Akron Football Remains Atop the MAC East with 37-34 Win over Ohio, Earns Bowl Eligibility

Tuesday, November 14

Akron, OH

7 PM

University of Akron

6-5 , 5-2

Ohio

8-3 , 5-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

OHIO

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron Football Remains Atop the MAC East with 37-34 Win over Ohio, Earns Bowl Eligibility

November 14 | Football

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AKRON, Ohio-- The Akron football team earned bowl eligibility for the second time in three years with a 37-34 win over Ohio on Tuesday night at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

With the win, Akron moved to 6-5 overall and 5-2 in Mid-American Conference play, while Ohio fell to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the league. In addition, the Zips are one win away from securing the MAC East title for the first time since 2005.

Redshirt freshman QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) and junior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) led the Zips' offense with career-high numbers. Nelson tossed a career-best 322 yards in the air with a career-high four touchdowns, while Smith led the receiving corps with 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Seniors WR A.J. Coney (Orlando, Fla.) and WR Austin Wolf (Lebanon, Ohio) also added touchdown receptions.

Senior RB Manny Morgan (Naples, Fla.) led the ground attack 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Nelson followed with 45 yards on 14 rushes.

Defensively, the Zips picked-off two passes, while junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) paced the defense with 11 tackles.

The back-and-forth battle for MAC East supremacy started just two plays into the game as Ohio QB Nathan Rourke broke loose with a 68-yard touchdown run. The extra point was good, and Akron trailed 7-0 after 2:04 into game.

The Zips responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive to the Ohio two-yard line, but had to settle for a field goal. Nelson led the Zips down the field with 22 yards on the ground and 31 yards in the air, allowing junior K Nick Gasser (Liberty Township, Ohio) to put the Zips' first points on the board with a 19-yard field goal.

The Bobcats returned the ensuing kickoff to near the 50-yard line and picked up another 25 yards, marching into Akron territory to the 32-yard line. On the Bobcats fourth offensive play of the game, Zips' junior DB Shawn Featherstone (Pittsburgh, Pa.) stepped in front of the receiver for his second interception of the season. He traveled 45 yards with the errant pass, arriving at Ohio 26-yard line to setup the Zips first touchdown.

Nelson returned under center for Akron and needed only four plays to find pay dirt. The 25-yard scoring drive opened with a 10-yard run by Morgan and followed with a pair of pass completions for six points. Senior WR Tra'Von Chapman (Cincinnati, Ohio) was Nelson's first target, gaining 15-yards, while Coney finished the drive with a 16-yard reception. It was Coney's third touchdown of the season as the Zips establish its first lead of the game, 10-7, with 4:13 left to play in the first quarter.

After 2:34, the scoreboard flipped as Ohio used six plays to travel 57 yards for its second touchdown of the game and a 14-10 advantage. The Bobcats drive was capped by a three-yard run from RB Brenden Cope.

Ohio increased its lead after RB Dylan Wears blocked and recovered Gasser's punt attempt, giving the Bobcats prime field position at the Akron five-yard line to end the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, RB Dorian Brown scampered across the goal line for a 21-10 Bobcat advantage.

Ohio's 11-point lead didn't last long as the Zips responded with 14-unanswered points to takeover the scoreboard. On the first play from the line of scrimmage, Nelson found Smith for a 71-yard touchdown pass. The pass and completion marked career-bests for both players as Akron cut the deficit to four points, 21-17, with 11:12 showing on the clock.

Gasser booted the kickoff 64 yards down the field, and during the return, Bobcats' RB David Burroughs fumbled on his own 23-yard line. Featherstone recovered the loose ball, and Akron immediately capitalized on the turnover.

The Zips only needed one play to establish their second lead of the game as Nelson found Wolf with a perfectly placed pass in the corner of the endzone. At 10:56, Akron held a three-point advantage, 24-21.

The Zips' lead lasted only 4:42 as Ohio rushed into Akron territory, but a strong defensive stance stopped the Bobcats at the one-yard line. Ohio tied the game with a 19-yard field goal, 24-24, with 6:14 remaining in the first half.

The stalemate lasted 1:07 as the Zips used another series of quick strikes to control the scoreboard. The drive started with a three-yard gain by Morgan, and Nelson found freshman WR Andre Williams (Orlando, Fla.) for a 20-yard pass to place the ball at the Akron 46-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Nelson found Smith streaking down the sideline for a second big pass play, this time 54-yards for a touchdown and a 30-24 lead.

By the end of the first half, Smith surpassed his season high of 103 receiving yards, posting his first career multi-touchdown game with career-high 125 yards. In addition, Nelson tossed four touchdown passes on 15-of-24 passing and a career-high 268 yards.

In the second half, both defenses held their ground. The Bobcats were the only team to put points on the scoreboard during the third frame, connecting with a 46-yard field goal.

Akron opened the fourth quarter with its second interception of the game, this time by junior DB Jordan George (Dayton, Ohio), his fourth of the season. George grabbed the offline pass at the Akron 48-yard line and returned the ball to the Ohio 24-yard line to setup the Zips' lone second-half score. Akron used five plays to increase its lead to 37-27 as Morgan finished the drive with an eight-yard run.

Ohio responded with a touchdown, but the Zips maintained the lead throughout the final 30 minutes of play, moving one step closer to becoming MAC East Champions.

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.