Akron Falls at No. 24 Buffalo in 2020 Season Finale

Saturday, December 12

Buffalo, N.Y. | UB Stadium

2:30 PM

University of Akron

1-5 , 1-5

Buffalo

5-0 , 5-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Buffalo

Akron Falls at No. 24 Buffalo in 2020 Season Finale

December 12 | Football

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF) | AKRON PRESS CONFERENCE | BUFFALO PRESS CONFERENCE

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The University of Akron football team concluded its 2020 campaign dropping a 56-7 decision at No. 24 Buffalo (5-0, 5-0 MAC), the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division champions, on Saturday, Dec. 12, at UB Stadium.

The Zips (1-5, 1-5 MAC) capped as unique a collegiate football season as many have seen over the course of the more than 150-year history of the sport. Akron overcame the challenges presented by COVID-19 and battled through the campaign to become the lone school in the MAC East to play all six games this fall.

Redshirt junior RB Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio) led the Zips' ground attack rushing for a team-high 58 yards on 13 carries, while freshman RB Jonzell Norrils (Toledo, Ohio) scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter to finish the afternoon with 28 yards on the strength of five carries.

Senior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) hauled in a team-best five catches for 39 yards, while redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) and redshirt sophomore QB T.J. DeShields (Beloit, Ohio) combined to go 12-for-27 as the duo recorded 53 and 59 passing yards, respectively.

Redshirt junior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) led Akron's defensive efforts for the seventh consecutive game recording a team-high 13 tackles, including 10 solo tackles. Sophomore CB Randy Cochran, Jr. (Doralville, Ga.), freshman DB MyJaden Horton (Cincinnati, Ohio) and redshirt freshman CB Corey Thomas, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added eight, six and six tackles, respectively.

The Bulls assumed a lead they didn't relinquish in the contest as Jaret Patterson scored a one-yard touchdown at the 8:23 mark to give Buffalo a 7-0 lead.

The Zips followed with a strong nine-play, 57-yard drive that was highlighted by a 15-yard third-down conversion catch from Gibson to Stewart. Gibson then hit sophomore WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) on a 26-yard strike to the sideline for a first down.

Junior RB Teon Dollard (Lake City, Fla.) followed with a 12-yard rush to the Bulls' 18-yard line. Akron was unable to convert on a 47-yard field goal attempt by redshirt sophomore K Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio) as the kick was blocked and returned for a touchdown to extend Buffalo's lead to 14-0.

The Zips trailed after the first quarter by the same margin. The Bulls found the endzone three times in the second quarter to enter the intermission leading Akron, 35-0.

Sparked by 217 first-half rushing yards, the Bulls outpaced the Zips in the opening half in total yardage 233-86.

Stewart caught four passes for 30 yards in the first half, while Dollard rushed for 25 yards on seven carries. Gibson was 6-of-13 for 59 yards, including a 26-yard third-down sideline conversion to Mathison.

Arslanian recorded eight tackles in the first half, including five solo stops. His 1st-and-Goal stop of Patterson for no gain in the opening quarter represented the 100th solo tackle of his Akron career.

The Bulls added to their lead with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns before an interception by sophomore CB A.J. Watts (Columbus, Ga.) with 9:09 left in the game set up Akron's scoring drive.

Norrils busted through a hole set up by his offensive line on a 4th-and-1 play from the Bulls' 11-yard line and found the endzone to cap an eight-play, 58-yard scoring drive for the Zips.

Buffalo capped the scoring with a touchdown to account for the final margin.

Akron concluded its 2020 campaign on the day as the Zips now look towards next fall as the squad is slated to open their 2021 campaign at Auburn on Sept. 4, 2021.