Zips Hit The Road to Battle Nebraska on Saturday

Saturday, September 6

Lincoln, NE

7:30 PM

University of Akron

Nebraska

Zips Hit The Road to Battle Nebraska on Saturday

September 04 | Football

Game Notes

Game 2 - Akron (0-1, 0-0 MAC) at Nebraska (1-0, 0-0 B1G)

WHATS AHEAD
On Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, the Akron Zips return to Memorial Stadium to play the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the first time since 2018 when the game was canceled due to lightning and severe thunderstorms. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. as the Big Ten Network will broadcast the game with Mark Followill (PxP)and Anthony Herron (Analyst) calling the action and Dannie Rogers reporting from the sideline.

TV: BIG TEN NETWORK - Mark Followill (PxP), Anthony Herron (Analyst), Dannie Rogers (Sideline)
Radio: Akron Sports Network - (iHeart Radio,) - 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
Matt Rhule (Penn State, 1997)
at Nebraska (3rd):13-13
Overall (10th): 60-56

Akron Zips (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
Joe Moorhead (Fordham, 1996)
at Akron (4th): 8-29
Overall (10th): 60-54

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game is the second official meeting between Akron and Nebraska in series history which began in 1997. However, the two teams shared the Memorial Stadium field in 2018 which the game was canceled due to a lightning and thunder storms. The Cornhuskers hold a 1-0 record over the Zips.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Under third year head coach Matt Rhule, Nebraska opened the 2025 season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City with a 20-17 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats. A late interception in the endzone by DB Malcolm Hartzog secured the win and prevented a Bearcat game-winning drive. The Cornhuskers limited the Bearcats to 271 total yards, including only 69 yards in the air and 202 on the ground. Nebraska generated 353 total yards of offense with 243 yards passing and 110 yards rushing. Behind center, QB Dylan Raiola completed 33 of 42 pass attempts for 243 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The leading receivers were RB Emmett Johnson and WR Nyziah Hunter with seven and six receptions, respectively, on 10 targets each. Hunter caught a 24-yard long pass en route to 65 total yards with one touchdown, while WR Dane Key caught the other TD pass on a six receptions for 51-yard performance. Johnson added 27 yards receiving and carried the load on the ground with 25 rushes for 108 yards with a 16-yard long rush and 4.3 yards per carry. DB DeShon Singleton paced the defense with seven tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss, while DL Williams Nwaneri followed with six total takedowns and 0.5 tackle for a 2-yard loss.

AKRON NAMES CAPTAINS FOR THE 2025 CAMPAIGN
The Zips elected senior QB Ben Finley (Phoenix, Ariz.) as captain for the second consecutive season. Finley is joined by senior OL Colin Lyons (McKeesport, Pa.), junior DL Julien Laventure (Upper Darby, Pa.) and sophomore DL Cyrus Durham (Atherton, Ca.) as captains in 2025.

PRESEASON HONORS
Five Akron football players have been named to Phil Steele's 2025 preseason All-Mid-American Conference teams. Earning preseason second-team All-MAC honors was WR Alex Adams (Osyka, Miss.). Named to the preseason third-team All-MAC were TE Jake Newell (Springfield, Ore.) and LB Gage Summers (Chandler, Ariz.) followed by a pair of fourth-team recipients in QB Ben Finley (Phoenix, Ariz.) and DB Elijah Reed (Louisville, Ky.).

Seven Zips were named to Athlon Sports' 2025 preseason All-MAC teams as WR Alex Adams and TE Jake Newell earned preseason second-team All-MAC accolades. OL Keylen Davis and LB Shammond Cooper earned third-team recognition, while QB Ben Finley, LB Gage Summers and DB Elijah Reed were selected as fourth-team honorees.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Joseph Castle leads the MAC for longest punt, 68 yds) and owns a 49.5 yd. avg
• Castle pinned Wyoming inside their own 20 with 3-of-6 punts
• Markus Boswell broke out the Turnover Tire with the Zips first interception of 2025
• The Zips had four players with more than 8 tackles vs Wyoming led by Shammond Cooper (10), Justin Anderson (9), Alex Branch (9), DiMarco Johnson (8)
• Akron went 2-for-3 on fourth down, converting on 66.7 percent of attempts
• Akron held Wyoming to three points with two trips to the red zone.
• Akron returns 57 players from the 2024 squad - 29 offense, 25 defense and 3 specials.
• The Zips added 46 newcomers - 21 offense, 21 defense and 3 specials.
• The 46 newcomers feature 33 transfers and 13 true freshmen.
•The Zips return 13 starters - 7 offensive starters and 6 defensive starters
• UA entered the 2025 on a two-game win streak: def. Kent State (38-17 at Kent) and Toledo (21-14 OT in Akron)
• Ben Finley returns at QB with key targets, Alex Adams, Myles Walker and Jake Newell
• Daymon David (1) and Elijah Reed (1) recorded 2 of 3 Zips interceptions last season
• Justin Anderson (44), Gage Summers (35) and Reed (32) are top returners for tackles

WHO IS WEARING NO. 1
Senior WR Myles Walker and junior DL Julien Laventure and have emerged as leaders under fourth-year head coach Joe Moorhead and the duo was recently rewarded with the No. 1 jerseys for 2025.

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 2025 season.

"Coach Moorhead and I spoke about performance and leadership and all the qualities you want in someone in an elite or leadership position," said Sahlfeld. "They earned it all the way from January being accountable, holding their teammates to higher standards, doing all the little things right on a day-to-day basis and being consistent. They have a voice on the team and when they talk people listen. Both are the leaders on their side of the ball when it comes to holding their teammates accountable, having a high standard for themselves and their teammates and bringing people with them and picking people up when they're having bad days."

2025 MAC Football Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Toledo (7) -- 135 points                              8. Eastern Michigan -- 68 points
2. Miami (3) -- 131 points                               9. Central Michigan -- 65 points
3. Ohio (3) -- 123 points                                 10. Ball State -- 41 points
4. Buffalo -- 115 points                                   T11. Akron -- 39 points
5. Northern Illinois -- 94 points                      T11. Massachusetts -- 39 points
6. Bowling Green -- 81 points                         13. Kent State -- 12 points
7. Western Michigan -- 71 points                   MAC Champion: Toledo – 6; Miami – 4; Ohio – 3
First Place votes in ( ) | *Coaches were not able to vote for themselves

UP NEXT
The University of Akron football team is scheduled to travel to Birmingham, Ala to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. on the ESPN+.