Wagon Wheel On the Line as Akron Battles Rival Kent State

Tuesday, November 17

Kent, Ohio | Dix Stadium

8:00 PM

University of Akron

Kent State

Wagon Wheel On the Line as Akron Battles Rival Kent State

November 16 | Football

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GAME NO. 3 - AKRON AT KENT STATE GAME NOTES (11/17)

Akron (0-2, 0-2 MAC) at Kent State (2-0, 2-0 MAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 17
Dix Stadium
Kent, Ohio • 8 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 35-25-2
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Stream: www.ESPN.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.ESPN.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Radio: 640 WHLO AM (Dave Skoczen - pxp and Joe Dunn - color)

WHAT'S AHEAD
It is rivalry week for the University of Akron football team as the coveted Wagon Wheel is on the line with the Zips traveling to Kent State for the first installment of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge this year on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The showdown with the Golden Flashes is set for 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN with Courtney Lyle and Dustin Fox calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Kent State: Sean Lewis (Wisconsin, 2007), overall record: 11-16 (Third Season)/record at Kent State: Same
Akron: Tom Arth (John Carroll, 2003), overall record - 49-35 (Eighth Season)/record at Akron - 0-14 (Second Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron leads, 35-25-2
Arth vs. Kent State: 0-1, Kent State def. Akron, 26-3 (Akron, Ohio - Oct. 12, 2019)
Last Meeting: Kent State def. Akron, 26-3 (Akron, Ohio - Oct. 12, 2019)
Last Meeting in Kent: Akron def. Kent State, 24-23 (OT) (Kent, Ohio - Oct. 20, 2018)

Akron is meeting Kent State for the 63rd time in program history with the Zips owning a 35-25-2 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, the Golden Flashes registered a 26-3 triumph past Akron on Oct. 12, 2019 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. Akron and Kent State last met in Kent on Oct. 20, 2018 as the Zips posted a 24-23 overtime victory.

The series between the two schools dates back to the 1923 campaign when Akron earned a 32-0 home victory over Kent State. The Zips and Golden Flashes have met every season since 1992 with Akron in search of its third consecutive road triumph over Kent State dating back to a 31-27 victory past the Golden Flashes during the 2016 season.

CRYSTAL CLINIC WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE
Akron tackles Kent State for the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge during its game on Tuesday, Nov. 17. The 16-sport rivalry series between Akron and Kent State is based on a time-honored competition for an historic wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. Akron has won four of the last five Wagon Wheel football games.

Since the 2011-12 academic year, the rivalry was broadened to include 16 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings. To learn more about the rivalry and follow the results and standings, visit:

www.WagonWheelChallenge.com

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 20, 2019 - 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 with Kent State ultimately hoisting the artifact with a 26-3 victory on Oct. 20, 2019.

Kent State started the scoring on the first drive, using four plays and 1:36 on the game clock for a 7-0 advantage. QB Dustin Crum found WR Isaiah McKoy with a 49-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field for the score.

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' senior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) provided a balanced attack, gaining 35 yards in the air and 25 yards on the ground. Nelson found redshirt junior WR Julian Hicks (Cleveland, Ohio) for 15 yards and senior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) for 20 yards.

Akron used its second possession to cut into the Kent State lead. After the Zips' defense limited the Golden Flashes 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 sophomore PK Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio). During the drive, Nelson hit junior 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. Sophomore RB Michiah Burton (Columbus, Ohio) followed with 21 yards on five carries.

Stewart led the receiving corps with 71 yards on four receptions, while sophomore 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 senior DL Ja'Quize Cross (Buckhorn, Ala.) and LB Josh Ward. Cross posted the sack of four yards of loss, while Ward's totaled two.

Redshirt junior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) led the squad in tackles with 15, while LB John Lako recorded 10 tackles.

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State enters play this Tuesday on the heels of a 62-42 victory at Bowling Green on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The Golden Flashes were 7-6 a season ago, including a 5-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference en route to a 51-41 victory over Utah State at the Frisco Bowl.

Senior QB Dustin Crum is 39-of-56 for 490 yards, including throwing six touchdowns for the Golden Flashes, while redshirt freshman RB Bryan Bradford has rushed for 187 yards on the strength of 25 carries. Junior WR Isaiah McKoy has hauled in 178 yards receiving on a team-high 14 catches, including a 104-yard game against Eastern Michigan (Nov. 4).

Sophomore S Dean Clark has directed Kent State's defensive attack recording 14 tackles, including a team-high 10 solo stops. Senior LB Mandela Lawrence-Burke has added nine solo tackles.

The Golden Flashes' total 1,098 yards of offense, throwing for 591 yards and rushing for 507 yards, while defensively, Kent State has recorded 120 total tackles (76T/44A), 17 tackles for a loss, nine pass break-ups and a pair of interceptions.

As a team, the Golden Flashes are rated third in the NCAA in punt-return defense (-1.00), fifth in total offense (549.0), eighth in tackles for a loss (8.5), 11th in scoring offense (44.5) and sacks (3.50), 12th in rushing offense (253.5), 13th in first-down defense (36), 14th in completion percentage (.688), 23rd in third-down conversions (.484), 24th in passing offense (295.5), 25th in total defense (333.5) and 37th in time of possession (31.35) and yards per completion (13.43).

Individually, Crum is 12th in the NCAA in points responsible per game (42), 14th in completion percentage (.696), 15th in passing efficiency (174.9), 25th in yards per pass attempt (8.75), 40th in total offense (275.0) and 41st in completions (19.50) and passing yards (490), while McKoy is rated 16th in receptions per contest (7.0), 37th in scoring (9.0) and 38th in receiving yards (89.0).

LAST GAME
Akron garnered a career-high 165 yards rushing from junior RB Teon Dollard (Lake City, Fla.), as part of a 217 overall yards on the ground, but the Zips were unable to earn the road victory as Ohio registered a 24-10 triumph on Tuesday, Nov. 10 inside Peden Stadium.

Akron finished the contest with 435 combined offensive yards, including 218 through the air and 217 on the ground.

Redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) passed for a career-high 218 yards (18-of-30), including connecting with six different receivers. Redshirt junior WR George Qualls, Jr. (Caruthersville, Mo.) and freshman WR Tony Grimes, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) recorded career-high marks in receiving with 64 (3 catches) and 60 (5 catches) yards, respectively. WR Nate Stewart added five catches for 59 yards.

LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) led the Zips with eight tackles, including a pair of sacks, while contributing five, four and four tackles, respectively, was junior LB Brandon Bischof (Akron, Ohio), sophomore S Adetutu Daranijo (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and redshirt junior CB Jordyn Riley (Citra, Fla.).

The Bobcats scored on the opening of the evening when De'Montre Tuggle rushed nine yards to cap a six-play, 62-yard drive to put Ohio up 7-0 with 12:10 remaining in the first quarter.

Dollard got Akron off to a strong start running the ball taking the first three snaps for rushes of 15, 2 and 11 yards, respectively, to move the Zips to the Ohio 49-yard line. Gibson followed with a 10-yard run to push Akron to its opponent's 39-yard line. The Zips went for a 4th-and-5 play from the Ohio 34-yard line, but Gibson's pass attempt to Grimes Jr. came up short.

The Zips' defense was up to the task on the ensuing drive as a key sack by Arslanian forced the Bobcats into a punt.

After a 14-yard strike from Gibson to Grimes, the Zips suffered a turnover at the 13:40 mark of the second quarter that the Bobcats converted into a touchdown after an Amani Rogers' one-yard run with 12:27 left before intermission.

Arslanian came up with his second sack of the evening to short circuit a Bobcat drive with 10:48 left before halftime.

The Zips started their next drive on their own 3-yard line. After an offsides penalty on Ohio, Gibson delivered a strong pass down the sideline for 35 yards to Qualls Jr. for the first down.

Following a nine-yard pass from Gibson to Dollard, the Zips found themselves with a 4th-and-1 play from the Ohio 48-yard line. After an Akron timeout, freshman S MyJaden Horton (Cincinnati, Ohio) lined up in the wildcat formation and took the direct snap for a 2-yard gain to collect the first down.

A 21-yard pass from Gibson to Grimes move the Zips to Ohio's 23-yard line, before Akron found the end-zone on a 14-yard touchdown strike from Gibson to Stewart at the 4:25 mark of the second quarter to cap a nine-play, 97-yard scoring drive.

On a 2nd-and-10 play from the Ohio 45-yard line, Gibson connected with WR Timothy Scippio for a 14-yard reception to set up a 50-yard field goal attempt by K Cory Smigel with four seconds left in the half. Smigel was unable to split the uprights as his attempt went wide.

Gibson finished the opening half 10-of-16 passing for 131 yards and one touchdown, while Dollard muscled 69 yards rushing on 11 carries. Gibson connected with six different receivers in the first half, led by four catches from 50 yards from Grimes Jr.

The Zips outgained the Bobcats 239-177, including 131-93 and 108-84 edges, respectively, in passing and rushing. Akron went 3-of-7 on third-down conversions, while the Akron defense held Ohio to 1-of-5 as Bischof and Arslanian paced the Zips with four tackles each.

Dollard became Akron's first 100-yard rusher since Van Edwards Jr. ran for 109 yards vs. Morgan State on Sept. 28, 2018, with a 39-yard scamper on a 3rd-and-1 play from the Zips' 39-yard line.

Akron advanced the ball to the Bobcats' 17-yard line before Smigel split the uprights on a field goal from 34 yards to bring the Zips within four, 14-10, with 9:47 left in the third quarter. The 5:13 scoring drive was 10 plays for 58 yards.

The Bobcats extended their advantage to 17-10 at the 6:27 mark of the third quarter when Tristian Vandenburg connected on a 44-yard field goal.

Ohio extended its lead to 24-10 when Tuggle crossed the goal line on a one-yard run with 2:02 left in the game.

DOLLARD OFF TO FAST START RUSHING THE BALL
RB Teon Dollard has gotten of smashing start to his Akron career rushing the ball running for a team-best 241 yards on 38 carries. His 165 yards against Ohio (Nov. 10) represented the highest single-game rushing total since Jawon Chisholm ran for 184 yards against Kent State on Nov. 28, 2014. Dollard became Akron's first 100-yard rusher since Van Edwards Jr. ran for 109 yards vs. Morgan State on Sept. 28, 2018, with a 39-yard scamper on a 3rd-and-1 play from the Zips' 39-yard line against Ohio (Nov. 10).

He is ranked 11th in the NCAA in rushing (116.0), 25th in rushing yards per carry (6.11) and 46th in all-purpose yards (127.0).

Dollard became the eighth Zips since 2000 to rush for 165 or more yards in a game joining Dennis Kennedy (277 at Eastern Michigan - Oct. 18, 2008; 182 vs. Bowling Green -Oct. 11, 2008; 178 vs. Bowling Green - Nov. 4, 2006), Bobby Hendry (240 vs. Liberty - Oct. 12, 2002; 192 at Marshall - Oct. 27, 2001), Brandon Payne (207 vs. Connecticut - Oct. 21, 2000; 188 vs. Miami - Sept. 30, 2000; 167 at Kent State - Nov. 18, 2000), Brett Biggs (195 vs. Ball State - Oct. 23, 2004; 188 vs. Ohio - Nov. 15, 2005; 165 vs. Buffalo - Oct. 9, 2004), Jawon Chisholm (188 vs. VMI - Sept. 24, 2011; 184 at Kent State - Nov 28, 2014; 177 at Ohio - Oct. 13, 2002; 166 vs. Ball State - Oct. 26, 2013), Jerell Ringer (167 vs. Cal Poly - Oct. 11, 2003) and Alex Allen (165 at Ball State - Nov. 6, 2010).

ZIP TIDBITS
• WR Nate Stewart is nearing 1,000 yards receiving for his collegiate career entering play against Kent State on Tuesday, Nov. 17, with 942 career receiving yards.
• Akron is a perfect 4-for-4 in the red zone this season, including a pair of touchdown passes from QB Zach Gibson.
• Five of Akron's 2020 opponents were bowl eligible a year ago: Buffalo, Kent State, Miami, Ohio and Western Michigan.
• The Zips are rated first in the NCAA in red-zone offense (1.000), ninth in fewest penalties (9), 10th in fewest penalty yards (79), 13th in first-down defense (36), 17th in fewest penalties per game (4.50), 33rd in third-down conversion defense (.350) and time of possession (32.00), 38th in red-zone defense (.800) and 42nd in punt return defense (4.17).
• RB Teon Dollard is ranked 11th in the NCAA in rushing (116.0), 25th in rushing yards per carry (6.11) and 46th in all-purpose yards (127.0), while PK Cory Smigel is 24th in field goals (1.50) and 40th in field goal percentage (.750) and WR George Qualls, Jr., is 30th in yards per catch (19.50).
• WR George Qualls, Jr. and WR Tony Grimes, Jr. recorded career-high marks in receiving at Ohio (Nov. 10) with 64 (3 catches) and 60 (5 catches) yards, respectively. WR Nate Stewart added five catches for 59 yards.
• RB Jeremiah Knight's (Jefferson, Ohio) 74 yards against Western Michigan (Nov. 4) were a career-high mark and most for the Zips since Brandon Lee rushed for 76 yards against Northern Illinois (Oct. 26, 2019).
• Knight's 74 yards against Western Michigan (Nov. 4) were more than the Zips had as a team in all but two games in 2019 (95 vs Kent State and 94 vs NIU), while Teon Dollard's 67 yards exceeded all but three games.
• WR Michael Mathison recorded 44 yards receiving versus the Broncos (Nov. 4), his third-highest total in a game and most since pulling in four catches for 57 yards against Kent State last season.
• WR Nate Stewart had five games in 2019 with 50 or more yards receiving and started the season with 29 yards against Western Michigan (Nov. 4) before adding a season-high 59 yards on five catches versus Ohio (Nov. 10).
• Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 10 of the last 14 games overall. He is rated 39th in the NCAA in tackles per game (9.5).
• Redshirt sophomore DL Nazir Sy (Peachtree Corners, Ga.) and freshman DL Janirr Wade (Stone Mountain, Ga.) players posted their initial starts for the Zips versus Ohio (Nov. 10).
• Defensively, junior OLB Ryan McClain (Albuquerque, N.M.), senior DL John Mitchell (Crete-Monroe, Ill.), redshirt junior CB Chu Ogbonna (Marietta, Ga.), freshman LB Michael Snowden (Pittsburgh, Pa.), senior S Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Detroit, Mich.) made their first Akron starts versus the Broncos (Nov. 4).

UP NEXT
Akron continues its 2020 campaign hosting Miami University on Saturday, Nov. 28. The game will be broadcast on the Akron Radio Network 640 WHLO AM with Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn calling the action. Television coverage will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16.