Akron Football Hosts Ohio on Tuesday on ESPN2 in Battle for MAC East Title

Tuesday, November 14

Akron, OH

7 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

Tickets

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron Football Hosts Ohio on Tuesday on ESPN2 in Battle for MAC East Title

November 10 | Football

Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Bowden's Weekly Press Conference Video
MAC Weekly Media Teleconference Audio
MAC Weekly Release

Gameday Coverage:
Buy Single-Game Tickets
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Follow Free Live Statistics
Watch ESPN

Ohio (8-2, 5-1 MAC)
at Akron (5-5, 4-2 MAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 14
InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field [30,000] | Akron, OH
7 PM ET | ESPN2

THIS WEEK
Akron closes out the regular season with two home, Tuesday night Mid-American contests. The Zips host defending MAC East champion Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field in a battle for the MAC East title.

ESPN2 will televise the game with Matt Schick (play-by-play) and Tom Luginbill (analyst) 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 sideline report. The pregame show starts one hour prior to kickoff. A free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.

Prior to the game, fans are asked to participate in the annual Cram the cROOzer, donating non-perishable food items and toiletries to benefit the Akron Canton Regional Food Bank. The police cruiser will be parked outside Gate 2 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Under the guidance of sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden, Akron stands 5-5 overall and 4-2 in MAC play after a 24-14 loss at Miami (Ohio). UA returns 57 lettermen, including 15 starters. The Zips utilize a spread offense and a 4-3 defense.

Senior RB Manny Morgan (Naples, Fla.) is the team's leading active rusher with 252 yards and a touchdown on 63 carries. Under center, senior QB Thomas Woodson (Monroeville, Pa.) is 154-of-264 for 1,742 yards and 14 touchdowns, while redshirt freshman Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) is 25-of-49 for 341 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt senior WR Tra'Von Chapman (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the top receiver with 40 receptions for 377 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) leads the Zips with 92 tackles, four sacks, three hurries, two break-ups, and two interceptions.

In the NCAA stats, Akron is No. 7 in defensive touchdowns (3), No. 24 in red zone defense (0.757), and No. 28 in third down conversions (0.447). Individually, junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III is ranked No. 31 in total tackles (9.2).

The Bobcats, under the guidance of 12th-year head coach Frank Solich, stand 8-2 overall and 5-1 in MAC play after a 38-10 win over Toledo. Ohio returns 39 letterwinners, including 17 starters, to its multiple offensive and 4-3 defensive schemes.

Junior RB A.J. Ouellette is Ohio's top rusher with 897 yards and seven touchdowns on 158 carries. Sophomore QB Nathan Rourke is 125-of-222 for 1,643 yards and 14 touchdowns. Senior WR Brendan Cope is the leading receiver with 471 yards and four touchdowns on 33 receptions. Defensively, senior LB Quentin Poling has 92 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five hurries, three forced fumbles, and two break-ups.

In the NCAA stats, Ohio is ranked No. 2 in fourth down conversions (0.857), No. 8 in scoring offense (40.9), No. 11 in rushing defense (116.0), No. 14 in red zone offense (0.923). Sophomore QB Nathan Rourke is No. 7 in points (186), No. 29 in passing yards per completion (13.14), and No. 44 in passing touchdowns (14).

AKRON-OHIO CONNECTIONS
Ohio has one player on its roster form the Akron area– redshirt junior OL Joe Lowery [Tallmadge, Ohio | Tallmadge HS].

Akron associate head coach and defensive coordinator Chuck Amato was the head coach at N.C. State from 2000-06 when Ohio's wide receivers coach Dwayne Dixon served as the Wolfpack's receivers coach from 2005-06.

AKRON-OHIO: THE SERIES
Tuesday evening's game is the 34th meeting between Akron and Ohio in series history, which began in 1912. Riding a nine-game series winning streak, the Bobcats lead, 20-12-1.

Last fall in the regular-season finale with bowl eligibility and a MAC East title on the line, it all came down to the last play. The Akron Zips ended their 2016 season with a 9-3 loss at Ohio in Mid-American Conference action at Peden Stadium on a Tuesday night.

With 22 seconds remaining in the game, UA redshirt senior Tyrell Goodman threw a 25-yard pass to senior WR JoJo Natson in the end zone to tie the game, but the pass fell incomplete. Goodman had one more shot on a fourth-and-11 but the pass to WR Austin Wolf was broken up, ending the Zips' hopes for another bowl bid.

The Zips finished the season at 5-7 overall and 3-5 in MAC play, while Ohio clinched the MAC East championship with an 8-4 overall mark and 6-2 record in MAC action.

In his first collegiate start at quarterback, Goodman went 12-of-27 for 136 yards while rushing for 25 yards. Junior RB Manny Morgan led the efforts on the ground, rushing eight times for 47 yards. Junior WR Jerome Lane was the top receiver with four receptions for 60 yards.

Defensively, junior LB Andrew Hauser and freshman CB Alvin Davis led the Zips with six tackles each.

UA committed no turnovers in the game.

At InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field in 2015, Akron's kicker Robert Stein made a career-high four field goals, but it is not enough to overcome Ohio's two early touchdowns as Akron fell to Ohio, 14-12, in the Mid-American Conference opener on Oct. 3.

Stein scored all 12 of the Zips' points, connecting on FGs of 40, 33, 41, and 30 yards. Sophomore QB Thomas Woodson threw for 231 yards, completing 18 of his 38 pass attempts and had 11 yards rushing. Senior RB Conor Hundley ran for a team-high 66 yards on 18 carries to lead the ground game.

Defensively, Zips seniors LB Darryl Monroe and CB Kris Givens made eight tackles apiece with six solo stops. Redshirt junior DE Jamal Marcus also registered six tackles during the contest with four for loss. Junior CB DeAndre Scott picked off Ohio QB Greg Windham in his only drive of the game.

In the teams' last meeting at Peden Stadium on Oct. 18, 2014, Akron football dropped a 23-20 decision at Ohio in Mid-American Conference play.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Ohio:            12-20-1
Akron in games at Akron:         9-6-1
Akron in games at Ohio:           3-14
Akron in games at a neutral site:   0-0
First meeting in series:            1912, at UA, W, 27-0
Last meeting in series:            2016, at Peden Stadium, L, 3-9

BEST MAC START
Opening the 2017 season with three consecutive wins in Mid-American Conference play was a first for Akron. While the Zips had opened MAC play with two wins seven times ['92, 93, 01, 07, 08, 14, 16] since joining the league in 1992, winning three consecutive MAC games to open this season was a first in program history. Tuesday's game against Ohio will determine the 2017 MAC East champion. Since joining the MAC in 1992, Akron has only won the MAC East twice (2000, 2005).

ONE WIN SHY OF BOWL ELIGIBILITY
Akron could make a dent in school history. With one more victory, the Zips will be bowl eligible for the second time in three seasons– 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 only earned bowl eligibility twice since joining the Football Subdivision (FBS) in 1987. Under Terry Bowden, the Zips won the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and finished the season with an 8-5 record, the most wins as an FBS participant.

LAST GAME
In their final road game of the regular season, the Akron Zips dropped a 24-14 decision at Miami (Ohio) in Mid-American Conference action on Tuesday night at Yager Stadium.

Making his first start at quarterback, redshirt freshman Kato Nelson (Hollywood Fla.) went 19-of-38 for 218 yards and a touchdown.

Junior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) led the receivers with a career-high six receptions for 69 yards. Senior RB Manny Morgan was the top rusher with 41 yards on 10 carries. Defensively, sophomore CB Alvin Davis (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) led Akron with nine tackles.

POSTGAME NOTES

Redshirt freshman QB Kato Nelson made his first collegiate start under center. He is the third freshman (1 true, 1 redshirt) to earn a starting nod this fall. Nelson finished with 218 yards and passing touchdown on 19-38 throwing. He also rushed for 12 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt sophomore RB Deltron Sands (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) made his first appearance in the starting line-up. He left the game in the first quarter with a season-ending injury.
In addition to kickoffs and punting, junior PK Nick Gasser (Liberty Township, Ohio) took over placekicking duties tonight. He missed a 31-yard field goal attempt on UA's opening drive but converted two extra points.
Junior DB Shawn Featherstone (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had his first career interception in the first quarter. He returned it 41 yards, giving the Zips excellent field position to set up their first touchdown.
In back-to-back games, junior CB Jordan George's (Dayton, Ohio) had an interception. This time, he interrupted Miami's drive on the Akron 30.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

The players elected seniors RB Warren Ball, WR A.J. Coney, and S Zach Guiser as team captains for the 2017 season.
Six of Akron's 2017 opponents— Penn State (Rose), Troy (Dollar General), Western Michigan (Cotton), Toledo (Camelia), Miami (St. Petersburg), and Ohio (Dollar General)— participated in bowls in 2016.
Since 1979, Akron has faced 29 nationally ranked teams, going 1-28. The Zips' sole victory was a 34-20 win over No. 25 Marshall at the Rubber Bowl on Nov. 2, 2002.
Akron has 46 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 33 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.

THE ZIPS ARE UNDEFEATED
This season, Akron has an undefeated record in games when leading at the half (5-0), when scoring 30+ points (3-0), in games decided by 3 points of less (2-0), when holding the opponent to nine points or less (2-0). The Zips are also undefeated when wearing blue jerseys (3-0) and gold helmets (2-0). Conversely, Akron has not won a game when trailing at the half (0-5).

UP NEXT
Akron closes out the regular season with the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge game against rival Kent State on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field. The Senior Class will be honored prior to the game.