
Saturday October 2 -- 3:30 p.m. ET
InfoCision Stadium – Akron, OH
ESPN3
By EVAN MEYER
THE SERIES: Saturday’s game is the 37th lifetime meeting between the two schools with the Bobcats holding a 23-13-1 advantage. Ohio has won 12 of the last 13 games in the series, including last season’s encounter at Peden Stadium, 24-10.
The game is the 19th to be played in Akron, with the Zips having a 10-7-1 edge and the seventh at InfoCision Stadium, with the Cats winning six of them.
OHIO BOBCATS (0-4):
>> Last Saturday, the Bobcats finished their non-conference schedule falling at Northwestern 35-6. That loss dropped their record to 0-4 for the first time since 2008. The Cats moved the ball well on their first possession but missed a field goal. They would not get another scoring opportunity until the last play of the game when Sophomore QB Kurtis Rourke lateraled to senior QB Armani Rogers, who raced 55 yards for a touchdown.
>> The offense gained 348 total yards, Ohio's best production of the young season. Rogers was the leading ball carrier with 68 yards. Rourke completed 20-of-29 passes for 186 yards, while fifth-year senior WR Cameron Odom had five catches for 42 yards.
>> The defense had its problems against the Wildcats, allowing 461 yards without a sack. Ohio recorded just two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Sophomore LB Cannon Blauser led with seven total tackles (six solo).
>> Ohio began the seasons with home losses to Syracuse and Duquesne (FCS-Northeast) and at Louisiana before a national audience.
>. In the four non-conference games the Bobcats averaged just 13.8 points and 312.8 yards of offense.
>> Freshman RB O’Shaan Allison leads the ground attack with 153 yards on 30 carries.
>> Rourke (younger brother of Nathan former Bobcats QB, now with the CFL British Columbia Lions) has completing 65.7 percent of his passes (65-of-94) for 582 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
>> Sophomore WR Tyler Walton leads the receivers with 18 catches for 162 yards and two scores.
>> The defense has allowed 35.3 points and 442 yards, while getting just three sacks.
>> Sophomore LB Bryce Houston leads with 31 total tackles (14 solo).
>> Senior Demontre Tuggle leads the MAC in kickoff returns, averaging 22.4 yards and is third in all-purpose yards with 123.5 per game.
>> The Bobcats are 12-6 in MAC openers since 2000
>> OU-NU was part of a big sports Saturday in Chicago. A battle of nationally ranked powers down at the loop as Notre Dame battled Wisconsin at Soldier Field. In between the two college games at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs battled the St. Louis Cardinals.
UP NEXT: Ohio returns to Peden Stadium next Saturday to face the Central Michigan Chippewas. CMU is 2-2 on the season coming into this week’s battle at Miami
AKRON ZIPS (1-3):
>> The Zips completed their non-conference schedule last Saturday night as they lost to the nationally ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 59-7 in Columbus. Akron scored the game’s first points when QB DJ Irons threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to WR Konata Mumpfield for a 7-0 lead.
>> From that point on, it was all Buckeyes as they scored 59 consecutive points. The Zips went 55 yards in nine plays to score the touchdown and did not havy any sustained drives until their two possessions.
>> Freshman RB Blake Hester led UA rushers with 47 yards on 12 carries. Irons, in just his second collegiate start, went 14-of-29 for 115 yards and a touchdown. Mumpfield led the receivers with seven catches for 67 yards.
>> The defense had its problems in corralling the high-powered OSU attack, even without their starter C. J. Stroud. However they did collect two sacks and the first Zips interception of 2021. LB Bubba Arslanian (three solo) and fellow LB Junior Brandon Bishoff (one solo) each had six total tackles.
>> In their first four games, The Zips are averaging 19 points and 323.3 yards of offense.
>> Irons leads the Akron Blue and Goldin rushing with 182 yards on 46 carries and two touchdowns. In addition, he leads the passing completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 649 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions.
>. In the season opener at Auburn, Irons entered in relief and was a perfect 13-of-13 for 129 yards. He is also is sixth (MAC) in all-purpose yards with 207.8.
>> WR Michael Mathison leads the receivers with 21 catches for 247 yards and a touchdown. He collected his first 100-yard receiving game against Temple (8-108).
>> The Zips defense has allowed 44.5 yards and 453.3 yards per contest.
>> Arslanian leads the MAC in tackles with 43 (19 solo), while LB Charles Amankwaa picked up the defense's first interception of 2021 last week against the Buckeyes.
>> Punter Ethan Slike is fourth in MAC, averaging 44.5 yards per kick.
>> How tough was it offensively for the Zips? They had four drives resulting in negative yardage and suffered four three-and-outs.
>> UA is 9-20 in MAC openers since joining the conference in 1992. The Zips have lost five of their last six (last conference opening win was 2017 at Bowling Green) and have opened with the Bobcats on four occasions (Ohio 3-1).
UP NEXT: Next Saturday, UA travels to Bowling Green to face the Falcons who are 2-2 on the season coming off their surprising upset at Minnesota. This Saturday they are at Kent State to face the Golden Flashes.