Akron Travels to Kentucky to Play Wildcats on ESPNU

Saturday, September 16

Lexington, Ky.

7:30 PM

University of Akron

Kentucky

Akron Travels to Kentucky to Play Wildcats on ESPNU

September 15 | Football

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron football team travels to Lexington, Ky. to play SEC opponent Kentucky at Kroger Field on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU with Courtney Lyle (PxP) and Hutson Mason (Analyst) calling the action with a link on GoZips.com.

Television: ESPNU - Courtney Lyle (pxp), Hutson Mason (analyst)
Radio: Akron Sports Network - David Skoczen (pxp), Joe Dunn (analyst)
WHLO 640 AM (flagship), WHK 1420 AM/102.5 FM
iHeart Radio, TheVarsityNetwork.com
Video Link: www.GoZips.com - https://es.pn/48eTzAo
Live Stats Link: www.GoZips.com - https://bit.ly/44N4iiD

HEAD COACHES
KENTUCKY
Mark Stoops (Iowa, 1989)
Overall Record: 68-59 (11th Season)
Record at Kentucky: 68-59 (11th Season)

AKRON
Joe Moorhead (Fordham, 1996)
Overall Record: 55-36 (8th Season)
Record at Akron: 3-11 (2nd Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Series: Kentucky Leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Kentucky def. Akron, 47-10 (Lexington, Ky. - Sept. 18, 2010)
First Meeting: Same

Kentucky dfeated Akron, 47-10, in the lone meeting of the series. Akron tied the game 3-3 with 11:35 left in the second quarter, however the Wildcats countered with a field goal for a 6-3 advantage and scored 41 unanswered points for a 47-3 lead. Akron scored its lone touchdown with 1:31 left in regulation.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY
The Kentucky Wildcats enter the game with a 2-0 slate, defeating MAC opponent Ball State (44-14) and Eastern Kentucky (28-17). Kentucky QB Devin Leary has thrown five touchdown passes and averages 270.0 yards passing a game on 60.9 percent accuracy with two miscues (42-69-2). Leary has connected with nine different targets, including a team-best two touchdown passes to Tayvion Robinson. Robinson leads the receiving corps with 174 yards and 19.3 per reception with a 56-yard long connection. Barion Brown, Dane Key and Ray Davis also found the endzone on one occasion apiece. On the ground, Davis leads the way with 26 rushes for 164 yards and a pair of TDs. He averages 6.3 yards per carry and 82.0 yards per game with a 30-yard long run on the season. Kentucky has 768 yards of total offense to date. Defensively, UK is led by Trevin Wallace with 19 total tackles, while posting five sacks for 45 yards of loss. Wallace and Kahlil Sanders own 1.5 sacks apiece.

AKRON NOTES
•CJ Nunnally opened the game with back-to-back sacks for the Zips.
•Noel Roach blocked punt to setup Akron field goal, made by Noah Perez 22 yards
•Alex Adams caught his first TD pass of the season 29 yards from Jeff Undercuffler 5-5 on the 67-yard drive.
•Devonte Golden-Nelson recorded the Zips first interception of the season and first Pick-6, taking the 50 yards for his first-career touchdown.
• Akron outgained Morgan State 262-231, including a 254-152 advantage through the air.
• Akron converted 4 of 11 third downs while Morgan State was successful on 2 of 16.
• The Zips had three players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by Bryan McCoy, who had 14.
• The Zips racked up nine tackles for loss and added four sacks.
• Akron posted 279 yards of total offense in the season opener vs Temple
• DJ Irons accounted for 205 yards of offense with two TDs on 17-of-29 throwing.
• Lorenzo Lingard caught a career-high 77 yard TD reception from Irons on the second play of the game to give Akron a 7-0 lead.
• Daniel George caught a 50-yard long pass from Irons to setup the Zips second TD
• Myles Walker hauled in the second TD pass from Irons, a 14 yard reception and his first career touchdown
• Drake Anderson led the ground attack with 40 of the Zips 74 yards.
• Akron's defense registered three tackles for loss with eight total yards.Bryan McCoy (1), Shammond Cooper (0.5), Terray Jones (1) and CJ Nunnally (0.5) recorded the takedowns.
• Darrian Lewis, Antavious Fish and McCoy recorded seven tackles each to lead the Zips. Judson Tallendier, Cooper and KJ Martin followed with five each.
• Akron returns eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters
• Akron returns its top-three tacklers in; Nate Thompson (73 tackles, 38 solo, 35 assists, 2 TFL), Darrian Lewis (56 tackles, 30 solo, 26 assists, 3/5 TFL) and KJ Martin (53 tackles, 30 solo, 23 assists, 3 TFL)
• Akron returns its top-two quarterbacks in; DJ Irons (253-379-7, 2,606, 10 TD) and Jeff Undercuffler (70-120-5, 791 yards, 5 TD)
• Akron returns its top leading rusher in DJ Irons (133 carries, 314 yards, 4 TD)
• Akron Returns four of top-five leading receivers in; Alex Adams (63 catches, 856 yards, 9 TD), Daniel George (67 catches, 793 yards, 2 TD), TJ Banks (21 catches, 175 yards, 0 TD)

MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CJ Nunnally was named Mid-American Conference East Division Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. Nunnally provided a spark for Akron, helping them to a 24-21 win over Morgan State in their home opener at InfoCision Stadium on Saturday. With less than a minute to play, Nunnally forced a fumble to setup the game-winning touchdown. He forced the fumble at the Morgan State 13-yardline, stripping the Bears QB J.J. Davis of the ball, allowing teammate LB Bryan McCoy to recover the loose ball and score the game-winning touchdown.In addition, Nunnally opened the game with back-to-back sacks, recording two of the Zips four sacks on the game. His sacks totaled 10-yards of loss and posted a third tackle for an eight-yard loss. In all, Nunnally registered four tackles, three solo and one assisted, with three tackles for losses.

AKRON NAMES CAPTAINS FOR THE 2023 CAMPAIGN
The Zips elected seniors QB DJ Irons, WR Daniel George, DL Ryan Johnson and DB KJ Martin as captains for Akron for the 2023 campaign.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Bloomington, Ind. to play the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. the Big Ten Network.