nov. 25. The game will be part of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be featured on ESPN2 or ESPN3.
