
The Akron Zips evened their overall record at 3-3 and their Mid-American Conference mark at 1-1 last Saturday in a 47-21 win over Eastern Michigan. After failing to reach the end zone in four tries in a home loss to Ohio, UA reached pay dirt six times and collected a safety as the Zips amassed 500 total yards en route to their second road victory of the season
After starting the season at 0-2, the Akron Blue and Gold have won three of their last four games. However, this Saturday’s game is a daunting one as they play the back end of a two-game road trip by heading into Bowling Green to face a Falcons team that put up 62 points and rolled up 725 yards last Saturday in a victory over Massachusetts.
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LAST TIME OUT:
The Zips defeated the Eastern Michigan Eagles, 50-27, last Saturday at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti. UA scored on seven of its first eight possessions (seven touchdowns and a field goal) as the Zips ran up 500 yards of total offense. Sophomore QB Thomas Woodson picked up his first MAC win as a starter, completing 14-of-22 passes for 222 yards and a career best four touchdowns with no interceptions. He was sacked just once.
Senior RB Conor Hundley had 119 yards on 17 carries with two scores, while sophomore WR Jerome Lane had a career day with 4 receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, Senior LB Dylan Evans had 10 total tackles (five solo) as the defensive 11 had one sack. Six tackles for losses a forced fumble. Two fumble recoveries and an interception.
SO FAR:
The Zips opened the 2015 season losing to nationally ranked Oklahoma 41-3 last Saturday at Gaylord Family Stadium in Norman on September 5th …Then in the home opener September 12th they fell to the Pittsburgh Panthers in the home opener 24-7. UA collected their first victory of the season in a 52-9 rout of FCS member Savannah State at home before defeating the Rajun Cajuns of Louisiana (Sun Belt) 35-14, before opening MAC play on October 3rd with a 14-12 home loss to Ohio…The Zips will have next week off before facing Central Michigan at InfoCision Stadium October 31.
STATISITCALLY SPEAKING:
OFFENSE: UA is averaging 26 points and 372.3 yards per game
RUSHING: Conor Hundley 85 carries-474 yards six touchdowns
PASSING: Thomas Woodson 57-110-3 898 yards seven touchdown
RECEIVING: Imani Davis 19 receptions-293 yards two touchdowns
DEFENSE: The Zips are allowing 20.5 points and 328 yards per game
TACKLES: LB Jatavis Brown (26 solo-26 assists-52 total)
TACKLES FOR LOSSES: Brown 7 ½-39 yards
SACKS: Brown 5- 30 yards
INTERCEPTIONS: CB DeAndre Scott 4-13
PASS BREAKUPS: LB Dylan Evans 5
SPECIAL TEAMS:
PUNTING: Zach Paul 36-40 yards per kick (five kicks 50 or more yards)
PLACE KICKING: Robert Stein 7-10 FG/19-19 PAT
KICK RETURNS: Van Edwards (KR) 11-21.8 yds avg A.J. Coney (PR) 9-5.6
NOTES:
The 47 points scored was the most by the Zips in a road game since 2002 at Kent State (48-23)…PK Robert Stein has made his last five field goal attempts and six of his last seven dating back to the Savannah State game….In addition, Stein moved into fifth place on UA’s all-time scoring list with 227 points…500 total offensive yards marked the second time the Zips offense has had over 500 yards in a game (626 vs. Savannah State the other )…Zips have won consecutive road games for the first time since 2013 (at Miami & Massachusetts-Foxboro)….UA is 30th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense allowing 328.8 yds per game and is 13th in turnover margin at 1.0 per game…RB Conor Hundley picked up his second 100 yard rushing game of the season (119) and third of his career against EMU…Jerome Lane had his first ever 100 yard receiving game and multi-touchdown game…QB Thomas Woodson four touchdown passes vs. EMU was a career high…TE Josh McNeil scored his first collegiate touchdown on a one yard pass from Woodson late in the third quarter
THE SERIES: The game is the 22nd lifetime meeting between the two schools with the Falcons holding an 14-7 overall advantage (13-5 since UA joined the MAC)…BGSU has won the last six encounters including last November on a windy cold night at InfoCision Stadium 27-10. A defensive struggle was busted open in the third quarter when the Falcons scored two touchdowns one on a recovered fumble in the end zone and a touchdown pass…The Zips last win in the series was 2006 35-28 and their last win in Northwest Ohio came in 2005 24-14
BOWLING GREEN FALCONS (4-2, 2-0 MAC WEST)
LAST TIME OUT;
The Falcons picked up their third consecutive win and remained perfect in MAC play (2-0) by outlasting the Minutemen of Massachusetts 62-38. …The two teams combined for 1,241 yards of total offense with BGSU amassing a school record 725 yards and 91 total plays. QB Matt Johnson completed 33-of-39 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns. The running game collected 206 total yards and three touchdowns, with Travis Greene gaining 132 of them on 15 carries and a score. WR Roger Lewis had eight receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, LB James Sanford had 10 total tackles (six solo)
SO FAR:
Bowling Green opened the 2015 season losing to Tennessee in Nashville a game that saw 1,161 yards of total. ….The Falcons picked up their first win of the season the next week at Maryland. Behind 13-6 at halftime, they scored 42 points in the second half following a weather delay. They had 105 total plays and 692 yards in the win at College Park…The home opener saw a narrow loss to Memphis, 44-41. …BGSU rebounded with its second road win over a Big Ten opponent as they defeated Purdue in West Lafayette, 35-28. RB Travis Greene scored a 12-yard touchdown with just nine seconds remaining…The MAC opener was in Buffalo as the Falcons opened a 28-9 lead early in the fourth quarter and then held on to defeat the Bulls, 28-22..Next week, the Falcons travel east for their final Saturday game of the season, facing Kent State at Dix Stadium.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
OFFENSE: BGSU is averaging 40.7 points & 604.7 yards per game
RUSHING: Travis Greene 81 carries-473 yards four touchdowns
PASSING: Matt Johnson 190-275-3 2534 yards 19 touchdowns
RECEIVING: Roger Lewis 48 receptions-902 yards seven touchdowns
DEFENSE: The Falcons are allowing 36.3 points & 488 yards per game
TACKLES: Austin Valdez (27-34-61)
TFL: Zach Colvin 5 ½-18 yards
SACKS: Taylor Royster 3-18 yards
INTERCEPTIONS: Dernard Turner 2-38
SPECIAL TEAMS:
PUNTING: Joe Davidson 17-46.8 avg per kick
PLACE KICKING: Dylan Mulder 6-8 FG/ 17-17 PAT
KICK RETURNS: Ryan Burbrink (PR) 5-8.4 avg Scott Miller (KR) 8-15.2
NOTES:
Saturday is homecoming at Bowling Green…WR Roger Lewis leads the FBS in catches with 48…LB James Sanford set a career high with two sacks vs. UMASS…QB Matt Johnson was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time in 2015…BGSU has turned the ball over just five times so far this season -- lowest in the MAC -- and has a +3 turnover ratio…BGSU is averaging 40.7 points per game leading the MAC and 10th in the FBS…BGSU has won 14 consecutive games against MAC East opposition…RB Travis Greene surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards with 122 vs. UMASS….Matt Johnson’s 2,534 passing yards leads the FBS and his 19 touchdown passes ranks fourth…Roger Lewis has collecting 100 or more receiving yards in all six games so far this season…BGSU is one of just nine FBS schools to start the same offensive line in all six games so far this season.