Akron Opens November MACtion Hosting Ball State

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GAME NO. 9 - AKRON VS. BALL STATE NOTES (11/2)

Akron (2-6, 1-3 MAC) vs. Ball State (4-4, 2-2 MAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 2
InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 11-9
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required)
Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required)
Radio: 640 WHLO AM (Dave Skoczen - pxp and Joe Dunn - color)

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron football team continues Mid-American Conference play this Tuesday, Nov. 2 as the Zips welcome Ball State to InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. The 7 p.m. contest will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Jason Horowitz and Ross Tucker calling the action with a link on GoZips.com.

HEAD COACHES
Ball State: Mike Neu (Ball State, 1994), overall record: 26-38 (Sixth Season)/record at Ball State: 26-38 (Sixth Season)
Akron: Tom Arth (John Carroll, 2003), overall record - 52-44 (Ninth Season)/record at Akron - 3-23 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron leads, 12-11-1
Arth vs. Ball State: First Meeting
Last Meeting: Akron def. Ball State, 31-3 (Akron, Ohio - Oct. 7, 2017)
Last Meeting in Akron: Akron def. Ball State, 31-3 (Akron, Ohio - Oct. 7, 2017)

Akron is meeting Ball State for the 25th time in program history and first since the 2017 campaign, with the Zips owning a 12-11-1 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron registered a 31-3 triumph past the Cardinals on Oct. 7, 2017 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

The series between the two schools dates back to the 1964 campaign when Akron earned an 25-15 road victory over Ball State.

SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State enters play on Tuesday, Nov. 2 on the heels of seeing its three-game winning streak snapped following a 24-17 home setback to Miami on Oct. 23.

Senior QB Drew Plitt has passed for 1,591 yards en route to connecting on 11 touchdowns through the air. Freshman RB Carson Steele has sparked the Cardinals' rushing attack running for 428 yards, including finding the endzone five times. Senior WR Justin Hall and junior WR Jayshon Jackson have registered 506 and 480 yards, respectively, en route to six combined touchdowns.

Defensively, the duo of senior S Bryce Cosby and senior ILB Jaylin Thomas have combined to record 130 tackles, including posting 66 and 64 stops, respectively. Cosby owns team-high marks in tackles for a loss (6.0) and sacks (4.0).

As a unit, the Cardinals average 24.5 points per game, while registering 334.4 yards per game, including throwing for 218.6 yards and rushing for 115.8 yards per tilt.

Ball State is ranked sixth in the NCAA in kickoff returns (30.29), 17th in blocked punts (1), 22nd in punt return defense (3.00), 27th in defensive touchdowns (1), 36th in blocked kicks (1), 37th in fewest penalty yards (46.38), 38th in fewest penalties (5.50) and 44th in fourth down conversions (.600). Individually, Hall is leading the NCAA in kickoff returns (35.6), while ranking third in kickoff return touchdowns (1), sixth in combined kick returns (444), 16th in all-purpose yards (137.0), 32nd in receptions per game (6.0) and 40th in touchdowns (8), while Plitt is rated 39th in completions per outing (19.0) and 47th in completion percentage (.639) and passing touchdowns (11).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (OCT. 7, 2017 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron entered the second half with a 14-point advantage and tacked on 14 more points en route to a 31-3 win over Ball State during Homecoming game at InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field on Oct. 7, 2017.

Thomas Woodson completed 17 passes for 211 yards with two touchdowns. WR A.J. Coney hauled in six passes for a team-best 90 yards, while WR Kwadarrius Smith caught three passes for 74 yards and a touchdown and WR Austin Wolf was targeted four times for 57 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, RB Deltron Sands racked up 53 yards on six carries with a 32-yard touchdown run, while RB Manny Morgan used eight carries for 44 yards.

Defensively, the Zips issued five sacks and three interceptions while limiting the Cardinals to just three points. LB Ulysees Gilbert III and LB Andrew Hauser led Akron with 13 tackles apiece. Gilbert added a sack for eight yards of loss, while Hauser grabbed his first career interception.

MUMPFIELD GARNERS FRESHMEN MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Akron freshman WR Konata Mumpfield was recognized for his outstanding campaign as The Athletic tabbed him to its freshmen midseason All-America squad on Oct. 19.

Having started each of Akron's eight games this season, Mumpfield has hauled in a team-high 41 receptions on the year for a team-best 495 yards, including scoring six touchdowns, which is tied for second in the Mid-American Conference.

Mumpfield is rated third among freshmen wide receivers on the D1 NCAA BCS level in receiving touchdowns (6) and in receptions per game (5.1) and fourth in receiving yards (495).

He enters play versus Ball State on Tuesday, Nov. 2, owning a pair of 100-yard receiving games this season, including a career-best 10-catch, 109-yard effort at Miami on Oct. 16. Additionally, he collected six catches for 106 yards at Bowling Green on Oct. 9.

Mumpfield has scored a touchdown in five of the Zips' eight contests this fall, including a pair in a come-from-behind 34-20 triumph at Bowling Green on Oct. 9, while also pulling in seven catches for 67 yards and a touchdown at Ohio State on Sept. 25.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Playing in his first game in three weeks, RB Jonzell Norrils rushed for a career-high 155 yards versus Buffalo, including a 74-yard touchdown run on his first hand-off of the game. Earlier in the season, Norrils posted a career-best mark in rushing attempts (15) against Temple on Sept. 11, a week after scoring his second-career touchdown with a four-yard reception in the fourth quarter versus Auburn on Sept. 4.
• Led by a career-best 16-tackle effort from S Jaylen Kelly-Powell, seven different Zips established career-high marks in tackles versus Buffalo. Additionally, LB Andrew Behm, LB Jeslord Boateng, junior DL Ryan McClain (Albuquerque, N.M.), junior DB Charles Amankwaa (Hillsborough, N.J.), redshirt junior DL Angelo Howze (Fishers, Ind.) and freshman S Rishad Hence (Detroit, Mich.) registered 14, 11, five, four, three and one tackles, respectively.
• Senior QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) is the lone Zip to have played against Ball State during his Akron career as he was a perfect 1-for-1 for 38 yards in the Zips' 31-3 triumph on Oct. 7, 2017.
• QB DJ Irons recorded an Akron season-high 25 rushing attempts against Buffalo on Oct. 23 en route to collecting 54 yards on the ground. The Zips finished the game setting season-high totals in rushing attempts (45) and rushing yards (229) versus the Bulls.
• Akron has posted the edge in time of possession in six of the Zips' eight contests this season.
• ILB Jeslord Boateng leads the team in total tackles (59), solo tackles (26), assists (33) and in tackles for a loss (7.0). He registered a career-best three tackles for a loss against Buffalo on Oct. 23.
• Akron is 17-of-25 in the red zone this season, including 13 touchdowns and four field goals this season after going 12-for-14 a year ago with nine touchdowns.
• Akron is rated 17th in the NCAA in time of possession (32:02), 25th in fumbles recovered (6), 26th in fewest penalty yards per contest (44.38), 28th in fewest penalties per game (5.12), 33rd in completion percentage (.655), 40th in fewest penalties (41), 44th in team passing efficiency (145.63), 46th in fewest penalty yards (355) and 48th in turnovers gained (11).
• WR Konata Mumpfield is ranked 18th in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns (6), while DB Charles Amankwaa is rated seventh in the NCAA in interceptions (3) and 22nd in interceptions per game (0.4).

SINGLE-GAME TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Single-game ticket plans for the 2021 season can be purchased now by calling or texting 888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets) during our transitional business hours (Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

UP NEXT
The University of Akron football team travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., to battle Western Michigan on Nov. 9 at Waldo Stadium.

NO RE-ENTRY POLICY FOR AKRON FOOTBALL
Guests and students that exit InfoCision Stadium -Summa Field will not be permitted to re-enter. Guests and students arriving after halftime will be required to use Gate 1 for entrance. Tickets may be purchased at Gate 1 ticket office through the end of the third quarter.

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Players Mentioned

Charles Amankwaa

Andrew Behm

Jeslord Boateng

Rishad Hence

Angelo Howze

DJ Irons

Jaylen Kelly-Powell

Ryan McClain

Konata Mumpfield

Kato Nelson

Jonzell Norrils

The University of Akron Athletics