The University of Akron Athletics
Football to Play Second Game in Five Days; Zips Head to Buffalo for Thursday MAC Game
October 23 | Football
Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Terry Bowden – Weekly Press Conference Video
Terry Bowden – MAC Weekly Media Teleconference Audio
MAC Weekly – Oct. 24
Gameday Coverage:
Buy Single-Game Tickets
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Watch ESPN
Follow Free Live Statistics
Akron (5-3, 3-1 MAC) at Buffalo (1-6, 0-3 MAC)
Thursday, Oct. 27
UB Stadium [29,013]
Buffalo, N.Y.
7:30 PM ET | Time Warner/ESPN3
THIS WEEK
Akron continue its two-game MAC road trip, playing its second contest within a five-day span. The Zips' second stop Buffalo, N.Y., to meet the Bulls on Thursday, Oct. 27, at UB Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
Time Warner Cable SportsChannel/ESPN3 will televise the game with Ben Wagner (play-by-play), Ryan Cavanaugh (analyst), and Amy Audibert (sideline) calling the game.
The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron-IMG Sports Network [SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), 1420 WHK in Cleveland, 1440 WHKZ in Warren/Youngstown] with Steve French calling the action, Brad Detwiler providing analysis, and Joe Dunn with the sideline report. The pregame show starts 30 minutes prior to kickoff. A free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.
Under the guidance of fifth-year head coach Terry Bowden, Akron stands 5-3 overall and 3-1 in MAC play after a 35-25 win at Ball State. The Zips return 48 lettermen, including seven starters. The Zips utilize a spread offense and a 4-3 defense.
After eight games, junior RB Manny Morgan (Naples, Fla.) is the team's leading rusher with 345 yards on 65 carries. Under center, junior QB Thomas Woodson (Monroeville, Pa.) is 111-of-166 for 1,585 yards and 15 touchdowns. Senior WR JoJo Natson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is the top receiver with 639 yards and eight touchdowns on 45 receptions. Defensively, sophomore LB Ulysees Gilbert (Ocala, Fla.) has 94 tackles, including a team-best 48 solo stops, a team-high 8.5 TFL, two sacks, and six hurries.
In this week's national rankings, Akron is No. 11 in punt returns (14.27), No. 13 in blocked kicks (2), No. 18 in red zone offense (0.913), No. 8 in blocked punts (1), and No. 15 in defensive TDs (2). Individually, senior WR JoJo Natson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and sophomore LB Ulysees Gilbert are tied at No. 3 in punt return touchdowns (1). Natson is also No. 12 in receiving touchdowns (8). Gilbert is No. 3 in total tackles (11.8) and No. 14 in solo tackles (6.0). Junior QB Thomas Woodson is No. 23 in passing touchdowns (15). Sophomore Van Edwards (Cape Coral, Fla.) is No. 36 in kickoff returns (25.3). Redshirt senior DE Daumantas Venckus (Weston, Fla.) is No. 9 in fumbles recovered (2).
The Bulls, under the guidance of second-year head coach Lance Leipold, stand 1-6 on the season and 0-3 in MAC play after a 44-7 loss at Northern Illinois. Buffalo returns 49 letterwinners, including 14 starters, to its multiple offensive and 4-3 defensive schemes.
Senior RB Jordan Johnson is the top rusher with 443 yards and two touchdowns on 99 carries. Redshirt freshman QB Tyree Jackson is 123-of-225 for 1,234 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior TE Mason Schreck is the top receiver with 298 yards and two touchdowns on 30 receptions. Defensively, sophomore LB Khalil Hodge leads the defense with 81 tackles, including a team-best 38 solo stops, 5.0 TFL, and a sack.
In the NCAA stats, Buffalo is ranked No. 4 in passing yards allowed (155.4), No. 16 in sacks allowed (1,14), No. 19 in fewest penalty yards per game (43.00), and No. 25 in fewest penalties (37). Sophomore LB Khalil Hodge is No. 4 in total tackles (11.6) and No. 25 in solo tackles (5.4), while junior LB Ishmael Hargrove is No. 9 in fumbles recovered (2).
AKRON-BUFFALO CONNECTIONS
Akron has two players from the state of New York on its roster, but none from the Buffalo area.
Buffalo has 10 players from Ohio on its roster, including locals – junior DL Chris Ford (Medina, Ohio | Medina HS), junior LB Ishmael Hargrove (Cleveland, Ohio | Gilmour Academy HS), senior WR Malcolm Robinson (Canton, Ohio | Canton McKinley HS), and senior TE Mason Schreck (Medina, Ohio | Medina HS).
Buffalo associate head coach and wide receivers coach Rob Ianello was the Zips' head coach for two seasons (2010-11), recording a 2-22 record.
AKRON-BUFFALO: THE SERIES
Thursday's game is the 16th meeting between Akron and Buffalo in series history, which began in 1999. The Zips lead, 10-5, all in MAC play.
Last fall at InfoCision Stadium, the Akron Zips posted their sixth win of the 2015 season, becoming bowl eligible for just the second time in school history (as an FBS program) and first time since 2005, with a 42-21 Mid-American Conference win.
Sophomore QB Thomas Woodson went 17-of-30 for 258 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Senior RB Donnell Alexander led all rushers with a career-high 143 yards and a career-best two touchdowns as a Zip. In the air, senior WR Imani Davis had seven receptions for a career-high 118 yards and a touchdown. It marked the first 100-yard receiving game of Davis' collegiate career. Defensively, senior LB Jatavis Brown led all defenders with 12 tackles and two hurries.
In the teams' last meeting at UB Stadium on Nov. 11, 2014, Buffalo QB Joe Licata threw four touchdown passes en route to a 55-24 win over Akron in Mid-American Conference play.
Junior QB Kyle Pohl went 15-for-29 for 128 yards on the night. Senior RB Jawon Chisholm led the Akron rushers with 40 yards on 12 carries.
Senior LB Justin March and junior LB Dylan Evans led the Akron defense with seven tackles each.
Akron finished the game with 229 yards and two turnovers while Buffalo posted 536 yards of offense and committed two turnovers.
SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Buffalo: 10-5
Akron in games at Akron: 6-1
Akron in games at Buffalo: 4-4
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 1999, at Buffalo, W, 17-10
Last meeting in series: 2015, at InfoCision Stadium, W, 42-21
HEAD COACH TERRY BOWDEN
In his fifth season at Akron, head coach Terry Bowden is the dean of the Mid-American Conference coaches with the most career wins (164). Nationally, Bowden ranks sixth among active coaches in career wins. [see chart on page 5]
LIVING ON THE EDGE
For the second consecutive season, Akron could make a dent in school history. With one more victory, the Zips will be bowl eligible for the second consecutive season– a feat that has never been reached in program history.
UA, which played in the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl as a part of the College Division as well as three post-season games in 1976 as a Division II member, has not earned bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons since joining the Football Subdivision (FBS) in 1987. Last year, the Zips won the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and finished the season with an 8-5 record, the most wins as an FBS participant. The school record for wins in a season is 10 from 1976.
UP NEXT
Playing its third game in12 days, Akron returns home to InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field on Wednesday, Nov. 2, for a 7:30 p.m. game with Toledo on ESPN2.
