Football Drops MAC Opener At Central Michigan

Saturday, October 3

Mount Pleasant, MI

3:30 PM

University of Akron

1-4 , 0-1

Central Michigan

3-2 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Akron	0	7	3	7	17
Central Michigan	0	21	14	6	41

Game Book (PDF)

October 03 | Football

Box Score Game Book (PDF)

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Central Michigan used a dominant stretch over the middle two quarters to hand Akron a 41-17 loss in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Akron (1-4, 0-1 MAC) struck first and finished with 340 yards of total offense, but Central Michigan (3-2, 1-0) rushed for 332 yards and scored 35 consecutive points after the Zips took an early 7-0 lead. The Chippewas finished with 481 yards of total offense.

Running back Jordan Gant provided a bright spot for the Zips, rushing 17 times for a career-high 102 yards and a touchdown. Gant averaged 6.0 yards per carry and added a 27-yard reception to finish with 129 all-purpose yards.

Akron controlled much of the opening quarter despite coming away without points. The Zips held Central Michigan to 28 total yards and one first down in the period while producing 76 yards and four first downs of their own. The Akron defense also forced four consecutive empty possessions to open the game.

The Zips' best early opportunity came when Dahvon Frazier recovered an Angel Flores fumble at the Central Michigan 20. Akron reached the 9-yard line on an 11-yard run by Kyan Mason before the drive stalled.

Akron later moved to the Central Michigan 24, highlighted by a 33-yard completion from Brayden Roggow to Miles Burris, but Matthew Schramm's 41-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.

The Zips broke through early in the second quarter. Gant's 14-yard run late in the opening period helped start a six-play, 51-yard march, which he finished with a 9-yard touchdown run with 13:59 remaining in the half to give Akron a 7-0 lead. 45601

Central Michigan responded quickly.

Flores broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run to tie the game before connecting with Shawn Foster for a 48-yard touchdown less than three minutes later. Brock Townsend capped a 14-play, 66-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds remaining in the half, sending the Chippewas into the locker room with a 21-7 advantage. Central Michigan outgained Akron 203-19 in the second quarter.

The Chippewas extended the lead on their opening possession of the second half as Nick Woodford scored on a 27-yard run.

Akron answered with an eight-play, 43-yard drive, moving to the Central Michigan 11 before Schramm connected on a 29-yard field goal to make it 28-10.

Central Michigan responded again, however, with Jayden Clerveaux's 23-yard touchdown run to push the margin to 35-10. Akron drove 68 yards on its ensuing possession before an interception in the end zone ended the threat.

Despite the deficit, Akron continued to move the football in the fourth quarter. The Zips produced 149 yards, nine first downs and converted 5 of 6 third-down opportunities in the final period while holding the ball for more than 10 minutes.

After Central Michigan added a 71-yard touchdown pass, Akron closed the scoring with a 15-play, 71-yard drive. Roggow found Brandon Hills for an 8-yard touchdown with 33 seconds remaining.

Roggow finished 15-of-32 for 180 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Akron rushed for 160 yards on 36 attempts and finished with 20 first downs, matching Central Michigan's total. The Zips also converted 6 of 15 third downs compared with 3 of 9 for the Chippewas and held a 30:40-29:20 advantage in possession.

Defensively, Dwight Nunoo led Akron with nine tackles, while Rodrick Hunter added eight and Donelius Johnson finished with seven. Frazier had six tackles, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry and the fumble recovery.