Akron Travels to Boca Raton Bowl to Tackle FAU on Dec. 19

Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Bowden's Bowl Press Conference Video (Dec. 3)
Bowden-Kiffin Bowl Press Conference (Dec. 6)

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

2017 BOWL CENTRAL | BOWL WEBSITE

CHERIBUNDI BOCA RATON BOWL
Akron (7-6, 6-2 MAC)
at Florida Atlantic (10-3, 8-0 C-USA)
Tuesday, Dec. 19
FAU Stadium [29,419] | Boca Raton, Fla.
7 PM ET | ESPN

AKRON TO FACE FLORIDA ATLANTIC IN BOCA RATON BOWL
Akron will face Florida Atlantic in the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. at FAU Stadium.

ESPN will televise the game with Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (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 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.

ESPN Radio will also provide a national broadcast with Steve Levy (play-by-play), Desmond Howard (analyst), and Paul Carcaterra (sideline) calling the game.

Under the guidance of sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden, Akron stands 7-6 overall following a 45-28 loss to Toledo in the MAC Championship game on Dec. 2. 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 rusher with 393 yards and four touchdowns on 99 carries. Under center, redshirt freshman Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) is 61-of-125 for 909 yards and eight touchdowns. Redshirt senior WR Tra'Von Chapman (Cincinnati, Ohio) is the top receiver with 50 receptions for 456 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) leads the Zips with 128 tackles, five sacks, five hurries, four break-ups, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery. Junior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) is the Zips' scoring leader with seven touchdowns for 42 points.

In the NCAA stats, Akron is No. 2 in interceptions (19), No. 7 in defensive touchdowns (4), No. 16 in turnover margin (0.77), and No. 25 in red zone defense (0.776). Individually, junior DB Jordan George (Dayton, Ohio) is No. 8 in interceptions (5), while junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III is ranked No. 18 in total tackles (9.8). Junior WR Kwadarrius Smith is No. 10 in yards per reception (21.35).

AKRON'S BOWL HISTORY
Since jumping to Division I-A (FBS) in 1987, the Zips have made just two prior bowl appearances. The 2005 squad, under head coach J.D Brookhart, won the 2005 Mid-American Conference championship (with a 31-30 victory over Northern Illinois) and advanced to the Motor City Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. The Zips, who finished the season at 7-6 overall (5-3 MAC, East Division champions), fell to Memphis 38-31 on Dec. 26, 2005.

In 2015, under head coach Terry Bowden, Akron made its second bowl appearance and captured its first FBS bowl victory with a 23-21 win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Prior to 1987, the Zips played Division I-AA (from 1980 to 1986) and Division II (from 1974 to 1979) football. Additional postseason play included the 1968 Grantland Rice Bowl [Louisiana Tech 33, Akron 13], the 1976 Division II Playoffs [Akron 27, UNLV 6], Knute Rockne Bowl [Akron 29, Northern Michigan 26 (ot)], Pioneer Bowl [Montana State 24, Akron 13]; and the 1985 Division I-AA Playoffs [Rhode Island 35, Akron 27].

SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The Owls, under the guidance of first-year head coach Lane Kiffin, stand 10-3 overall after a 41-17 win over North Texas in the Conference USA Championship game on Dec. 2. FAU went a perfect 8-0 in conference play. Florida Atlantic returns 31 letterwinners, including 16 starters, to its up tempo offensive and multiple defensive schemes.

Sophomore RB Devin Singletary is FAU's top rusher with 1,796 yards and the national leader with 29 touchdowns on 275 carries. Junior QB Jason Driskel is 166-of-253 for 1,977 yards and 13 touchdowns. Freshman WR Willie Wright is the top receiver with 586 yards and four touchdowns on 49 receptions. Defensively, junior LB Azeez Al-Shaair has 134 tackles, 8.5 TFL, four break-ups, four hurries, and a forced fumble.

In the NCAA stats, Florida Atlantic No. 1 in interceptions (20), No. 6 in rushing offense (283.2), No. 7 in turnover margin (1.00), No. 9 in first downs (311), No. 9 in red zone offense (0.932), and No. 9 in scoring offense (39.8). Sophomore RB Devin Singletary is No. 1 in rushing touchdowns (29) and scoring (13.8), No. 4 in rushing yards (1,796), and No. 4 in rushing yards per game (138.2). Junior S Jalen Young is No. 1 in total interceptions (7) and No. 3 in interceptions per game (0.5).

OPPONENT BOWL HISTORY
The Owls are making their third bowl appearance in their 17-year history. FAU played in the 2007 New Orleans Bowl [W, 44-27 vs. Memphis], the first year the Owls were eligible to participate in an FBS bowl, and in the 2008 Motor City Bowl [W, 24-21 vs. Central Michigan]. FAU is 2-0 in bowl play.

AKRON-FAU CONNECTIONS
Akron has 29 players from the state of Florida, including 12 from the greater South Florida area that were high school teammates with some of the Owls.

Florida Atlantic has no players from the state of Ohio.

AKRON AGAINST CONFERENCE USA
Over the years, Akron has faced six teams from Conference USA. Since Division I FBS play began in 1987, Akron is 5-9 against C-USA teams. The most recent contest was Akron's 65-38 win at Marshall on Sept. 17, 2016.

COMMON OPPONENTS
This season, both Akron and FAU played Buffalo. The Zips recorded a 21-20 home win in MAC play, while the Owls fell to the Bulls, 34-31, in New York.

AKRON-FLORIDA ATLANTIC: THE SERIES
The Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl is the first game between the schools on the gridiron.

AKRON STAFF IS BOWL EXPERIENCED
Strolling the Akron sidelines this fall is a very experienced coaching staff. Led by sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden, the Zips' coaching staff boasts 143 combined bowl appearances, including 34 bowl appearances by defensive coordinator Chuck Amato alone. All of the Zips' coaches are former college football players.

Akron Travels to Boca Raton Bowl to Tackle FAU on Dec. 19

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Players Mentioned

Tra'Von Chapman

Jordan George

Ulysees Gilbert III

Manny Morgan

Kato Nelson

Kwadarrius Smith

The University of Akron Athletics