The 2017 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden and played their home games at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field in Akron, Ohio as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. The Zips finished the season 7–7, 6–2 in MAC play to win the East Division. They lost to Toledo in the MAC Championship. They received an invitation to play in the Boca Raton Bowl where they lost to Florida Atlantic.
2017 Akron Zips football | |
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MAC East Division champion | |
MAC Championship, L 28–45 vs. Toledo | |
Boca Raton Bowl, L 3–50 vs. Florida Atlantic | |
Conference | Mid-American Conference |
East Division | |
Record | 7–7 (6–2 MAC) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | A. J. Milwee (5th season) |
Offensive scheme | Spread |
Defensive coordinator | Chuck Amato (6th season) |
Base defense | 4–3 |
Home stadium | InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Akron xy | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami (OH) | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Buffalo | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling Green | 2 | – | 6 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kent State | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toledo xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Michigan | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Illinois | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Michigan | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Michigan | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ball State | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Toledo 45, Akron 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Notable Players: Ulysees GilbertIII, Kyron Brown, Jamal Davis, Kwadarrius Smith.
Preseason
editIn a preseason poll Aof league media, Akron was picked to finish fourth in the East Division.[1]
Coaching staff
editName | Title | Years at Akron | Alma mater |
---|---|---|---|
Terry Bowden | Head Coach | 6 | West Virginia |
Chuck Amato | Assoc. Head Coach/Def. Coord. | 6 | NC State |
Todd Stroud | Asst. Head Coach/DL Coach | 6 | Florida State |
A. J. Milwee | Off. Coord./QB Coach | 6 | North Alabama |
Jeff Bowden | ST Coord./WR Coach | 6 | Florida State |
Trent Boykin | TE/H-Backs Coach | 6 | Youngstown State |
Brett Ekkens | OL Coach | 2 | Mount Union |
Eric Hickson | RB Coach | 3 | Kansas State |
Otis Mounds | CB Coach | 4 | Auburn |
Mike Woodford | Safeties Coach | 6 | Arizona |
Mark Ouimet | Assistant Director of Football Operations | 6 | Siena Heights |
Matt Gildersleeve | S&C Coach | 4 | Mount Union |
Hunter Bowden | GA, Offense | 2 | North Alabama |
Mike Schuff | GA, Offense | 1 | Mount Union |
Dylan Evans | GA, Defense | 1 | Akron |
Nick Verna | GA, Defense | 2 | Akron |
Source:[2]
Schedule
editDate | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 2 | Noon | at No. 6 Penn State* | ABC | L 0–52 | 101,684 | |
September 9 | 6:30 p.m. | Arkansas–Pine Bluff* | ESPN3 | W 52–3 | 17,464 | |
September 16 | Noon | Iowa State* |
| CBSSN | L 14–41 | 22,811 |
September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | at Troy* | ESPN3 | L 17–22 | 27,324 | |
September 30 | 6:00 p.m. | at Bowling Green | ESPN3 | W 34–23 | 15,111 | |
October 7 | 3:30 p.m. | Ball State |
| ESPN3 | W 31–3 | 20,199 |
October 15 | 1:00 p.m. | at Western Michigan | CBSSN | W 14–13 | 16,568 | |
October 21 | Noon | at Toledo | WTOL/ESPN3 | L 21–48 | 20,414 | |
October 28 | 11:30 a.m. | Buffalo |
| CBSSN | W 21–20 | 17,427 |
November 7 | 7:30 p.m. | at Miami (OH) | ESPN2 | L 14–24 | 12,813 | |
November 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Ohio |
| ESPN2 | W 37–34 | 17,832 |
November 21 | 7:00 p.m. | Kent State |
| ESPNU | W 24–14 | 21,683 |
December 2 | Noon | vs. Toledo | ESPN | L 28–45 | 16,225 | |
December 19 | 7:00 p.m. | at Florida Atlantic | ESPN | L 3–50 | 25,912 | |
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Game summaries
editAt No. 6 Penn State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
No. 6 Nittany Lions | 14 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 52 |
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Lions | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Zips | 14 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
Iowa State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cyclones | 14 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 41 |
Zips | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
At Troy
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
Trojans | 7 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 22 |
At Bowling Green
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 13 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
Falcons | 6 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 23 |
Ball State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Zips | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
At Western Michigan
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Broncos | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
At Toledo
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
Rockets | 21 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 48 |
Buffalo
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bulls | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
Zips | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
At Miami (OH)
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
RedHawks | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
Ohio
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bobcats | 14 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 34 |
Zips | 10 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 37 |
Kent State
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Flashes | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Zips | 10 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
2017 MAC Championship Game
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 28 |
Rockets | 7 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 45 |
2017 Boca Raton Bowl
edit1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zips | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Owls | 7 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 50 |
References
edit- ^ "MAC Football 2017: Toledo, Ohio University picked as division winners in preseason poll". cleveland.com. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ^ Akron Football Coaching Staff. Akron Zips Athletics. Accessed November 25, 2017.
- ^ 2017 Akron Zips football schedule. FBSchedules.com. Accessed November 25, 2017.