Jump to content

2018 Akron Zips football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2018 Akron Zips football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record4–8 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorA. J. Milwee (6th season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorTodd Stroud (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Captain
  • Kyron Brown
  • Ulysees Gilbert III
  • Kyle Ritz[1]
Home stadiumInfoCision Stadium–Summa Field
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Buffalo x   7 1     10 4  
Miami (OH)   6 2     6 6  
Ohio   6 2     9 4  
Akron   2 6     4 8  
Bowling Green   2 6     3 9  
Kent State   1 7     2 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois x$   6 2     8 6  
Western Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Eastern Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Toledo   5 3     7 6  
Ball State   3 5     4 8  
Central Michigan   0 8     1 11  
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

The 2018 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by seventh-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. They finished the season 4–8, 2–6 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the East Division.

On December 2, Akron fired head coach Terry Bowden.[2] He finished at Akron with a seven-year record of 35–52. On December 14, the school hired Chattanooga head coach Tom Arth for the head coaching job.[3]

Preseason

[edit]

Award watch lists

[edit]

Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
Chuck Bednarik Award[4] Ulysees Gilbert LB SR
Fred Biletnikoff Award[5] Kwadarrius Smith WR SR
Jim Thorpe Award[6] Kyron Brown CB SR
Bronko Nagurski Trophy[7] Ulysees Gilbert LB SR

Preseason media poll

[edit]

The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Zips predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.[8]

East Division
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Ohio 140 (21)
2 Buffalo 112 (1)
3 Miami 95 (2)
4 Akron 74
5 Bowling Green 58
6 Kent State 25

Schedule

[edit]
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 83:30 p.m.Morgan State*ESPN+W 41–718,413
September 157:30 p.m.at Northwestern*BTNW 39–3440,014
September 2211:00 a.m.at Iowa State*FSNL 13–2654,028
October 63:30 p.m.Miami (OH)dagger
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN+L 17–4122,437
October 13Noonat BuffaloCBSSNL 6–2419,506
October 203:30 p.m.at Kent StateESPN+W 24–23 OT18,774
October 27NoonCentral Michigan
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN3W 17–1017,582
November 17:00 p.m.Northern Illinois
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
CBSSNL 26–3616,401
November 10Noonat Eastern MichiganESPN3L 7–2712,403
November 173:30 p.m.Bowling Green
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN3L 6–2117,742
November 23Noonat OhioCBSSNL 28–4912,938
December 1[a]Noonat South Carolina*SECNL 3–2853,420
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time
^[a] The game between Akron and Nebraska, originally scheduled for September 1, 2018, was canceled due to inclement weather.[9] The Zips agreed to schedule South Carolina, who also canceled a game earlier in the year due to Hurricane Florence.

Game summaries

[edit]

Morgan State

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 0 0 7 7
Zips 17 10 14 0 41

At Northwestern

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 3 23 13 39
Wildcats 7 14 7 6 34

At Iowa State

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 7 3 3 0 13
Cyclones 7 10 0 9 26

Miami (OH)

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
RedHawks 0 14 10 17 41
Zips 0 10 7 0 17

At Buffalo

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 3 3 0 0 6
Bulls 7 3 7 7 24

At Kent State

[edit]
1 2 3 4OT Total
Zips 7 3 7 07 24
Golden Flashes 3 7 7 06 23

Central Michigan

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 0 0 10 0 10
Zips 7 10 0 0 17

Northern Illinois

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 17 5 7 36
Zips 7 3 16 0 26

At Eastern Michigan

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 7 0 0 7
Eagles 7 3 0 17 27

Bowling Green

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 0 7 7 7 21
Zips 3 3 0 0 6

At Ohio

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 7 7 14 28
Bobcats 21 7 7 14 49

At South Carolina

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 3 0 0 0 3
Gamecocks 14 14 0 0 28

Players drafted into the NFL

[edit]
Round Pick Player Position NFL Club
6 207 Ulysees Gilbert III LB Pittsburgh Steelers

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2019 Akron Zips Football Media Guide: Records". University of Akron. p. 172. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "Akron fires Terry Bowden following 4-8 season". December 2, 2018.
  3. ^ Caron, Emily (December 14, 2018). "UT-Chattanooga's Tom Arth Named Akron Football Coach". si.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "2018 Bednarik Award Watch List - Maxwell Football Club". Maxwell Football Club. July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "2018 Biletnikoff Award Watch List". July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  6. ^ "Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Names 2018 Preseason Watchlist". July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "NIU & Ohio Picked as Divisional Winners in 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll".
  9. ^ "Akron–Nebraska Football Game Cancelled". Akron Athletics. September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  10. ^ 2018 Akron Zips football schedule. FBSchedules.com. Accessed April 7, 2018.