Akron Hosts Bryant in First-Ever Gridiron Encounter

Saturday, September 18

Akron, Ohio

3:30 PM

University of Akron

Bryant

Akron Hosts Bryant in First-Ever Gridiron Encounter

September 16 | Football

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GAME NO. 3 - AKRON VS BRYANT NOTES (9/18)

Akron (0-2) vs. Bryant (1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 18
InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field
Akron, Ohio • 3:30 p.m.

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

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron football team returns to action this week welcoming Bryant to InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field on Saturday, Sept. 18. The 3:30 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Michael Reghi and Je'Rod Cherry calling the action with a link on GoZips.com.

HEAD COACHES
Bryant: Chris Merritt (Indiana, 1992), overall record: 7-11 (Third Season)/record at Bryant: 7-11 (Third Season)
Akron: Tom Arth (John Carroll, 2003), overall record - 50-40 (Ninth Season)/record at Akron - 1-19 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
First Meeting
Arth vs. Bryant: First Meeting
Last Meeting: First Meeting
Last Meeting in Akron: First Meeting

SCOUTING BRYANT
Bryant enters play against Akron following a 17-6 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday, Sept. 11. A season ago, the Bulldogs posted a 2-2 ledger, including a 2-2 mark in the Northeast Conference.

Freshman QB Zevi Eckhaus and senior QB Gage Moloney have paced the Bryant attack throwing for 161 and 92 yards, respectively, on a combined 28-for-54 passing. Freshman RB Fabrice Mukendi and senior RB Dan Adeboboye have rushed for 117 and 89 yards, respectively, with Mukendi, Adeboboye and junior WR Psaveon Reaves collecting touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore WR Gary Cooper has pulled in five catches for a team-high 161 yards.

Defensively, the duo of senior LB's Joe Andreessen and Ryan Saddler have combined to record 34 tackles, including posting 18 and 16 stops, respectively. Andreesseen owns 2.5 tackles for a loss this season.

As a team, Bryant averages 19.0 points per game, while registering 310.5 yards per game, including rushing for 184 yards and throwing for 126.5 yards per tilt.

As a team, Bryant is ranked first in the NCAA FCS in red zone offense (1.000), 24th in winning percentage (.500), 26th in third down conversion defense (.320), 28th in rushing offense (184.0), 33rd in punt returns (6.00), 39th in net punting (37.25), 40th in turnover margin (0.50) and 43rd in fewest penalty yards per game (44.50).

Individually, Young is ranked 32nd in combined kick returns (90) and 33rd in kickoff returns (21.0), while Andreessen is 30th in total tackles (9.0) and 38th in solo tackles (5.5).

LAST GAME
Akron held an early 14-0 lead, but could not overcome 38 unanswered points from Temple at Saturday's home opener at InfoCision-Stadium-Summa Field, as the Zips fell 45-24.

Senior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) started behind center and completed 7-of-12 passes and threw for 82 yards and a touchdown before exiting the game. Nelson found sophomore WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga) for a team-best 32-yard reception and freshman WR Tony Grimes, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was the target for a 17-yard touchdown pass – Akron's second touchdown of the game. Nelson carried the ball 10 times for 32 rushing yards, including a 15-yard long run.

Mathison led the receiving corps with a career-high eight receptions for a career-best 101 yards, while Grimes caught two passes for 33 yards and his first touchdown as a Zip. Freshman WR Konata Mumpfield (Hoschton, Ga.) recorded the Zips' final touchdown with 2:47 left to play in the game.

Junior QB DJ Irons (Lawrenceville, Ga.) finished the game calling the plays, posting a 12-of-22 performance for 109 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. Irons scored Akron's initial touchdown of the game, and his first as a Zip, on a nine-yard run and collected 27 of the Zips' 171 yards on the ground. Freshman RB Jonzell Norrils (Toledo, Ohio) led the ground attack with 66 yards on 15 carries for 4.4 yards per touch.

On the defensive side of the ball, LB Bubba Arslanian registered a game-high 17 tackles, including eight solo stops. Junior CB Jalen Hooks (Warren, Ohio) followed with six tackles and four solo stops, while sophomore S A.J. Watts (Columbus, Ga.) recorded a tackle for 10 yards of loss. Akron recorded four tackles for a loss, totaling 16 yards.

The Zips scored on the first drive of the game, traveling 77 yds in 12 plays capped by a nine-yard TD run by Irons. With a 7-0 advantage Akron put seven additional points on the scoreboard with an 80-yard drive that ended with Nelson completing a 17-yard pass to Grimes, who was wide-open in the back corner of the endzone, 14-0. Temple retaliated with a 70-yard touchdown pass to cut Akron's lead in half before the first quarter ended.

Akron opened the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal off the foot on redshirt sophomore PK Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio). Akron led 17-7, but two costly turnovers by Akron allowed Temple to take a 21-17 advantage by the 5:12 mark of the second frame. Temple returned a fumble for 38 yards and issued a pick-six for the lead. Temple added a 26-yard field goal before the half expired, taking a 24-17 advantage into the break. Temple added 21 points before Akron found paydirt for the final time in the game.

ARSLANIAN NAMED MAC EAST DIVISION DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Bubba Arslanian was recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its MAC East Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday, Sept. 13.

Arslanian turned in a stellar performance against Temple registering a game-high 17 tackles, including eight solo stops. His 17 total tackles represent the best single-game effort in the NCAA this season and is two shy of his career-high total of 19 tackles set against Bowling Green last season.

Arslanian is rated second in the NCAA in total tackles per game (12.5) and solo tackles per contest (6.0). He ranks 13th in the NCAA among active career leaders in total tackles per game (7.41), 23rd in assisted tackles (117), 25th in solo tackles per tilt (3.75) and 30th in total tackles (237).

ARSLANIAN LEADS THE DEFENSE
LB Bubba Arslanian leads Akron's defensive efforts this season registering team-high marks in tackles (25), solo stops (12) and assists (13). He kicked off the season recording a game-high eight tackles at Auburn. He distributed four solo take downs and four assisted stops. He has led the Zips in tackles over the last eight games overall and in 11 of Akron's last 13 contests dating back to the 2019 campaign. He has recorded 117 solo tackles, including 12 this season, and 120 career assisted tackles. He is ranked 69th among active career leaders across all divisions assisted tackles (117), 70th in total tackles per game (7.41) and 71st in total tackles (237).

He turned in a dominant season as one of the premier linebackers in both the Mid-American Conference as well as the NCAA in 2020, leading the defensive efforts for the Zips. He led the NCAA in solo tackles (7.8) and in total tackles (12.3).

In MAC play, Arslanian headlined the league in total tackles (74), solo tackles (47) and tackles per game (12.3), while ranking sixth in assisted tackles (27) and eighth in sacks (0.50).

Arslanian turned in a dominant performance to help lift the Zips to a 31-3 victory over Bowling Green on Dec. 5, 2020 with a 16-tackle effort. His 16 total tackles represented a season-high mark, while equaling a career-high total with 11 solo stops, to go along with five assists. His performance was recognized by @PFF_College, who rated Arslanian as grading out as the fourth-best linebacker in college football in Week 14.

Arslanian had 10 or more total tackles in 15 of the last 20 games overall. Arslanian surpassed the 200-tackle plateau for his career against Buffalo on Dec. 12, 2020.

ZIP TIDBITS
• LB Bubba Arslanian recorded a team-best 17 tackles against Temple and is rated second in the NCAA in total tackles (12.5) and 20th in solo tackles (6.0).
• WR Michael Mathison registered his first career 100-yard receiving day versus Temple pulling in career-high marks in catches (8) and yards (101).
• RB Jonzell Norrils posted career-best marks in rushing attempts (15) and yards (66) against Temple, a week after scoring his second-career touchdown and first of 2021 with a four-yard reception in the fourth quarter versus Auburn.
• Bubba Arslanian's 17 tackles versus Auburn represent a single-game high in the NCAA this season.
• Five Zips made their first starting appearance against Auburn in 2021 season opener as ILB Jeslord Boateng, senior DL Zach Morton (Detroit, Mich.) and freshman S Ronald Jackson, Jr. (Detroit, Mich.) started on defense, additionally WR Konata Mumpfield and RB Jonzell Norrils received starts on offense.
• CB Jalen Hooks, junior CB Charles Amankwaa (Hillsborough, N.J.) and redshirt junior DL Angelo Howze (Fishers, Ind.) each registered a tackle for a loss against Temple.
• QB DJ Irons is off to a solid start to his Akron career connecting on 25-of-35 passes for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was perfect in debut as a Zip against Auburn, completing 13-of-13 passes for 129 yards with his first passing touchdown coming to Norrils in the fourth quarter.
• ILB Jeslord Boateng recorded a team-best five solo tackles in his Akron debut, and finished with seven total stops. He ranks second on the team in total tackles (13), solo stops (9) and assists (4).
• QB Kato Nelson is Akron's active career leader in rushing attempts (356), pass attempts (790), pass completions (414), passing yards (5,282) and passing TD's (35) and is responsible for 37 career offensive TD's.
• Akron is rated first in the NCAA in red zone offense (1.000), 17th in fewest penalty yards (70), 19th in fewest penalty yards per game (35.00), 25th in fewest penalities (9) and fewest penalty yards per tilt (4.50), 32nd in punting (42.38), 35th in completion percentage (.672) and 36th in time of possession (32:09).
• Michael Mathison is rated 11th in the NCAA in reception per game (7.5), 32nd in all-purpose yards (134.50) and combined kick returns (95), 36th in kickoff returns (20.0), 38th in receiving yards per contest (84.5) and 43rd in receiving yards (169).
• Four of Akron's 2021 opponents played in bowl a year ago: Auburn, Ball State, Buffalo and Ohio State.

UP NEXT
The University of Akron football team will travel down I-71 for an in-state showdown with Ohio State on Saturday, Sept. 25. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fans can follow the action live on the Big Ten Network or via live stats on GoZips.com.

NO RE-ENTRY POLICY FOR AKRON FOOTBALL
Guests and students that exit InfoCision Stadium -Summa Field will not be permitted to re-enter. Guests and students arriving after halftime will be required to use Gate 1 for entrance. Tickets may be purchased at Gate 1 ticket office through the end of the third quarter.