Akron's Comeback Falls Just Short at Western Michigan, 45-40

Tuesday, November 9

Kalamazoo, Mich.

7:00 PM

University of Akron

2-8 , 1-5

Western Michigan

6-4 , 3-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Western Mich.

Akron's Comeback Falls Just Short at Western Michigan, 45-40

November 09 | Football

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF) | BOXSCORE | POSTGAME COMMENTS

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The University of Akron football team battled down to the final play of the game with a chance to secure the victory only to come up five points shy in 45-40 setback at Western Michigan (6-4, 3-3 MAC) on Tuesday evening, Nov. 9.

Playing in their first game under interim head coach Oscar Rodriguez, Jr., the Zips (2-8, 1-5 MAC) showed fight and resiliency putting up a season-high 40 points on 428 yards of total offense.

Redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) registered his second consecutive and third overall 300-yard passing game for Akron this season going 26-of-40 for 305 yards and two touchdowns.

Freshman WR Konata Mumpfield (Hoschton, Ga.) recorded career-high marks in catches (11) and receiving yards (122), while sophomore WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) added his third 100-yard receiving effort of the season. Mathison concluded the game with 273 all-purpose yards, which included a 94-yard kickoff return in the second quarter.

Redshirt sophomore LB Jeslord Boateng (Dublin, Ohio) led the Zips with a game-high nine tackles, including a career-best eight solo stops. Redshirt junior S Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Detroit, Mich.) also collected a game-high nine tackles for Akron. Senior DL Zach Morton (Detroit, Mich.) added a pick-six touchdown for the Zips in the third quarter.

UP NEXT:
Akron closes out its home campaign with the Battle for the Wagon Wheel as part of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge against rival Kent State at noon on Nov. 20 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Akron opened the game with an eight-play, 80-yard drive over 4:05 capped by a 17-yard touchdown from Gibson to Mumpfield to assume a 7-0 lead (Akron 7-0)
• Mumpfield pulled in five catches for 56 yards on opening drive, while Mathison had a 21-yard catch
• Western Michigan evened the score with a 27-yard TD run by Jaxson Kincaide to cap 10-play, 79-yard drive over 5:27 (Tied 7-7)
• A defensive stand by the Zips with WMU having 1st-and-Goal, led by a third-down tackle from redshirt freshman DL Curtis Fann, Jr. (Stillmore, Ga.), forced the Broncos into a 24-yard FG (11-plays, 86 yards, 5:37) (WMU 10-7)
• The Zips attempted a season-long 51-yard FG with 6:31 left before halftime by redshirt sophomore PK Cory Smigel (Greensburg, Pa.), but the kick sailed wide right
• A nine-play, 66-yard drive extended WMU's lead to 17-7 on a two-yard rushing TD from Sean Tyler (WMU 17-7)
• Michael Mathison answered with a 94-yard kickoff return to draw the Zips within three, 17-14 (WMU 17-14)
• The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first for Akron since a 98-yard return by Dashan Miller vs. Syracuse on Oct 24, 2009
• The Broncos finished the scoring in the half leading 24-14 with a 10-play, 75-yard TD over 2:26 capped by a four-yard receiving TD by Tyler (WMU 24-14)
• Morton blocked a 45-yard field goal for the Zips as time expired in the first half
• After a defensive stop by Akron, Smigel connected on a 38-yard field goal to conclude a 14-play, 28-yard drive over 5:52 to bring the Zips within seven, 24-17, with 6:18 left in the third quarter (WMU 24-17)
• The Broncos immediately answered with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Tyler to make the score 31-17 (WMU 31-17)
• A direct snap to freshman RB Jonzell Norrils (Toledo, Ohio) resulted in a touchdown with 1:26 left in third quarter to cap a nine-play, 69-yard drive over 4:38 (WMU 31-24)
• The Broncos added a one-yard TD run by Eleby to go ahead 38-24 (WMU 38-24)
• Mumpfield caught his second TD of the game from Gibson with an 11-yard reception with 9:44 remaining in the game to inch Akron within seven, 38-31 (WMU 38-31)
• On the first play of the ensuing WMU drive, Morton garnered a 24-yard interception return for a TD. The Zips though missed the extra point to trail by one, 38-37 (WMU 38-37)
• Smigel gave Akron the lead with 4:09 remaining with a 39-yard FG (Akron 40-38)
• The Broncos registered the final score of the game with a 45-yard TD to Corey Crooms (WMU 45-40)