Football Travels to Bowling Green to Open November Slate

Saturday, November 2

Bowling Green, OH | Doyt Perry Stadium

2 PM

University of Akron

Bowling Green

Football Travels to Bowling Green to Open November Slate

October 28 | Football

Pregame Coverage:
Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
Arth's Weekly Press Conference Video
MAC Weekly Media Teleconference Audio
MAC Weekly Release

Gameday Coverage:
Buy Tickets
Listen to Free Audio Stream (TuneIn.com)
Follow Free Live Statistics
Watch ESPN

AKRON [0-8, 0-4 MAC] at BOWLING GREEN [2-6, 1-3 MAC]
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019
Doyt Perry Stadium [19,000] | Bowling Green, OH
2 PM | ESPN+

THIS WEEK
Akron opens November with a trip to Bowling Green on Saturday, Nov. 2, for a 2 p.m. game at Doyt Perry Stadium.

ESPN+ will televise the contest with Michael Reghi (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst) calling the game.

The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron Sports Network [SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), 1420 WHK in Cleveland, 1440 WHKZ in Warren/Youngstown] with Steve French calling the action, David Skoczen providing analysis, and Joe Dunn with sideline report. The pregame show starts one hour prior to kickoff. A free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Tom Arth, Akron stands 0-8 overall (0-4 MAC) after a 49-0 loss at Northern Illinois. The Zips return 57 letterwinners, including 10 starters, to their pro style offense and multiple defensive schemes.

Sophomore RB Brandon Lee (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is the team's top rusher with 157 yards on 53 carries. Under center, redshirt junior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) stands 106-of-184 for 1,265 yards and eight touchdowns in six starts, while freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) is 38-of-70 for 402 yards and a touchdown in three games. Redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) is the top receiver with 31 receptions for 437 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) is the top Zip with 97 tackles, 6.5 TFL, and a 25-yard fumble recovery.

In the NCAA stats, Akron is ranked No. 2 in kickoff return defense (12.13). Individually, redshirt senior LB John Lako is No. 3 total tackles (12.1) and No. 18 in solo tackles (5.6). Freshman WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) is No. 19 in combined kick returns (407) and No. 21 in kickoff returns (25.4).

The Falcons, under the guidance of first-year head coach Scot Loeffler, stand 2-6 overall (1-3 MAC) after a 49-10 loss at Western Michigan. Bowling Green returns 36 letterwinners, including 16 starters, to its no huddle/multiple offensive and multiple defensive schemes.

Redshirt junior QB Grant Loy is the team's top rusher with 353 yards and three touchdowns on 68 carries. Under center, he is 69-of-119 for 679 yards and four touchdowns. At wide receiver, junior Quintin Morris has 40 receptions for 462 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, redshirt senior LB Brandon Perce is the top defender with 81 tackles, 4.5 TFL, an interception, a break-up, and a hurry.

In the NCAA stats, Bowling Green is ranked No. 3 in blocked punts (2), No. 7 in blocked kicks (3) and No. 33 in red zone defense (0.789), Individually, redshirt senior LB Brandon Perce is No. 12 in total tackles (10.1).

AKRON-BOWLING GREEN CONNECTIONS
The Akron has no players from Bowling Green, Ohio, while BGSU has no players from Akron.

BGSU running backs coach Chris Hedden served as the Zips' tight ends coach during the 2009 season.

AKRON-BOWLING GREEN: THE SERIES
Saturday's game is the 26th meeting between Akron and Bowling Green in series history, which began in 1941. The Falcons lead, 17-8. In MAC games only (since 1992), BGSU leads, 16-6.

Last fall in its home finale, Akron football dropped a 21-6 decision to Bowling Green in Mid-American Conference action on Saturday afternoon at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field.

The Zips, which honored its 29-member Senior Class prior to their last home contest, have lost three consecutive games in MAC play. The Falcons claimed their second consecutive MAC win on the road.

Zips' sophomore QB Kato Nelson returned to the starting line-up. He went 12-of-28 for 148 yards but was held to negative rushing yards. On the ground, senior RB Van Edwards, Jr. led UA with 69 yards on 18 carries. Senior WR Kwadarrius Smith had three receptions for 37 yards.

Defensively, senior DB Jordan George (Dayton, Ohio) had a career-high 12 tackles, an interception with a 53-yard return, and a forced fumble to cap his final game at home.

In 2017, the Akron Zips led all but 2:36 en route to a 34-23 win over Bowling Green in the Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday evening at Doyt Perry Stadium.

With the win, Akron snapped BGSU's eight-game series winning streak.

The Zips reached the end zone five times as senior QB Thomas Woodson led the offense with 168 yards in the air, completing 13-of-24 passes with two touchdowns. He added an 11-yard touchdown run and totaled 24 yards on the ground on eight attempts.

Woodson's main target was senior WR A.J. Coney who caught five passes for 42 yards with a touchdown. Senior WR Austin Wolf (Lebanon, Ohio) followed three catches and 68 yards receiving, including a 43-yard long touchdown reception.

On the ground, junior RB Van Edwards, Jr. carried the load. Edwards gained 70 yards on 14 attempts with a touchdown, while senior RB Manny Morgan picked up 51 yards on 11 rushing attempts. In addition, senior RB Warren Ball left the game with an injury after three carries.

In 2016, erasing an 18-point deficit in the second half wasn't enough as the Akron Zips fell short to Bowling Green, 38-28, on Senior Night at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field.

Bowling Green controlled the first half. However, Akron scored 18 unanswered points, tying the game 28-28 with 10:48 left in the fourth quarter. Seven minutes later, the Falcons regained the lead with a 27-yard field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, BGSU recovered a fumble, which led to a 22-yard touchdown run by Donovan Wilson.

Because of two injuries in the first half, Akron was forced to use three quarterbacks on the final showing at InfoCision Stadium. QB Thomas Woodson opened the game behind center, but was injured on the final play of the first series.

Junior QB Tra'Von Chapman took over the duties, throwing for 58 yards on 7-of-14 attempts while gaining 14 yards on the ground on six attempts with a touchdown. On the final offensive play of the first half, Chapman left the field and never returned.

The last time at Perry Stadium on Oct. 17, 2015, Akron fell to Bowling Green, 59-10, as the Falcons posted 31-unanswered second-half points.

Woodson completed 13-of-28 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Senior RB Conor Hundley was the top rusher with 15 carries for 69 yards. Sophomore WR Jerome Lane led all Zip receivers with four catches for 45 yards.

Defensively, senior LB Dylan Evans was the team leader with 11 tackles, while senior LBs Jatavis Brown and Darryl Monroe had nine tackles each.

SERIES INFORMATION
Akron all-time vs. Bowling Green: 8-17
Akron in games at Akron: 4-9
Akron in games at Bowling Green: 4-8
Akron in games at a neutral site: 0-0
First meeting in series: 1941, at Akron, W, 8-0
Last meeting in series: 2018, at InfoCision Stadium, L, 6-21

LAST GAME
On a cold and rainy Saturday at Huskie Stadium, the Akron Zips fell 49-0 to MAC foe Northern Illinois.

For the second consecutive game, freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) lined-up behind center for the Zips. He threw for 36 yards on a 4-of-15 effort and found sophomore WR Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio) for a 14-yard long pass. In addition, sophomore WR Julian Hicks (Cleveland, Ohio) led the receiving corps with 22 yards on three receptions.

Sophomore RB Brandon Lee was Akron's leading rusher, picking-up 76 yards on 10 carries, including a 25-yard long carry. RB Michiah Burton (Columbus, Ohio) followed with 39 yards on eight carries with a 19-yard long attempt.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior LB John Lako and redshirt sophomore LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) posted double-digits in tackles. Lako recorded 15 takedowns while Arslanian registered 12 tackles. Redshirt senior LB Josh Ward (Delray Beach, Fla.) tallied the Zips lone sack for a seven-yard loss, he finished the game with five tackles.

The Zips fell behind early as NIU started the scoring with 6:08 left in the first quarter. The initial drive consumed 7:02 off the clock, and used 14 plays to drive 74 yards. The Huskies found paydirt a second time after an interception by CB Devin Haney and 30-yard run by RB Tre Harbison at the 11:39 mark of the second quarter. NIU took a 21-0 advantage into halftime after the third touchdown of the day on a five-yard pass to Brett Bostad with 5:44 remaining in the half.

In the second half, the Huskies increased the lead by causing a fumble in the endzone and securing the recovery for six points, the PAT was good to move to 28-0. NIU scored two more offensive touchdowns and added a pick-6 before the end of regulation for the 49-0 triumph.

POSTGAME NOTES

Redshirt senior TE Nick Johns (Leesburg, Va.) made his first collegiate start.
Redshirt senior LB Josh Ward had a sack for a loss of seven yards in the first quarter. It was the fourth sack of his career and his second this season.
Sophomore RB Brandon Lee led the rushing efforts with 10 carries for a career-high 76 yards rushing.
Sophomore WR Julian Hicks had his first kickoff return in the second quarter. He returned it 17 yards.
Redshirt junior LB DeMarkus Glover's (St. Petersburg, Fla.) fumble recovery in the second quarter was the first of his career.

ZIPS QUICK HITS

Akron has started five true freshmen this season, which ranks third nationally. Alabama leads the nation with eight true freshmen in the starting line-up.
Seven of Akron's 2019 opponents were bowl eligible last fall: UAB (Boca Raton), Troy (Dollar General), Buffalo (Dollar General), Northern Illinois (Boca Raton), Miami (not selected), Eastern Michigan (Camillia), and Ohio (Frisco).
Akron has 52 student-athletes on its roster from the state of Ohio; 44 of those live within a 30-mile radius to campus.
The Akron defense, which lost eight starters from 2018, is under the guidance of its third coordinator in three seasons– Matt Feeney (2019), Todd Stroud (2018), and Chuck Amato (2017).
Three of the defensive starters that Matt Feeney had to replace this fall are currently on NFL rosters– LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Pittsburgh Steelers), DB Kyron Brown (New York Jets), and DE Jamal Davis II (Indianapolis).

UP NEXT
Akron switches to mid-week play for its final three contests of the 2019 season. UA hosts Eastern Michigan on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 or 8 p.m. on ESPNU or ESPN2.