Akron Falls to Kent State in Wagon Wheel Game, 26-3

Saturday, October 12

Akron, Ohio

3:30 PM

University of Akron

0-6 , 0-2

Kent State

3-3 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Kent State

AKRON

Akron Falls to Kent State in Wagon Wheel Game, 26-3

October 12 | Football

Box Score

AKRON, Ohio – The Akron-Kent State football rivalry was thriving as 22,619 fans stuffed InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field to watch the Zips and the Golden Flashes battle for the Wagon Wheel and Kent State hoisted the artifact with a 26-3 victory on Saturday.

With the win, Kent State (3-3 overall, 2-0 MAC) recorded the first point in the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge. It was also the Golden Flashes' second win at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field since the stadium opened in 2009.

Kent State started the scoring on the first drive, using four plays and 1:36 on the game clock for a 7-0 advantage. After a 15-yard defensive pass interference penalty and three short runs, Golden Flashes QB Dustin Crum found WR Isaiah McKoy with a 49-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field.

Akron marched into Kent State territory on their first drive, but came up empty as a 46-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. During the initial drive, Zips' redshirt junior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) provided a balanced attack, gaining 35 yards in the air and 25 yards on the ground. Nelson found sophomore WR Julian Hicks (Cleveland, Ohio) for 15 yards and junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) for 20 yards.

Akron used its second possession to cut into the KSU lead. After the Zips' defense limited KSU to just 33 yards, Nelson and company melted 7:08 off the clock and scored at the 12:31 mark of the second quarter. Akron drove 80 yards on 16 plays, setting up a 24-yard field goal by redshirt freshman PK Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio). During the drive, Nelson hit sophomore WR Timothy Scippio (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) with a 13-yard pass play and picked-up 12 yards on the ground. Akron trailed 7-3.

Kent State responded with 10 unanswered points to take a 17-3 lead into halftime.

In the second half, Akron drove down the field several times, facing fourth and goal on two occasions, but couldn't convert. The Golden Flashes added three field goals of 42 yards, 45 yards and 43 yards for the 26-3 result.

Nelson led the Zips' offense, completing 17-of-28 for 202 yards with a 35-yard long pass to Stewart. Nelson also led the ground attack with 64 yards on 14 carries. Freshman RB Michiah Burton (Columbus, Ohio) followed with 21 yards on five carries.

Stewart led the receiving corps with 71 yards on four receptions, while freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) and Hicks caught four passes for 57 and 28 yards, respectively. Scippio also gained 28 yards on two receptions.

Defensively, Akron posted seven tackles for 19 yards of loss which included two sacks by redshirt junior DL Jaquize Cross (Buckhorn, Ala.) and redshirt senior LB Josh Ward (Delray Beach, Fla.). Cross posted the sack of four yards of loss, while Ward's totaled two.

Sophomore LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) led the squad in tackles with 15, while senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) recorded 10 tackles.

Akron continues its two-game MAC home stand on Saturday, Oct. 19, entertaining Buffalo at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN3.