The University of Akron Athletics
Football Travels To Northern Illinois on Oct. 26
October 21 | Football
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AKRON [0-7, 0-3 MAC]Â at NORTHERN ILLINOIS [2-5, 1-2 MAC]
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019
Huskie Stadium [23,595]Â
DeKalb, IL
3:30 PM ET | 2:30 PM CT | ESPN3
THIS WEEK
Akron closes out October with a trip to Northern Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 26, for a 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 CT) game at Huskie Stadium.
ESPN3 will televise the contest with Shawn Kenney (play-by-play) and Forrest Connely (analyst) calling the game.
The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron Sports Network [SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), 1420 WHK in Cleveland, 1440 WHKZ in Warren/Youngstown] with Steve French calling the action, David Skoczen 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.
Under the guidance of first-year head coach Tom Arth, Akron stands 0-7 overall (0-3 MAC) after a 21-0 loss to Buffalo. The Zips return 57 letterwinners, including 10 starters, to their pro style offense and multiple defensive schemes.
Redshirt junior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) is the team's top rusher with 136 yards on 65 carries. Under center, he stands 106-of-184 for 1,265 yards and eight touchdowns, while freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) is 34-of-55 for 366 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) is the top receiver with 30 receptions for 433 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) is the top Zip with 82 tackles, 6.5 TFL, and a 25-yard fumble recovery.
In the NCAA stats, Akron is ranked No. 2 in kickoff return defense (12.13). Individually, redshirt senior LB John Lako is No. 4 total tackles (11.7) and No. 33 in solo tackles (5.3). Freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) is No. 18 in kickoff returns (26.5) and No. 25 in combined kick returns (345).
The Huskies, under the guidance of first-year head coach Thomas Hammock, stand 2-5 overall (1-2 MAC) after a 27-24 loss at Miami (Ohio). Northern Illinois returns 56 letterwinners, including 16 starters, to its multiple offensive and 4-3 defensive schemes.
Sophomore RB Tre Harbison is the team's top rusher with 566 yards and five touchdowns on 127 carries. Under center, redshirt freshman QB Ross Bowers is 133-of-232 for 1,726 yards and five touchdowns. At wide receiver, junior Cole Tucker has 29 receptions for 408 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, junior S Mykel Williams is the top defender with 52 tackles, a forced fumble, and a break-up.
In the NCAA stats, Northern Illinois is ranked No. 11 in blocked punts (1) and No. 34 in passing offense (272.4). Individually, sophomore CB Jalen McKie is No. 1 in blocked kicks (2), while redshirt senior S Adam Buirge is No. 1 in punt return touchdowns (1). Redshirt freshman QB Ross Bowers is No. 30 in passings yards (1,726), No. 35 in passing yards per game (246.6), and No. 38 in passing yards per completion (12.98).
AKRON-NORTHERN ILLINOIS CONNECTIONS
The Akron has two players from the state of Illinois on its roster– redshirt senior QB Robbie Kelley [Springfield, Ill. | Rochester HS] and junior DL John Mitchell [Crete-Monee, Ill. | Crete-Monee HS].
Northern Illinois has no players from Ohio.
Huskie associate head coach/defensive coordinator Derrick Jackson served as the Zips' defensive line coach during the 2010 season.
AKRON-NORTHERN ILLINOIS:Â THE SERIES
Saturday's game is the 16th meeting and first since 2018 between Akron and Northern Illinois in series history, which began in 1966. The Huskies lead the series, 10-5, between the cross-division rivals, including the last five outings.
Last fall at InfoCision Stadium, Akron hosted the Mid-American Conference West leader Northern Illinois for a Thursday night football game on CBS Sports Network as the Huskies remained undefeated in league play with a 36-26 win.
For the first time since 2016, two Akron receivers surpassed the century mark as sophomore WR Andre Williams and senior WR Kwadarrius Smith each recorded 100-yard efforts. Williams collected 129 yards on eight catches with a touchdown and a 29-yard long reception. Meanwhile, Smith grabbed four passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns with catches worth 51 yards and 45 yards. Williams' performance marked his first game over 100 yards receiving as a Zip.
Sophomore QB Kato Nelson started under center and completed 18-of-26 passes for a season-high 299 yards and two touchdowns. Senior RB Van Edwards, Jr. led Akron's ground attack with 38 yards on 12 carries.
On the defensive side of the ball, four players reached double-digits in tackles, while the Zips collected four sacks with 34 yards of loss. Junior CB Alvin Davis, Jr. led the squad with a career-high 15 tackles, including six solo takedowns. Senior LB Brian Bell and junior LB John Lako collected 14 tackles apiece and both recorded sacks, while senior DE Jamal Davis II had 12 tackles and a sack.
In the teams' last meeting in DeKalb, Ill., on Oct. 12, 2013, Akron opened a 7-0 lead on its first possession, but No. 23 Northern Illinois responded with 17-straight points on its way to victory at Huskie Stadium.
Jawon Chisholm capped a nine-play, 71-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to give Akron a 7-0 edge with 11:04 left in the first quarter. That was one of two TDs on the ground for the junior, who dove 1-yard into the endzone for his second score with 1:12 remaining in the opening period. Chisholm closed out the day with 70 yards rushing on 20 carries.
SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Northern Illinois: 5-10
Akron in games at Akron: 2-5
Akron in games at Northern Illinois: 2-5
Akron in games at a neutral site: 1-0
First meeting in series:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1966, at Huskie Stadium, L, 18-31
Last meeting in series: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2018, at InfoCision Stadium, L, 26-36
LAST GAME
The Akron Zips fell 21-0 to the Buffalo Bulls in Mid-American Conference action at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field on Saturday.
Defense dominated play for both teams as the game only produced one offensive touchdown and a pair of defensive scores. The lone offensive score came on the first drive of the game as Buffalo turned the opening kickoff into seven points. The Bulls used 14 plays to drive 75 yards in 7:13. The scoring drive was capped by a two-yard rush from Kevin Marks.
After the initial drive, the Zips and the Bulls battled back-and-forth, fighting for field position. Akron marched into Buffalo territory two times during the second quarter, but the Bulls defense forced the Zips into a pair of 45-yard field goal attempts. The Zips missed the mark on both, and neither team put points on the scoreboard for the rest of the half. At halftime, Buffalo led 7-0.
In the second half, Buffalo caused a pair of fumbles that resulted in 14 points. At the 3:54 mark of the third quarter, UB's Taylor Riggins sacked UA's freshman QB Zach Gibson and stripped the ball in the process. Buffalo's Ledarius Mack recovered the loose ball and returned it 35 yards to the endzone. Later, in the fourth quarter, the Bulls caused a second sack-fumble play for the score as Kadofi Wright knocked the ball out of Gibson's hand near the one-yard line and recovered the ball in the endzone.
Defensively, the Zips only allowed seven points as senior LB John Lako led the way with 14 tackles, adding two tackles for four yards of loss.
Gibson led the Zips' offense, completing 22-of-39 passes for 193 yards with a long of 39 yards to sophomore WR Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio). It was Knight's only reception of the game. Redshirt sophomore WR Julian Hicks led the Zips' receiving corps with nine receptions for 51 yards.
POSTGAME NOTES
- True freshman QB Zach Gibson, junior LB Michael Scott (Tallahassee, Fla.) redshirt sophomore OL Shawn Muldowney (Diamond, Ohio), and junior RB Decavilon Reese (Benedictine, Ohio) made their first appearances in the starting line-up.
- Redshirt junior Jerry Fitschen (Orange, Calif.) kicked off once (to start the game). It went 65.0 yards, tying his career high.
- Redshirt freshman DL Eric Bentley (Akron, Ohio) had his first career fumble recovery in the second quarter. It led to a field goal attempt 11 plays later.
- Freshman RB Peter Hayes-Patrick (Orlando, Fla.) made his collegiate debut in the third quarter. He finished with three carries for five yards.
ZIPS QUICK HITS
- Akron has started five true freshmen this season, which ranks third nationally. Alabama leads the nation with eight true freshmen in the starting line-up.
- Seven of Akron's 2019 opponents were bowl eligible last fall:Â UAB (Boca Raton), Troy (Dollar General), Buffalo (Dollar General), Northern Illinois (Boca Raton), Miami (not selected), Eastern Michigan (Camillia), and Ohio (Frisco).
- Akron has 52 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 44 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.
- The Akron defense, which lost eights starters from 2018, is under the guidance of its third coordinator in three seasons– Matt Feeney (2019), Todd Stroud (2018), and Chuck Amato (2017).
- Three of the defensive starters that Matt Feeney had to replace this fall are currently on NFL rosters– LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Pittsburgh Steelers), DB Kyron Brown (New York Jets), and DE Jamal Davis II (Indianapolis).
UP NEXT
Akron plays its final Saturday game on Nov. 2 at Bowling Green at 2 p.m. at Doyt Perry Stadium.
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