The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
Zips Fall to #23 Western Michigan, 41-0
October 15 | Football
Follow Akron Football on Facebook and Twitter | Buy Tickets
BOXSCORE | BOXSCORE (PDF) | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY
POSTGAME NOTES | POSTGAME QUOTES
AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron Zips football team forced the No. 23 ranked Western Michigan Broncos' first turnover of the season, but could not recover from a first-half offensive explosion, as the Broncos defeated the Zips, 41-0, at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field on Saturday.
In addition, it was the first time the Zips have been held scoreless in 60 games (vs. Ohio State, 42-0, Sept. 3, 2011). It was also the first time UA was shutout at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.
The Broncos snapped the Zips' six-game Mid-American Conference winning streak, while improving their own streak to seven games. Akron moves to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in MAC play, and Western Michigan improved to 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in league play.
The Zips gained 283 total yards, 153-yards in the air by junior QB Tra'Von Chapman (Cincinnati, Ohio) and 130 yards on the ground by committee.
Senior WR JoJo Natson, Jr. (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) had five receptions for 46 yards, junior WR Jerome Lane (Akron, Ohio) four catches for 42 yards, and junior WR Austin Wolf (Lebanon, Ohio) two receptions for 50-yards with a long of 44 yards.
Leadng the rushing attack was junior RB Manny Morgan (Naples, Fla.) with 53-yards on eight carries, followed by Chapman with 49-yards on 14 carries. Sophomore RB Van Edwards (Cape Coral, Fla.) rounded out ground attack with 28-yards on six carries.
Defensively, Akron's sophomore LB Ulysees Gilbert (Ocala, Fla.) forced Western Michigan's first turnover of the season when he stripped the Bronco RB DAvon Tucker, and senior DE Daumanta Venckus (Weston, Fla.) recovered the fumble.
Akron punter sophomore Nick Gasser (Liberty, Ohio) pinned the Broncos inside the their own 20-yard line four out of six attempts. He racked up 268 yards with a 53-yard long punt and 44.7 average.
Gilbert and freshman LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) combined for 26 of the Zips' 98 total takedowns. Gilbert and Lako recorded 13 takedowns apiece, while freshman CB Alvin Davis (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) added 11 stops. In addition, sophomore DL Brock Boxen (New Galilee, Pa.) recorded a sack for a five-yard loss, and junior DL Ibrahima Camara (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) had a tackle for a two-yard loss.
The Broncos opened the game with two first-quarter scoring drives and finished a third scoring drive at the beginning of the second quarter for a 21-0 advantage. WMU QB Zach Terrell completed the first drive with a one-yard touchdown run, while the Broncos' RB Jarvion Franklin finished the second drive with a six-yard run. WMU started the second quarter on the Akron six-yard line and finished the drive with a five-yard pass to the left corner to WR Corey Davis.
WMU added a fourth touchdown, a rush by Tucker, but sent the PAT off the left upright for a 27-0 advantage, and the game remained scoreless for the rest of the half.
In the second half, both defenses dominated play, until WMU broke-away with a 54-yard run from the Akron12 to the WMU34. The Broncos completed the 95-yard drive in 3:40 on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Davis. The third quarter ended with WMU leading 34-0.
WMU tacked on the last seven points of the game in the fourth quarter as Terrell recorded his second rushing touchdown.
Up next for the Zips is a battle against Western division opponent Ball State in Muncie, Ind., on Saturday, Oct. 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. on ESPN3.
