Akron Travels to DeKalb to Battle Huskies

Wednesday, November 13

DeKalb, Ill.

7 PM

University of Akron

Northern Illinois

November 12 | Football

Game Notes PDF

WHAT'S AHEAD
Akron opens midweek #MACtion in Dekalb, Illinois against the Northern Illinois Huskies (5-4, 2-3) on CBS Sports Network on Wednesday, Nov. 13. ET. Kickoff at Huskie Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET as Jason Knapp (PxP) and Brock Vereen (Analyst) calling the action.

Television: CBSSN - Jason Knapp (PxP) and Brock Vereen (Analyst)
Radio: Akron Sports Network - David Skoczen (pxp), Joe Dunn (analyst), WHLO 640 AM (flagship), WHK 1420 AM/102.5 FM, iHeart Radio, TheVarsityNetwork.com
Video Link: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required)
Live Stats Link: www.GoZips.com

HEAD COACHES
Northern Illinois (5-4, 2-3 MAC)
Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois, 2002)
at NIU (6th): 29-37
Overall : Same

Akron Zips (2-7, 1-4 MAC)
Joe Moorhead (Fordham, 1996)
at Akron (3rd): 6-27
Overall (8th): 58-52

SERIES HISTORY
Series: NIU leads 12-6
Last Meeting: Northern Illinois def. Akron, 55-14 (Akron, Ohio – Oct. 7, 2023)
First Meeting: Northern Illinois def. Akron, 31-18 (DeKalb, Ill. - 1966)
Last Meeting in Akron: Akron def. Northern Illinois, 44-12 (DeKalb, Ill. - Nov. 26, 2022)

Akron is meeting Northern Illinois for the 19th time in program history with the Huskies owning a 12-6 series advantage. In the last meeting between the two schools, the Huskies gained 571 total yards of offense with 380 yards rushing en route to a 55-14 victory in Akron. In 2022, the Zips defeated NIU 44-12 in DeKalb, Ill. (Nov. 26, 2022) at Huskie Stadium. The road win marked the Zips first triumph over NIU since 2005 when in when it happened twice (48-42, Sept. 24) and in the MAC Title game (31-30, Dec. 1). It was the first win at Huskie Stadium since 1996 (34-17). On Oct. 26, 2019, Northern Illinois registered a 49-0 triumph past Akron at Huskie Stadium. The series between the two schools dates back to the 1966 campaign when Northern Illinois earned an 31-18 home victory over Akron.

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Northern Illinois currently sits 5-4 overall and 2-3 in MAC play, defeating Western Michigan 41-28 the last time out. NIU posted a historic win over No. 5 ranked Notre Dame (16-14) earlier this season and also claimed wins over Western Illinois (54-15), UMass (34-20) and Bowling Green (17-7). The Huskies average 25.4 points per game on 398.7 total yards of offense per game. The NIU balanced attack averages 211.3 yards on the ground and 187.3 yards through the air. Defensively, opponents average 18.8 points on 287.7 yards per game, allowing 166.3 yards in the air and 121.3 on the ground.

QB Ethan Hampton leads the offense, completing 106 of 176 attempts with five INT's for 1,256 yards (157.0 avg) and 11 touchdowns. Backup QB Josh Hoist adds 380 yards of passing on 41 of 73 with one INT. Antario Brown and Gavin Williams provide the bulk of the work on the ground, averaging 4.9 and 4.6 yards per carry, respectively. Brown carried the ball 115 times for 567 yards (70.9 yds/g) with four TDs, while Williams has two TDs on 530 yards (58.9) with 114 attempts. Cam Thompson leads the receiving corps with 25 catches for 372 yards and three TDs (41.3 yds/g and 14.9 yards/reception), followed by Trayvon Rudolph (25-275 yds-39.3 yds/g-1 TD). NIU generated 55 tackles for loss of 182 yards with 24 sacks (131 yds). Jaden Dolphin paces the defense with 46 tackles and 2.5 TFL for three yards. Christian Fuhrman, Santana Banner and Skyler Gill-Howard follow with 43 tackles each. In addition, Devonte O'Malley leads the sack category with 5.5 with losses of 38 yards.

LAST TIME OUT
Redshirt junior Ben Finley matched his career high of four touchdowns as the Zips fell to the Buffalo Bulls at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field, 41-30, on Saturday afternoon. Finley went 23-for-42 with 378 yards passing on the way to his four-touchdown game. Sophomore Adrian Norton hauled in six catches for 98 yards and two scores while junior Ahmarian Granger recorded five receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown. Freshman Kyan Mason recorded his first career touchdown on his first career reception on a 28-yard strike from Finley. The Zips also added 59 yards receiving from junior Bobby Golden Redshirt junior Jordon Simmons totaled 68 yards to lead the Zips' ground attack, picking up 4.9 yards per carry. Redshirt sophomore Charles Kellom tacked on 12 yards rushing, picking up 6 yards per carry. Junior Bryan McCoy led the Zips defense with 11 tackles. Redshirt junior Darrian Lewis and senior Paul Lewis III each recorded eight tackles. Senior Bennett Adler had two tackles for loss while D.Lewis, P. Lewis III, CJ Nunnally IV and McCoy all had tackles for losses. Defensively, Akron held the Bulls to 180 yards rushing. The Bulls improved to 5-4 on the year and 3-2 in Mid-American Conference play, while the Zips fell to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in conference matchups.

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
• Akron has recorded 70 or more tackles four times this season (85 at Ohio, 75 at South Carolina, 73 vs Bowling Green, 71 at Rutgers).
• The Zips have had a player record 10 or more tackles in four games this season.
• Akron outgained Western Michigan 501-387, including a 413-191 advantage through the air.
•The Zips had two players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by Nathan Kapongo, who had nine.
•Ben Finley threw for a career-high 395 yards and threw a career-long 60-yard pass to Adrian Norton
• Adrian Norton recorded a career-high 168 receiving yards and a career-long 60-yard reception from Finley.
• Finley has completed 65 percent or more of his throws in four games and has done it in three straight games.
• Finley has thrown for over 350 yards twice this season.
• Tahj Bullock ran for two touchdowns, recording 14 yards on the ground and 54 receiving yards.
• Jordon Simmons paced the Zips rushing attack by accumulating 63 yards and one touchdown, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Simmons also tacked on 97 receiving yards on six targets with a 52-yard-long gain.
• Bryan McCoy has recorded eight or more tackles in six games and 10 or more tackles in three games with a season-high of 14 coming at Ohio (Sept. 28).
• McCoy leads the Zips with 65 tackles.
• Nine Zips have 22 or more tackles this season.• Akron is 5th in the MAC for passing yards (1,165)
• The Zips are 6th in the MAC for Fumbles Forced (4)
• The Zips are tied for 4th in the MAC for Fumbles Recovered (5)
• Akron is 4th in the MAC for recovered fumbles (5)
• Jordan Simmons is 13th in the MAC with 318 total rushing yards and
• Simmons is 14th in the MAC with 45.4 yards per game
• Jordan Simmons is tied for first for the longest rush in the MAC with a 73 yard run
• Ben Finley is 7th for completion percentage (60.6) in the MAC

• Nathan Kapongo is tied for 1st in the NCAA for recovered fumbles (2)

UP NEXT
Akron travels to battle rival Kent State for the Wagon Wheel on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Kickoff is TBA at Dix Stadium.