Akron Travels to Ohio for Mid-Week #MACTION

Tuesday, November 10

Athens, Ohio | Peden Stadium

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

November 08 | Football

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GAME NO. 2 - AKRON AT OHIO GAME NOTES (11/10)

Akron (0-1, 0-1 MAC) at Ohio (0-1, 0-1 MAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Peden Stadium
Athens, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Ohio leads 22-13-1
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Stream: www.cbssports.com (subscription may be required)
Television: www.cbssports.com (subscription may be required)
Radio: 640 WHLO AM (Dave Skoczen - pxp and Joe Dunn - color)

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron football team hits the road for the first time during the 2020 campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 10 as the Zips visit Ohio. The showdown with the Bobcats is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Dave Ryan and Corey Chavous calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Ohio: Frank Solich (Nebraska, 1966), overall record: 171-101 (22nd Season)/record at Ohio: 113-82 (15th Season)
Akron: Tom Arth (John Carroll, 2003), overall record - 49-34 (8th Season)/record at Akron - 0-13 (Second Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Ohio leads, 22-13-1
Arth vs. Ohio: 0-1, Ohio def. Akron, 52-3 (Akron, Ohio - Nov. 26, 2019)
Last Meeting: Ohio def. Akron, 52-3 (Akron, Ohio - Nov. 26, 2019)
Last Meeting in Athens: Ohio def. Akron, 49-28 (Athens, Ohio - Nov. 23, 2018)

Akron is meeting Ohio for the 37th time in program history with the Bobcats owning a 22-13-1 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Ohio registered a 52-3 triumph past the Zips on Nov. 26, 2019 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. Akron and Ohio last met in Athens on Nov. 23, 2018 as the Bobcats posted a 49-28 victory.

The series between the two schools dates back to the 1912 campaign when Akron earned a 27-0 home victory over Ohio. The Zips and Bobcats have met every season since 1992 and Akron is in search of its first road triumph over Ohio since posting a 31-19 victory over the Bobcats during the 2004 season.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (NOV. 26, 2019 - AKRON, OHIO)
The Akron Zips closed out the 2019 football season with a 52-3 loss to the Ohio Bobcats at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field on Nov. 26, 2019.

Prior to the opening kickoff, Akron honored 18 members of its Senior Class – OL Trevor Brown, LS Peyton Coffman, DB Alvin Davis, Jr., WR Jaquavis Dixon, DB Shawn Featherstone, Jr., DL Andy Jean-Baptiste, DL Davon'te Jest, TE Nick Johns, WR De'von Jones, TE Brandon Junk, OL Rich Kallay, QB Robbie Kelley, LB James King, LB John Lako, LB DeMarcus Lloyd, TE Darryl Long, RB Deltron Sands, and LB Josh Ward.

Sophomore DB Adetutu Daranijo (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and redshirt junior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) led the Zips defense with 10 tackles apiece, while the senior defenders contributed heavily in the takedown category – Lako (8), Ward (7), Davis (6), Lloyd (5), Jean-Baptiste (3), Jest (3), and King (1).

On the other side of the ball, three Zips lined-up behind center as senior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.), redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.), and senior QB Robbie Kelley passed for a combined 33 yards. RB Peter Hayes-Patrick led the squad on the ground with 42 yards on 14 carries.

The Bobcats started the scoring on their second drive of the game when QB Nathan Rourke found WR DL Knock for a 53-yard passing play at 9:55 in the first quarter.

Akron responded as Jest set up the Zips first score with a strip-sack and recovery of the fumble at the Zips 10-yard line. Moments later, redshirt sophomore PK Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio) split the uprights from 25-yards away with 7:20 left in the opening stanza.

Ohio established a 14-3 advantage with another big passing play before the first frame expired. With 4:59 showing on the play clock, Rourke delivered a pass to Shane Hooks for a 39-yard score.

The Akron defense caused its second turnover of the game when DE Dylan Meeks caused the Bobcat runner to fumble and sophomore DB A.J. Watts (Columbus, Ga.) secured the loose ball from the turf. Unfortunately, Ohio stalled Akron's drive, and the Zips were unable to close the gap.

Ohio opened the second quarter with a 40-yard field goal that increased the lead to 17-3 and added two touchdowns for a 31-3 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Bobcats did all the scoring, adding 21 points to the scoreboard on a trio of rushes. Ohio out-gained the Zips 603-74 with 352 yards passing and 251 yards rushing.

AKRON FOOTBALL HAS
• Been selected to finish sixth in the MAC East in 2020 by the media and the coaches
• Appeared in a bowl twice in three seasons, a program first [2015, 2017]

A WIN WOULD GIVE AKRON
• Its first victory of the 2020 season
• Its first victory under head coach Tom Arth
• The 50th career coaching win for head coach Tom Arth
• Its first road win of the season
• Its first Mid-American Conference victory of the season
• Its first win over Ohio since the 2017 season

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio comes into play this Tuesday on the heels of a 30-27 setback at Central Michigan on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The Bobcats turned in a 7-6 record, including a 5-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference a season ago en route to a 30-21 victory over Nevada at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Redshirt freshman QB Kurtis Rourke was 12-of-19 for 231 yards, including throwing a pair of touchdowns for the Bobcats, while senior RB De'Montre Tuggle rushed for 79 yards and one touchdown on the strength of 16 carries. Redshirt junior WR Isiah Cox hauled in 102 yards receiving on four catches, including a 58-yard strike.

Redshirt sophomore S Jamison Collier directed Ohio's defensive attack recording eight tackles, including a team-high seven solo stops. Redshirt sophomore LB Jeremiah Wood added seven solo tackles, while senior DE Austin Conrad (5T/2A) and senior LB Jared Dorsa (6T/1A) added seven tackles each.

The Bobcats total 345 yards of offense, throwing for 245 yards and rushing for 110 yards, while defensively. Ohio recorded 67 total tackles (57T/10A), four tackles for a loss, four pass break-ups and three QB hurries.

As a team, the Bobcats are rated second in the NCAA in passing yards per completion (18.08), third in kickoff returns (34.40) and 23rd in fourth down conversion defense (.400). Individually, Tuggle is leading the NCAA in kickoff returns (53.3), second in all-purpose yards (239.0), third in kickoff return TDs (1) and sixth in scoring (12.0), while Rourke is rated second in passing yards per completion (19.25), third in yards per pass (12.16) and seventh in passing efficiency (200.0). Cox is seventh yards per catch (25.50) and 28th in receiving yards (102.0), while Collier is seventh in solo tackles (7.0), while Wood is ranked seventh in solo tackles (7) and eighth in tackles for a loss (2.0).

LAST GAME
The long-awaited debut of the 2020 Mid-American Conference football season started on Wednesday evening at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field as the visiting Broncos of Western Michigan (1-0, 1-0 MAC) defeated the homestanding Akron Zips, 58-13.

The contest marked the first in a six-game regular season for Akron (0-1, 0-1 MAC), which will face its fellow MAC East Division rivals in its next five outings.

The Broncos got on the scoreboard first, connecting on 48-yard field goal by Thiago Kapps to assume a 3-0 lead at the 10:33 mark of the first quarter.

Redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) turned in a solid outing in his first start for Akron, completing 18-of-30 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. The ground game was equally productive for the Zips, as junior RB Teon Dollard (Lake City, Fla.) gained 67 yards on 16 carries.

The Zips took the field for its first offensive drive of the season and on a 4th-and-1 play from their own 36-yard line, Dollard broke open a 45-yard sprint down the sideline to give Akron a first down on the Broncos' 19. Dollard took the next snap for a five-yard run before Gibson hit sophomore WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 7:32 left in the first quarter. Dollard registered 57 of a possible 73 yards on the scoring drive. It was the first opening-drive touchdown for the offense since the Sept. 28 contest against Massachusetts last season.

Western Michigan answered with a seven-play, 60-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown pass from QB Kaleb Eleby to WR D'Wayne Eskridge at the 3:48 mark to regain the lead, 10-7.

On the ensuing possession, Broncos' safety A.J. Thomas intercepted a Gibson second-down pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to extend the Broncos' lead to 16-7 after a missed extra point.

The Zips answered, as K Cory Smigel delivered a 41-yard field goal to culminate a 10-play, 51-yard drive to cut Western Michigan's lead to 16-10 at 13:04 of the second quarter. Senior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) recorded 29 yards receiving on three catches in the drive.

The Broncos added a 10-play, 76-yard touchdown drive before a 28-yard field goal from Smigel brought Akron to within 10, 23-13, with 3:41 remaining before halftime. Mathison had three catches for 20 yards on the drive.

With 1:34 remaining in the opening half, Western Michigan put seven additional points on the board for a 30-13 halftime advantage.

Dollard led all rushers in the opening half with 57 yards, while redshirt junior RB Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio) logged 29 yards. Mathison hauled in six passes in the opening half for 44 yards, while Gibson completed 13-of-19 passes for 104 yards.

Th Bronco's momentum carried into the final half, adding 28 second-half points en route to 484 yards of total offense for the game.

The Zips were aggressive from the outset, attempting an onside kick to open the game, throwing the ball 19 times before intermission and going for it on multiple fourth downs throughout the game. Seven different receivers caught a pass for Akron, with Mathison topping the squad on the strength of six receptions for a team-best 44 yards.

LB Bubba Arslanian spearheaded the defensive effort for Akron, notching 11 tackles. Redshirt junior LB Michael Scott (Tallahassee, Fla.) added a sack for an 11-yard loss for the Zips.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Five of Akron's 2020 opponents were bowl eligible a year ago: Buffalo, Kent State, Miami, Ohio and Western Michigan.
• Akron has 56 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 32 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.
• RB Jeremiah Knight's 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 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, his third-highest total in a game and most since pulling in four catches for 57 yards against Kent State last season. He is rated 44th in the NCAA in receptions per game (6.0).
• 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).
• The Zips were 18-for-26 in the opponent's red zone a year ago, including nine TD passes. Akron was 2-for-2 with the 14-yard TD from QB Zach Gibson to Mathison accounting for the TD against Western Michigan (Nov. 4).
• PK Cory Smigel was 2-for-2 in FGA versus Western Michigan (Nov. 4) after the Zips were 7-for-12 in FGA in 2019.
• LB Bubba Arslanian finished with six solo tackles and five assists against Western Michigan (Nov. 4), both team-high marks. His five assists equaled the tackle totals for the game for the Nos. 2 and 3 tacklers in the game for Akron (redshirt sophomore LB Reggie Corner, Jr. (Canton, Ohio) and junior LB Brandon Bischof (Akron, Ohio), who each had five solo tackles).
• Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in six-straight games and 10 of the last 13 overall. He is rated 21st in the NCAA in solo tackles (6.0).
• Akron started four redshirt freshman on the offensive line against Western Michigan in redshirt freshmen Xavior Gray (Massillon, Ohio), Ryan Beckman (Avon Lake, Ohio), Jordan Daniels (Huntersville, N.C.) and Owen Murphy (Cleveland, Ohio). Gray played in four games a year ago, including two starts, while Murphy played in one. Senior C Bryce Petersen (McKinleysville, Calif.) was lone returning starter on the offensive line.
• Four players made their first Akron starts on offense against Western Michigan (Nov. 4) in Beckman, Daniels, Dollard and Murphy.
• 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).
• QB Kato Nelson is Akron's active career leader in rushing yards (622), rushing attempts (335), rushing TD's (2), pass attempts (762), pass completions (399), passing yards (5,138) and passing TD's (34) and is responsible for 36 career offensive TD's.
• WR Nate Stewart is Akron's active career leader in receptions (65), receiving TD's (4).
• Junior WR Timothy Scippio (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), RB Jeremiah Knight and TE Maverick Wolfley average 18.42 (12-221), 13.74 (42-577) and 13.00 (10-130) per catch for their Zips' careers.
• Nate Stewart is nearing 1,000 yards receiving for his collegiate career entering play against Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 10, with 883 career receiving yards.
• Jeremiah Knight owns a team-best 1,434 career all-purpose yards.
• Nine of 22 starters made their initial Akron starts against Western Michigan (Nov. 4).
• Akron started nine freshmen during the 2019 season, which ranked third nationally.

UP NEXT
Akron continues its 2020 campaign traveling to Kent, Ohio, for a 7 p.m. showdown at Kent State as part of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge on Nov. 17. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU as well as on the Akron Radio Network 640 WHLO AM with Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn calling the action.