Zips Fall to RedHawks

Saturday, November 28

Akron, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

0-4 , 0-4

Miami University

2-1 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Miami

Akron

November 28 | Football

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Playing at home for the first time in nearly a month, the Akron football team dropped a 38-7 decision to the visiting Miami RedHawks (2-1, 2-1 MAC) in an afternoon Mid-American Conference tilt on Saturday, Nov. 28, at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

Facing a Miami squad whose most recent game was canceled, the Zips (0-4, 0-4 MAC) were led by redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.), who completed 16-of-27 passes for 141 yards, including a long pass completion of 20 yards to redshirt junior WR George Qualls, Jr. (Caruthersville, Md.) and an 11-yard touchdown pass to sophomore WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.). Qualls finished the contest with a team-high 50 yards receiving on three catches.

The Zips also received a strong defensive effort from their linebacking corps, which saw redshirt junior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) and junior LB Brandon Bischof (Akron, Ohio), combine for 20 tackles, with Arslanian accounting for 11.

The RedHawks outgained Akron on the afternoon, 416-145, led by a QB Brett Gabbert going 18-of-27 for 308 yards, including four touchdowns.

Miami opened the scoring with a four-play, 86-yard drive capped by a 61-yard touchdown pass from Gabbert to Jack Sorenson at the 9:28 mark of the opening quarter.

Miami extended its advantage to 10-0 with 11:42 before halftime with a 42-yard FG from Henry Beckett.

The margin became 17-0 at the 6:10 mark when Gabbert connected with Sorenson for a 29-yard touchdown.

The RedHawks entered the intermission leading 24-0 after Gabbert hit Sorenson for his third score of the first half, this time from 28 yards out with 1:17 left before halftime.

The Zips were outgained offensively in the opening half, 281-69, including being limited to four yards rushing.

Gibson was 7-for-11 passing in the first half for 67 yards, with Qualls, senior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) and freshman TE Tristian Brank (Ashville, N.C.) registering catches of 20, 17 and 16 yards, respectively.

Bischof and Arslanian paced the Zips with eight and seven first-half tackles, respectively.

On its second possession of the second half, Akron moved the ball into Miami territory buoyed by a pair of RedHawk penalties. Gibson hit redshirt junior WR Julian Hicks (Cleveland, Ohio) with a seven-yard competition on 3rd-and-7 to set up Akron at the Miami 35-yard line. The Zips were not able to capitalize as a sack took Akron out of field-goal range on the drive.

A 62-yard interception return for a touchdown by Emmanuel Rugamba gave the RedHawks a 31-0 advantage with 2:38 left in the third quarter.

Gabbert connected with Sorenson for a 15-yard touchdown for their fourth-scoring drive of the game with 11:37 remaining in the game to extend Miami's lead to 38-0.

The Zips started the ensuing drive on their own 26-yard line and went 74 yards on eight plays covering 3:24 to get on the scoreboard when Gibson connected with Mathison on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 8:08 left in the game.

A 17-yard run by Gibson moved the ball to the Miami 35-yard line before he followed with a 12-yard completion to redshirt freshman WR Shawn Naim (Brecksville, Ohio) to advance to the RedHawks' 23-yard line. After a penalty on Miami moved the ball the 13-yard line, Gibson connected with Mathison on the touchdown pass.

Akron closes out its 2020 home campaign hosting Bowling Green in a 2 p.m. tilt on Saturday, Dec. 5. The game will be broadcast on the Akron Radio Network 640 WHLO AM with Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn calling the action, as well as on ESPN3.