The University of Akron Athletics
Saturday, September 17
Knoxville, Tenn.
7:00 PM
University of Akron
at
Tennessee
Akron Set to Face No. 15/16 Tennessee
September 15 | Football
Akron (1-1) at No. 15/16 Tennessee (2-0)
Saturday, Sept. 17
Neyland Stadium
Knoxville, Tenn. • 7 p.m.
Series History: Tennessee leads 2-0
Live Stats:Â www.GoZips.com
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television:Â www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Radio:Â 640 WHLO AM (Dave Skoczen - pxp and Joe Dunn - color)
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron football team travels to Knoxville, Tenn., for a showdown with No. 15/16 Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 17. The 7 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on the ESPN+ and SEC Network+ with Drew Carter and Aaron Murray calling the action with a link on GoZips.com.
HEAD COACHES
Tennessee: Josh Heupel (Oklahoma, 2001), overall record: 37-14 (Fifth Season)/record at Tennessee: 9-6 (Second Season)
Akron: Joe Moorhead (Fordham, 1996), overall record - 53-26 (Seventh Season)/record at Akron - 1-1 (First Season)
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Tennessee for third time in program history and first since the 2012 campaign. The two teams last met on Sept. 22, 2012 where the Vols posted a 47-26 victory in Knoxville, Tenn. The only other meeting occurred on Nov. 11, 1989, also in Knoxville, a 52-9 Tennessee win.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE
Tennessee comes into action versus Akron on the strength of 34-27 road triumph at Pittsburgh on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Redshirt senior QB Hendon Hooker paces the Vols' attack passing for 523 yards, including throwing three touchdowns. Sophomore RB Jaylen Wright has rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown, while redshirt senior WR Cedric Tillman has hauled in a team-high 15 passes for 230 yards.
Defensively, the quartet of senior LB Aaron Beasley, senior DB Trevon Flowers, senior DB Warren Burrell and redshirt junior DB Kamal Hadden have combined to record 22,14, 12 and 10 tackles, including posting nine, seven, eight and five solo stops, respectively. Tennessee has tallied four sacks and 11 tackles for a loss.
As a team, the Vols average 43.5 points per game, while holding their opponents to 18.5 per outing. Tennessee has thrown for 326.5 yards and rushed for 154.5 yards per tilt.
As a team, the Vols rank first in the NCAA in winning percentage (1.000), 13th in punt return defense (0.00), 15th in turnovers gained (5), 17th in fourth down conversions (.800), 18th in passing offense (326.5), 23rd in turnover margin (1.00), 24th in scoring offense (43.5), 26th in completion percentage (.697), 29th in total offense (481.0), 32nd in fumble recoveries (2) and third down conversions (.281), 34th in team passing efficiency (159.28), 36th in first down offense (51) and red zone defense (.714), 42nd in kickoff returns (22.50), 44th in rushing defense (107.5) and 48th in kickoff return defense (18.00) and scoring defense (18.5).
Individually, Tillman is ranked 13th in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (115.0), 14th in receptions per tilt (7.5) and 16th in receiving yards (230). Additionally, Hooker is rated 31st in completions per game (22.0) and total offense (281.0), 35th in points responsible per tilt (15.0), 36th in passing yards per outing (261.5), 38th in points responsible for (30), 39th in passing yards (523) and 44th in completion percentage (.667). Junior RB Jabari Small ranks19th in rushing touchdowns (3), while Flowers, Hadden and junior DB Tamarion McDonald are 25th in interceptions (1).
ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is meeting a team from the Southeastern Conference for the second consecutive season and eighth time (Auburn - 2021 | South Carolina - 2018 | Kentucky - 2010 | LSU - 1997 | Florida - 1990 | Tennessee - 2012, 1989) overall in program history when it faces Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 17, for the third time and first since 2012.
• Twenty-six different Zips registered a tackle against Michigan State, including 11 newcomers.
• Nine different Zips posted five or more tackles versus the Spartans, led by a career- and team-high eight tackles (three solo and five assists) from sophomore DB Darrian Lewis (Akron, Ohio).
• WR Daniel George pulled in a team- and career-high four catches for 44 yards against the Spartans, while WR Shocky Jacques-Louis added three catches for 31 yards.
• Redshirt junior TE TJ Banks (North Versailles, Pa.) pulled in four catches for 29 yards, while sophomore WR Jasaiah Gathings (Statesville, Ga.) made his first career catch versus Michigan State, a 16-yard reception.
• Ten Zips established career-high marks in tackles against the Spartans on Sept. 10.
• Akron is rated 18th in the NCAA in interceptions (3), 28th in fourth down conversions (.667), 29th in kickoff return defense (15.75), 38th in turnovers gained (4) and 43rd in net punting (41.50).
• Individually, WR Shocky Jacques-Louis is rated 36th in the NCAA in combined kickoff returns (93), 37th in all-purpose yards (123.00), while CB Tyson Durant, CB Jalen Hooks and DL Zach Morton are ranked 25th in interceptions (3) and interceptions per game (.50). Additionally, senior punter Noah Gettman (Daytona Beach, Fla.) is 20th in the country in punting (45.1).
• LB Bubba Arslanian has sparked Akron's defensive efforts over the course of his decorated career having recorded 135 solo tackles, including eight this season, and 135 career assisted tackles. He is ranked 31st among active career leaders across all divisions in assisted tackles (135), 33rd in total tackles (270), 62nd in total tackles per game (7.50) and 67th in solo tackles (135). Additionally, he is rated ninth in Division I in total tackles per contest (7.50), 12th in assisted tackles (135), 14th in total tackles (270), 27th in solo tackles per tilt (3.75) and 31st in solo tackles (135). Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 17 of the last 24 games he has played in overall. Arslanian surpassed the 250-tackle plateau for his career against Ohio State on Sept. 25, 2021.
• QB Jeff Undercuffler, Jr., is rated 18th among active career D1 leaders in touchdown passes (59), 22nd in passing yards per attempt (6.87), 23rd in passes per game (29.50), 27th in total touchdowns responsible for (60), 28th in passing yards (6,483), 30th in total plays (6,099), 35th in passing yards per game (202.6), 37th in total offense (6,099) and 45th in completion percentage (.549).
• P Noah Gettman is ranked sixth among active career leaders in punting yards (8,690) and eighth in punts per game (5.19).
UP NEXT
Akron travels to Lynchburg, Va., to battle Liberty in a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 24.
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Saturday, Sept. 17
Neyland Stadium
Knoxville, Tenn. • 7 p.m.
Series History: Tennessee leads 2-0
Live Stats:Â www.GoZips.com
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television:Â www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Radio:Â 640 WHLO AM (Dave Skoczen - pxp and Joe Dunn - color)
Â
WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron football team travels to Knoxville, Tenn., for a showdown with No. 15/16 Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 17. The 7 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on the ESPN+ and SEC Network+ with Drew Carter and Aaron Murray calling the action with a link on GoZips.com.
HEAD COACHES
Tennessee: Josh Heupel (Oklahoma, 2001), overall record: 37-14 (Fifth Season)/record at Tennessee: 9-6 (Second Season)
Akron: Joe Moorhead (Fordham, 1996), overall record - 53-26 (Seventh Season)/record at Akron - 1-1 (First Season)
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Tennessee for third time in program history and first since the 2012 campaign. The two teams last met on Sept. 22, 2012 where the Vols posted a 47-26 victory in Knoxville, Tenn. The only other meeting occurred on Nov. 11, 1989, also in Knoxville, a 52-9 Tennessee win.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE
Tennessee comes into action versus Akron on the strength of 34-27 road triumph at Pittsburgh on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Redshirt senior QB Hendon Hooker paces the Vols' attack passing for 523 yards, including throwing three touchdowns. Sophomore RB Jaylen Wright has rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown, while redshirt senior WR Cedric Tillman has hauled in a team-high 15 passes for 230 yards.
Defensively, the quartet of senior LB Aaron Beasley, senior DB Trevon Flowers, senior DB Warren Burrell and redshirt junior DB Kamal Hadden have combined to record 22,14, 12 and 10 tackles, including posting nine, seven, eight and five solo stops, respectively. Tennessee has tallied four sacks and 11 tackles for a loss.
As a team, the Vols average 43.5 points per game, while holding their opponents to 18.5 per outing. Tennessee has thrown for 326.5 yards and rushed for 154.5 yards per tilt.
As a team, the Vols rank first in the NCAA in winning percentage (1.000), 13th in punt return defense (0.00), 15th in turnovers gained (5), 17th in fourth down conversions (.800), 18th in passing offense (326.5), 23rd in turnover margin (1.00), 24th in scoring offense (43.5), 26th in completion percentage (.697), 29th in total offense (481.0), 32nd in fumble recoveries (2) and third down conversions (.281), 34th in team passing efficiency (159.28), 36th in first down offense (51) and red zone defense (.714), 42nd in kickoff returns (22.50), 44th in rushing defense (107.5) and 48th in kickoff return defense (18.00) and scoring defense (18.5).
Individually, Tillman is ranked 13th in the NCAA in receiving yards per game (115.0), 14th in receptions per tilt (7.5) and 16th in receiving yards (230). Additionally, Hooker is rated 31st in completions per game (22.0) and total offense (281.0), 35th in points responsible per tilt (15.0), 36th in passing yards per outing (261.5), 38th in points responsible for (30), 39th in passing yards (523) and 44th in completion percentage (.667). Junior RB Jabari Small ranks19th in rushing touchdowns (3), while Flowers, Hadden and junior DB Tamarion McDonald are 25th in interceptions (1).
ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is meeting a team from the Southeastern Conference for the second consecutive season and eighth time (Auburn - 2021 | South Carolina - 2018 | Kentucky - 2010 | LSU - 1997 | Florida - 1990 | Tennessee - 2012, 1989) overall in program history when it faces Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 17, for the third time and first since 2012.
• Twenty-six different Zips registered a tackle against Michigan State, including 11 newcomers.
• Nine different Zips posted five or more tackles versus the Spartans, led by a career- and team-high eight tackles (three solo and five assists) from sophomore DB Darrian Lewis (Akron, Ohio).
• WR Daniel George pulled in a team- and career-high four catches for 44 yards against the Spartans, while WR Shocky Jacques-Louis added three catches for 31 yards.
• Redshirt junior TE TJ Banks (North Versailles, Pa.) pulled in four catches for 29 yards, while sophomore WR Jasaiah Gathings (Statesville, Ga.) made his first career catch versus Michigan State, a 16-yard reception.
• Ten Zips established career-high marks in tackles against the Spartans on Sept. 10.
• Akron is rated 18th in the NCAA in interceptions (3), 28th in fourth down conversions (.667), 29th in kickoff return defense (15.75), 38th in turnovers gained (4) and 43rd in net punting (41.50).
• Individually, WR Shocky Jacques-Louis is rated 36th in the NCAA in combined kickoff returns (93), 37th in all-purpose yards (123.00), while CB Tyson Durant, CB Jalen Hooks and DL Zach Morton are ranked 25th in interceptions (3) and interceptions per game (.50). Additionally, senior punter Noah Gettman (Daytona Beach, Fla.) is 20th in the country in punting (45.1).
• LB Bubba Arslanian has sparked Akron's defensive efforts over the course of his decorated career having recorded 135 solo tackles, including eight this season, and 135 career assisted tackles. He is ranked 31st among active career leaders across all divisions in assisted tackles (135), 33rd in total tackles (270), 62nd in total tackles per game (7.50) and 67th in solo tackles (135). Additionally, he is rated ninth in Division I in total tackles per contest (7.50), 12th in assisted tackles (135), 14th in total tackles (270), 27th in solo tackles per tilt (3.75) and 31st in solo tackles (135). Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 17 of the last 24 games he has played in overall. Arslanian surpassed the 250-tackle plateau for his career against Ohio State on Sept. 25, 2021.
• QB Jeff Undercuffler, Jr., is rated 18th among active career D1 leaders in touchdown passes (59), 22nd in passing yards per attempt (6.87), 23rd in passes per game (29.50), 27th in total touchdowns responsible for (60), 28th in passing yards (6,483), 30th in total plays (6,099), 35th in passing yards per game (202.6), 37th in total offense (6,099) and 45th in completion percentage (.549).
• P Noah Gettman is ranked sixth among active career leaders in punting yards (8,690) and eighth in punts per game (5.19).
UP NEXT
Akron travels to Lynchburg, Va., to battle Liberty in a 6 p.m. game on Saturday, Sept. 24.
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Players Mentioned
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