The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Host Toledo Wednesday on ESPN2 at 7:30 PM
October 30 | 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. 31
Gameday Coverage:
Buy Single-Game Tickets
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Watch ESPN
Follow Free Live Statistics
Toledo (6-2, 3-1 MAC) at Akron (5-4, 3-2 MAC)
Wednesday, Nov. 2
InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field [30,000]
Akron, Ohio
7:30 PM ET | ESPN2
THIS WEEK
Playing its third game in 12 days, Akron returns home to InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field on Wednesday, Nov. 2, for a 7:30 p.m. game with Toledo.
ESPN2 will televise the game with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Rocky Boiman (analyst), and Cole Cubelic (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 5-4 overall and 3-2 in MAC play after a 41-20 loss at Buffalo. The Zips return 48 lettermen, including seven starters. The Zips utilize a spread offense and a 4-3 defense.
After nine games, sophomore RB Van Edwards (Cape Coral, Fla.) is the team's leading rusher with 378 yards and two touchdowns on 69 carries. Under center, junior QB Thomas Woodson (Monroeville, Pa.) is 129-of-208 for 1,763 yards and 16 touchdowns. Senior WR JoJo Natson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is the top receiver with 692 yards and nine touchdowns on 50 receptions. Defensively, sophomore LB Ulysees Gilbert (Ocala, Fla.) has 100 tackles, including a team-best 51 solo stops, a team-high 8.5 TFL, two sacks, and seven hurries.
In this week's national rankings, Akron is No. 3 in punt returns (19.50), No. 12 in blocked punts (1), No. 16 in red zone offense (0.920), No. 18 in blocked kicks (2), No. 33 in passing offense (265.2). Individually, senior WR JoJo Natson (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) leads the nation in punt return touchdowns (2) and ranks No. 3 in punt returns (18.2), No. 7 in receiving touchdowns (9), No. 16 in total touchdowns (11), and No. 26 in receiving yards (692). Sophomore LB Ulysees Gilbert is No. 5 in total tackles (11.1) and No. 16 in solo tackles (5.7). Redshirt senior DE Daumantas Venckus (Weston, Fla.) is No. 9 in fumbles recovered (2). Junior QB Thomas Woodson is No. 30 in passing touchdowns (16). Sophomore Van Edwards (Cape Coral, Fla.) is No. 32 in kickoff returns (24.9).
The Rockets, under the guidance of first-year head coach Jason Candle, stand 6-2 on the season and 3-1 in MAC play after a 31-26 loss to Ohio. Toledo returns 48 letterwinners, including 15 starters, to its spread offensive and multiple defensive schemes.
Senior RB Kareem Hunt is the top rusher with 790 yards and five touchdowns on 167 carries. Junior QB Logan Woodside is 184-of-259 for 2,715 yards and 31 touchdowns. Senior WR Corey Jones is the top receiver with 563 yards and five touchdowns on 45 receptions. Defensively, senior DB DeJuan Rogers leads the defense with 49 tackles and four break-ups.
In the NCAA stats, Toledo ranked No. 2 in passing efficiency (195.39), No. 4 in completion percentage (0.703), No. 6 in total offense (544.4), No. 7 in passing offense (347.1), No. 12 in blocked punts (1), No. 18 in blocked kicks (12), No. 27 in red zone offense (0.903). Junior QB Logan Woodside is the national leader in passing touchdowns (31), and No. 3 in passing efficiency ( 194.7), No. 5 in passing yards per game (339.4), No. 5 in point responsible for ( 190), No. 6 in passing yards (2,715), and No. 7 in passing yards per competition (14.76). Freshman RB Ronnie Jones is No. 6 in punt return touchdowns (1).
AKRON-TOLEDO CONNECTIONS
Akron has no players from the Toledo area.
Toledo has four players from the Akron vicinity on its roster, including redshirt freshman QB Mitchell Guadagni (Hudson, Ohio | Hudson HS), redshirt freshman OL Bryce Harris (Akron, Ohio | Firestone HS), sophomore DB Quincy Iverson (Copley, Ohio | Copley HS), and sophomore CB Marcus Whitfield (Massillon, Ohio | Washington HS).
Zips' junior WR Jerome Lane, junior WR Kevin Gladney, and sophomore DL Brennan Williams were teammates at Akron's Firestone High School with Toledo's redshirt freshman OL Bryce Harris.
UA sophomore DL Brian Reinke and Rockets' sophomore DB Quincy Iverson played together for coach Ron Viscounte at Copley HS.
Toledo head coach Jason Candle served as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater– Mount Union– during the 2008 national championship season when Akron offensive line coach (C) Brett Ekkens and strength coach (WR) Matt Gildersleeeve were freshmen on that team.
AKRON-TOLEDO: THE SERIES
Wednesday's game is the 19th meeting between Akron and Toledo in series history, which began in 1923, and the tie-breaker. Both teams have nine wins. In MAC games only (since 1992), Toledo leads, 7-3. In games at UA, the Zips lead, 7-4.
In the teams' last meeting on Nov. 29, 2013, the Akron defense made several big plays in the fourth quarter as the Zips won their third straight game, defeating the Toledo Rockets, 31-29, on a Friday at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, to finish the season with a Mid-American Conference record of .500 or better for the first time since 2005.
Akron (5-7, 4-4 MAC) also closed out the year by winning four of its last five games and posted a 3-3 mark at home.
The defense came through with 59 seconds left in the game as Bryce Cheek broke up a two-point conversion attempt after Toledo (7-5, 5-3 MAC) scored on a 3-yard TD run by Mark Remy to pull to within 31-29. The Rockets were forced to go for two after Cody Grice blocked the point-after attempt on their previous scoring drive.
It was the last in a series of big plays for the UA defense, as Johnny Robinson intercepted a Terrance Owens pass in the end zone to thwart a potential game-tying drive early in the fourth quarter and keep the Zips ahead 24-17.
SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Toledo: 9-9
Akron in games at Akron: 7-4
Akron in games at Toledo: 2-5
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 1923, at Akron, W, 10-3
Last meeting in series: 2013, at InfoCision Stadium, W, 31-29
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.
ZIPS QUICK HITS
• Seven of Akron's 2016 opponents— Wisconsin (Holiday), Marshall (St. Petersburg), Appalachian State (Camellia), Western Michigan (Bahamas), Toledo (Boca Raton), Bowling Green (GoDaddy), and Ohio (Camellia)— participated in bowls in 2015.
• With one month of the season left to play, five of Akron's 2016 opponents— Wisconsin, Appalachian State, Western Michigan, Toledo, and Ohio— have already earned bowl eligibility this fall.
UP NEXT
Akron closes out its home slate at InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field on Wednesday, Nov. 9, against Bowling Green at 8 p.m. before a national television audience on ESPN2 or ESPNU. The Senior Class will be honored during a pregame ceremony.
