Zips Rally from Halftime Deficit to Defeat Buffalo 24-16

Saturday, October 25

Buffalo, NY

1 PM

University of Akron

3-6 , 2-3

Buffalo

4-4 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Buffalo

Zips Rally from Halftime Deficit to Defeat Buffalo 24-16

October 25 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

BUFFALO, New York -- Akron rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Buffalo 24-16 at UB Stadium, snapping the Bulls seven-game winning streak over the Zips on Saturday afternoon.

Akron (3-6, 2-3 MAC) handed Buffalo (4-4, 3-1 MAC) its first Mid-American loss of the season , outscoring the Bulls 21-6 in the second half with three touchdowns and four interceptions.

QB Ben Finley led the Akron offense with 230 yards passing on 17 of 32 with wo touchdowns and one interception. The signal caller also added a rushing touchdown with a career-high with a 36 yard rush for paydirt. The two touchdown passes went to WR Kyan Mason and TE Conner Cravaack. Mason recorded one reception for nine yards for six points, while Cravaack caught two passes for 32 yards with a score. WR Marcel Williams and WR Israel Polk led the receiving corps as Williams pulled down six passes for 74 yards and a long of 36 yards. Polk followed with three receptions for 67 yards , including a long of olf 46 yards. The Zips' ground attack was fueled by RB Jordan Gant, who totaled 92 yards on seven carries, while RB Sean Patrick tacked on 97 yards on seven carries 15 yards on the ground.

Akron's defense was tough against the run, limiting Buffalo to only 91 yards on the ground with five sacks and five takeaways. Akron recorded 10 tackles for loss of 50 yards, including five sacks for 37 yards of loss. LB Melvin Spriggs led the Zips with 14 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss (15 yards) and 2.5 sacks (14 yards). S Jamari Somerville and S Mekhi Flowers added nine tackles each as Somerville tallied a sack for a loss of 13 yards. DL Jon'Trel Mixon also registered a sack for seven yards of loss, while LB Gage Summers posted a 0.5 sack for three negative yards. Summers also had a pair of interceptions, while DB Ben Kamara and DB Malcom DeWalt IV each had one interception. DeWalt recorded 12 return yards. Akron turned those takeaways into seven points.

How It Happened

Akron got on the scoreboard first and opened a 3-0 lead with 9:37 left in the first quarter.Buffalo scored to go ahead 10-3 before the Zips responded with a score of their own to even it up at 10-10.

Buffalo then grabbed a 13-10 lead, but Akron responded at the 4:54 left mark in the third quarter with a five-yard touchdown reception from to to jump back ahead 17-13.The Zips continued to build their lead, scoring again to go up 24-13. Akron didn't score again in the game and Buffalo added three more points to finish off the scoring.

Game Notes

» Akron won the turnover battle 5-3 after intercepting four passes and recovering one fumble.
» Akron had their highest scoring quarter in the third period, when they put up 14 points.
» Akron converted 2 of 14 third downs while Buffalo was successful on 2 of 12.
» The Zips had three players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by Melvin Spriggs, who had 14.
» Akron went 1-for-2 on fourth down, converting on 50 percent of attempts.
» Akron gave up just 14 points in five Buffalo trips to the red zone.
» Akron forced one red zone turnover in the contest.
» The Zips racked up 10 tackles for loss and added five sacks.
» Akron won the time of possession battle 30:22 to 29:38.

UP NEXT
Akron returns to InfoCision Stadium Summa Health Field for the first two mid-week #MACtion games, hosting UMass on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. followed by the Wagon Wheel game against rival Kent State on Nov. 11 at 730 p.m.