Akron Faces Cross-Divisional Showdown at Western Michigan

Tuesday, November 9

Kalamazoo, Mich.

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Western Michigan

Akron Faces Cross-Divisional Showdown at Western Michigan

November 07 | Football

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GAME NO. 10 - AKRON AT WESTERN MICHIGAN NOTES (11/9)

Akron (2-7, 1-4 MAC) at Western Michigan (5-4, 2-3 MAC)
Tuesday, Nov. 9
Waldo Stadium
Kalamazoo, Mich. • 7 p.m.

Series History: Western Michigan leads 15-5
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required)
Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required)
Radio: Fox Sports 1 350 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. 9 as the Zips travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., to square off against Western Michigan. The 7 p.m. contest at Waldo Stadium will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Dave Ryan and Corey Chavous calling the action with a link on GoZips.com.

HEAD COACHES
Western Michigan: Tim Lester (Western Michigan, 2000), overall record: 57-47 (11th Season)/record at WMU: 29-24 (Fifth Season)
Akron: Oscar Rodriguez, Jr. (Fort Hays, 2005), overall record - 0-0 (First Season/Third Overall)/record at Akron - 0-0 (First Season/Third Overall)

SERIES HISTORY
Western Michigan leads, 15-5
Last Meeting: Western Michigan def. Akron, 58-13 (Akron, Ohio - Nov. 4, 2020)
Last Meeting in Kalamazoo: Akron def. Western Michigan, 14-13 (Kalamazoo, Mich. - Oct. 15, 2017)

Akron is encountering Western Michigan for the 21st time in program history with the Broncos owning a 15-5 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, Western Michigan registered a 58-13 season-opening triumph over the Zips on Nov. 4, 2020 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

The series between the two schools dates back to the 1938 campaign when Akron earned a 6-0 home victory over Western Michigan. The Zips own 6-0 and 27-7 triumphs past the Broncos at home during the 1938 and 1996 seasons, respectively.

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan enters action on Tuesday, Nov. 9 having dropped back-to-back games following a 42-30 home setback to rival Central Michigan on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Redshirt sophomore QB Kaleb Eleby has passed for 2,253 yards en route to connecting on 13 touchdowns through the air. The duo of sophomore RB Sean Tyler and junior RB La'Darius Jefferson have sparked the Broncos' rushing attack running for 625 and 581 yards, respectively, including finding the endzone 16 times. Sophomore WR Skyy Moore has registered 823 yards, respectively, en route to four touchdowns.

Defensively, the trio of redshirt junior LB Corvin Moment, junior LB Zaire Barnes and redshirt sophomore LB Ryan Selig have combined to record 138 tackles, including posting 51, 47 and 40 stops, respectively. Senior DL Ali Fayad owns team-high marks in tackles for a loss (8.5) and sacks (7.0).

As a unit, the Broncos average 29.1 points per game, while registering 432.8 yards per game, including throwing for 252.6 yards and rushing for 180.2 yards per tilt.

Western Michigan is ranked third in the NCAA in time of possession (36:25), ninth in first down offense (217), 10th in fumble recoveries (8), 11th in sacks (3.22), 25th in total defense (327.2), 35th in passing yards per completion (13.37), 37th in rushing defense (127.6), 42nd in total offense (432.8) and 49th in passing offense (252.6) and rushing offense (180.2). Individually, Moore is fourth in receptions per game (8.1), ninth in receiving yards (823) and 10th in receiving yards per contest (102.9), while Eleby is ranked 14th in passing yards (2,253), 31st in passing yards per tilt (250.3), 33rd in passing yards per completion (13.49) and 38th in points responsible for (102).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (NOV. 4, 2020 - AKRON, OHIO)
The long-awaited debut of the 2020 Mid-American Conference football season started at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field as the visiting Broncos of Western Michigan defeated the homestanding Akron Zips, 58-13 on Nov. 4, 2020.

The Broncos got on the scoreboard first, connecting on 48-yard field goal by Thiago Kapps to assume a 3-0 lead at the 10:33 mark of the first quarter.

Redshirt freshman QB Zach Gibson (Alpharetta, Ga.) turned in a solid outing in his first start for Akron, completing 18-of-30 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. The ground game was equally productive for the Zips, as RB Teon Dollard gained 67 yards on 16 carries.

The Zips took the field for its first offensive drive of the season and on a 4th-and-1 play from their own 36-yard line, Dollard broke open a 45-yard sprint down the sideline to give Akron a first down on the Broncos' 19. Dollard took the next snap for a five-yard run before Gibson hit sophomore WR Michael Mathison (Covington, Ga.) for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 7:32 left in the first quarter.

Western Michigan answered with a seven-play, 60-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown pass from QB Kaleb Eleby to WR D'Wayne Eskridge at the 3:48 mark to regain the lead, 10-7.

On the ensuing possession, Broncos' safety A.J. Thomas intercepted a Gibson second-down pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to extend the Broncos' lead to 16-7 after a missed extra point.

The Zips answered, as redshirt sophomore K Cory Smigel (North Royalton, Ohio) delivered a 41-yard field goal to culminate a 10-play, 51-yard drive to cut Western Michigan's lead to 16-10 at 13:04 of the second quarter.

The Broncos added a 10-play, 76-yard touchdown drive before a 28-yard field goal from Smigel brought Akron to within 10, 23-13, with 3:41 remaining before halftime.

With 1:34 remaining in the opening half, Western Michigan put seven additional points on the board for a 30-13 halftime advantage.

Th Bronco's momentum carried into the final half, adding 28 second-half points en route to 484 yards of total offense for the game.

The Zips were aggressive from the outset, attempting an onside kick to open the game, throwing the ball 19 times before intermission and going for it on multiple fourth downs throughout the game. Seven different receivers caught a pass for Akron, with Mathison topping the squad on the strength of six receptions for a team-best 44 yards.

Redshirt junior LB Bubba Arslanian (Aurora, Ohio) spearheaded the defensive effort for Akron, notching 11 tackles. Redshirt junior LB Michael Scott (Tallahassee, Fla.) added a sack for an 11-yard loss for the Zips.

LAST GAME
Akron received career-best performances from QB Zach Gibson and WR Michael Mathison and were in the midst of driving to take the lead with 1:32 left in the game, but the defending Mid-American Conference champions Ball State Cardinals forced a fumble at the goal line and held on for a 31-25 midweek #MACtion win on Tuesday night at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

Gibson threw for a career-high 331 yards on 24-of-31 passing with two touchdowns and connected with a career-long 57-yard pass to Mathison – which was also a career-long reception. Mathison racked-up a career-best 154 yards receiving on eight receptions, including 102 yards after the catch and a touchdown.

Also crossing the goal line for Akron were freshmen RB Jonzell Norrils (Toledo, Ohio) and TE Tristian Brank (Asheville, N.C.). Norrils gained 88 yards on 17 carries to lead the Zips' ground attack, while Brank registered 30 yards with a diving nine-yard TD catch. Akron posted 458 yards of total offense for the game compared to Ball State's 425 yards.

The Cardinals established a 21-10 lead by halftime, and the Zips battled back with tough second-half defense led by redshirt sophomore LB Jeslord Boateng (Dublin, Ohio) and junior CB Jalen Hooks (Warren, Ohio) with nine tackles apiece. The Zips recorded three tackles for loss, including an eight-yard sack by redshirt sophomore DL Logan Hawkins (Harrison City, Pa.).

RODRIGUEZ, JR. NAMED AKRON'S INTERIM HEAD COACH
Oscar Rodriguez, Jr., was named Akron's interim head coach on Thursday, Nov. 4, becoming the seventh active Hispanic/Latino head coach in NCAA Division I. He joins the Dave Aranda (Baylor), Marcus Arroyo (UNLV), Andy Avalos (Boise State), Mario Cristobal (Oregon), Manny Diaz (Miami) and Danny Gonzales (New Mexico).

ZIP TIDBITS
• WR Michael Mathison pulled in career-high marks in catches (8) and receiving yards (154) versus Ball State, including registering 102 yards after the catch. He now has a pair of 100-yard receiving games on the season after hauling in eight catches for 101 yards versus Temple on Sept. 11.
• RB Jonzell Norrils has rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns over the Zips' last two contests versus Ball State and Buffalo. He garnered 88 yards on a career-high 17 rushes against Ball State on Nov. 2, a week after running for a career-high 155 yards versus Buffalo, including a 74-yard touchdown run on his first hand-off of the game.
• QB Zach Gibson threw for a career-high 331 yards en route to passing for two touchdowns versus Ball State on Nov. 2.
• TE Tristian Brank hauled in a career-high five receptions for 38 yards against Ball State on Nov. 2.
• CB Jalen Hooks led Akron with a career-high nine tackles, including four solo stops, versus Ball State on Nov. 2, while senior DL Zach Morton (Detroit, Mich.), sophomore OLB Julian Richardson (Albany, Ga.) and DL Logan Hawkins added career-best total in tackles recording six, six and four, respectively.
• Led by a career-best 16-tackle effort from senior S Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Detroit, Mich.) seven different Zips established career-high marks in tackles versus Buffalo. Additionally, freshman LB Andrew Behm (Appleton, Wis.), 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.
• Akron has posted the edge in time of possession in seven of the Zips' nine contests this season.
• ILB Jeslord Boateng leads the team in total tackles (68), solo tackles (29), assists (39) 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 19-of-28 in the red zone this season, including 14 touchdowns and five field goals this season.
• Akron is rated 20th in the NCAA in time of possession (31:49), 22nd in completion percentage (.667), 33rd in fumbles recovered (6), 35th in team passing efficiency (150.20), 43rd in fewest penalties per game (5.56) and 44th in fewest penalty yards per contest (47.78).
• WR Konata Mumpfield is ranked 26th in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns (6), while DB Charles Amankwaa is rated 34th in the NCAA in interceptions (3) and in interceptions per game (0.3).

UP NEXT
The University of Akron football team closes out its home campaign with the Battle for the Wagon Wheel against rival Kent State on Nov. 20 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.