The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Bowling Green
Akron Hosts BGSU on Homecoming and Family Weekend
October 03 | Football
Akron opens its home #MACtion slate against the Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday, Oct. 5 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. for the Zips Homecoming, Hall of Fame an Family Weekend. The game will be aired on ESPN+ with Anthony Lima (PxP) and Ryan Cavanaugh (Analyst) calling the action.
Television: ESPN+ - Anthony Lima (PxP) and Ryan Cavanaugh (Analyst)
Radio: Akron Sports Network - David Skoczen (pxp), Joe Dunn (analyst) WHLO 640 AM (flagship), WHK 1420 AM/102.5 FM iHeart Radio, TheVarsityNetwork.comVideo Link: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required)
Live Stats Link: www.GoZips.com
HEAD COACHES
BOWLING GREEN (1-3, 0-0 MAC)
Scot Loeffler (Michigan, 1998)
at BGSU (6th): 21-38
Overall (6th): Same
AKRON ZIPS (1-4, 0-1Â MAC)
JOE MOORHEAD (Fordham, 1996)
at Akron (3rd): 5-24
Overall (8th): 57-49
SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Bowling for the 31st time in program history with the Falcons owning a 20-10 series advantage. BGSU is on a two-game winning streak, claiming the a 31-28 win in Akron (2022) and a 41-14 win in Bowling Green (2023) in the last two meetings. Akron won the previous two contests with a come-from-behind 35-20 triumph (2021) in Bowling Green and a 31-3 victory at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field (2020).
The series between the two schools dates back to the 1941 campaign when Akron earned an 8-0 home victory over Bowling Green. The Zips and Falcons have met every season since 2012.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green enters league play at 1-3 overall, defeating Fordham (41-17) and falling to No. 8 Penn State (34-27), Noo. 25/24 Texas A&M (26-20) and Old Dominion (30-27). The Falcons average 28.75 points per game on 397.0 total yards per game. The BGSU balanced attack averages 152.8 yards on the ground and 244.25 yards through the air. Defensively, opponents average 26.75 points on 395.0 yards per game, allowing 210.0 on the ground and 185.0 yards in the air.
Connor Bazelak is the primary passer, completing 87 of 133 attempts with four INT's for 975 yards (243.75 avg) and five touchdowns. Terion Stewart does the bulk of the work on the ground, averaging 5.7 yards per carry for 270 total yards (90.0yds/g) with four TDs. Herold Fannin Jr. leads the receiving corps with 37 targets for 541 yards and four TDs (135.25 yds/g and 14.62 yards/reception), followed by Malcolm Johnson Jr (16-159 yds-39.75 yds/g-1 TD) and Jamal Johnson (13-107 yds-26.75 yds/g). The Falcons have 19 tackles for loss with 12 sacks. Joseph Sipp Jr. paces the defense with 27 tackles and 3.5 TFL for 11 yards including three sacks for 10 yards. Anthony Hawkins follows with 3.5 tackles for loss of 16 yards and three sack for 15 yards on 23 total takedowns. In addition, Charles Rosser has 2.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks for 30 yards of total loss with 22 tootal tackles. CJ Brown is second on the team in tackles with 25 tackles.
LAST TIME OUT
Akron fell 30-10 to Ohio at Peden Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Zips offense was led by redshirt junior Ben Finley's 196 passing yards (25-38-2) that featured a 17-yard strike to redshirt sophomore Jake Newell for a touchdown. Sophomore Adrian Norton led the receiving corps with five receptions for 59 yards while Newell hauled in eight passes for 44 yards and the Zips lone touchdown. Junior Bobby Golden added five catches for 49 yards. Akron The defense was led by junior Bryan McCoy's 14 tackles while redshirt juniors Justin Anderson and Darrian Lewis each had eight. Akron forced three fumbles on the day against the Bobcats, with senior Paul Lewis III, redshirt senior Kabbash Richards and redshirt junior Aman Greenwood each forcing one. Redshirt freshman Marcus Moore, Jr. and redshirt junior Malcom DeWalt IV recovered two of the three fumbles (one each). Richards and senior Bennett Adler were able to get to Ohio's quarterback with the pair each recording one sack. Adler recorded a nine yard loss, while posted a five yard loss. Akron's defense recorded a season-high 85 tackles in the loss.
AKRON 2024 CAPTAINS
The Zips elected junior LB Bryan McCoy (Chicago, Ill.) as captain for the second consecutive season. McCoy is joined by senior DL Bennett Adler (Lakewood, Ohio), redshirt junior WR Myles Walker (Monaca, Pa.) and redshirt junior QB Ben Finley (Phoenix, Ariz.) as captains for Akron for the 2024 campaign.
WHO IS WEARING NO. 1
Senior DL Bennett Adler and redshirt junior WR Myles Walker have emerged as leaders for third-year head coach Joe Moorhead as the Zips enter their season opener at Ohio State on Aug. 31 and the duo was recently rewarded with the No. 1 jerseys for the upcoming campaign.
Under Moorhead at Akron, head strength and conditioning coach Orie Sahlfeld identifies one player on each side of the ball that demonstrated their leadership both on and off the field over the course of the spring to earn the privilege of wearing the No. 1 jersey in the Akron Blue and Gold for the 2024 season.
ABOUT AKRON
 • The Zips had three players with more than eight tackles, led by McCoy, who had 14.
• Senior Avery Book punted seven times for the Zips with an average of 47.3 yards per punt while pinning the Bobcats inside their own 20 two times.
• The Zips racked up eight tackles for loss and added two sacks.
• Finley completed 65.8% of his passes on the day, going 25-for-38.
• Finley has thrown at least one touchdown in the past four games.
• Finley has thrown a 40+ yard touchdown in two games.
• Finley began the first Zip to throw for over 300 yards since Jeff Undercuffler threw for 312 at Northern Illinois on November 26, 2022.
•Finley was the first Zip to throw for at least four touchdowns since Kato Nelson threw four TDs at Ohio on November 23, 2018.Â
• Akron has recorded 70 or more tackles three times this season (85 at Ohio, 75 at South Carolina, 71 at Rutgers).
• The Zips have had a player record 10 or more tackles in three games this season.
• Adler has recorded a sack in back-to-back games.
• The Zips are tied for third in the MAC for forced Fumbles (4) and tied for fourth in fumble recoveries (4)
• Finley is tied for third in the MAC for most touchdowns thrown (7)
• Jake Newell is sixth in the MAC for receptions (24) and sixth in receiving yards (295)
• Bobby Golden is 14th in the MAC in receiving yards (217).
• Adrian Norton is tied for the second most receiving touchdowns in the conference (3).
• Avery Book leads the MAC in punting yards (1567), most punts of 50+ yards (17) and average punting yards per game (47.5). He is also second in the MAC for punts inside the 20 (9).
• Book is 6th in the NCAA in punting yards per game.
• Bryan McCoy is third in the MAC for total tackles (45) while Antavious Fish and Darrian Lewis are tied for ninth with 34
• Nathan Kapongo is tied for first in the MAC for fumble recoveries (2) and tied for 1st in the NCAA
• Garrison Sith is 37th in the NCAA in Field Goal Percentage (.833)
• The Zips recorded a season-high 75 tackles at South Carolina.
• Senior Antavious Fish and junior Bryan McCoy led the defense with 16 combined tackles with eight each at South Carolina.
• Three players (D. Lewis 12, McCoy (9), Paul Lewis III (9) had at least nine tackles against Colgate
• Akron recorded 416 yards on offense while holding Colgate to 243.
• Golden set a career-high for longest reception with a 56-yard catch for a TD from Finley.
• Golden's 56-yard reception was the longest since Alex Adams had a 54-yard and 61-yard reception against Eastern Michigan on November 8, 2022.
• Akron featured a pair of 100-yard receivers as Norton (125) and Golden (119) both hauled in over 100 yards. The pair were the first Zips to both have a 100-yard game since November 1, 2023, when the Zips defeated Kent State for the Wagon Wheel.
• Akron saw 31 of its 61 tackles come from D.Lewis (12), McCoy (9) and P.Lewis (9).
• Zips recorded the first two sacks of the season as Lama Lavea recorded Akron's first Sack and CJ Nunnally IV had a strip sack to close the game. Nathan Kapongo recovered the fumble.
• Akron converted 7 of 14 third downs vs Rutgers
• Jordon Simmons recorded the TD longest run from scrimmage (73 yds) since 2015
• Jordon Simmons collected 109 yards rushing, averaging 12.1 yards per carry
• Daymon David INT marked the Zips first takeaway and appearance of the turnover tire in 2024
• Adrain Norton scored the Zips first TD in 2024 32 yd pass from Ben Finley
• McCoy (11) and Fish (10) combined for 21 tackles vs Rutgers
•Garrison Smith converted on two field goals of 48 and 49 yards, marking longest since 2015 for Akron (Robert Stein, 50 yards (11-14-15)
• Akron converted 4 of 16 third downs while Ohio State was successful on 9 of 14.
• Avery Book punted six times with an average of 48.2 yards per punt
• Akron went 2-for-3 on fourth down, converting on 66.7 percent of attempts.
•Bullock completed 69.2% of his passes on the day, going 9-for-13.
• Akron returns five offensive starters and eight defensive starters from a year ago
• Akron returns its top four tacklers in;
           Antavious Fish (95 tackles, 38 solo, 57 assists, 4 TFL)
           Bryan McCoy (94 tackles, 33 solo, 61 assists, 6 TFL)
           Darrian Lewis (75 tackles, 26 solo, 49 assists, 4 TFL)
           CJ Nunnally (65 tackles, 35 solo, 30 assists, 15.5 TFL, 7 Sacks)
UP NEXT
Akron continues #MACtion in Kalamazoo, Mich. against Western Michigan at Waldo Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The Zips return to Akron to play Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 26 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.
