Akron Takes MAC East Champ Miami Down to Wire in 20-17 Loss

Wednesday, November 20

Oxford, OH | Yager Stadium

7:30 PM

University of Akron

0-11 , 0-7

Miami (OH)

7-4 , 6-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

AKRON

MIAMI

Akron Takes MAC East Champ Miami Down to Wire in 20-17 Loss

November 20 | Football

Box Score

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Oxford, Ohio – The Akron Zips fell 20-17 to the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division Champions Miami RedHawks at Yager Stadium on Wednesday night.

During the midweek MACtion contest, the Akron defense did not make it easy for the Miami offense in the first quarter, limiting the RedHawks to three first downs and 44 yards of total offense, all on the ground. Despite having zero yards of receiving in the opening stanza, Miami (7-4, 6-1 MAC) was able to put the first points on the scoreboard. Akron only allowed six yards on four plays in the scoring drive, but Sam Sloman nailed a 44-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 advantage at the 2:31 mark.

Akron (0-11, 0-7 MAC) also struggled to get the offense going in the first quarter until junior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) found redshirt junior WR Nate Stewart (Bethlehem, Pa.) for a 40-yard pickup. The play moved Akron into scoring position at the Miami eight-yard line which the Zips converted into three points. Freshman PK Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio) split the uprights from 33-yards away just three seconds into the second quarter.

The RedHawks responded with 14-points to take a 17-3 halftime lead. During the second stanza, Miami gained 120 yards on the ground and 59 yards in the air as RB Tyre Shelton recorded the first touchdown and RB Jaylon Bester claimed the second score.

The defensive battle spilled into the second half as the Zips outscored the RedHawks 14-3 in the final 30 minutes. Senior LB John Lako (Monroe, Mich.) started the scoring with a pick-6, intercepting Miami QB Brett Gabbert at the Akron 36 yardline and taking the ball 64 yards for the touchdown. The Zips trailed 17-10 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.

After a 23-yard field goal by Miami, the Zips found paydirt again. It was the lone score of the fourth quarter as Akron used six plays to travel 75 yards in 1:57. Nelson gained 12 yards on the ground and threw for 63 yards. Stewart and redshirt sophomore WR Jeremiah Knight (Jefferson, Ohio) caught passes of 12 and 17 yards, respectively, before sophomore WR Timothy Scippio (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) snagged a 34-yard touchdown pass from Nelson. With 13:17 left to play in the game, the Zips trailed 20-17.

Akron had two additional possessions and gained four first downs, but could not put more points on the scoreboard.

Miami racked up 12 sacks for 68 yards of loss which stalled many of the Zips' scoring drives as the RedHawks generated 355 yards of total offense, including 238 yards rushing and 117 yards passing. Gabbert connected on 10-of-22 passes with two interceptions.

Freshman LB Corey Thomas, Jr. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) intercepted Gabbert's first miscue and Lako grabbed the second with a 64-yard return and six points. Lako led the Zips' defense with 14 tackles and a sack that totaled eight yards of loss. Redshirt sophomore LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) followed with 12 tackles and senior DB Alvin Davis, Jr. had 10 takedowns.

Nelson threw for 197 yards on 15-of-25 passing with one touchdown and a long of 40 yards.

Akron closes out the 2019 season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 26, with a 6 p.m. game with Ohio at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field on ESPN+. The Senior Class will be honored during a pregame ceremony.