Yager Stadium -- Oxford, OH
ESPN+
By Evan Meyer & MRO staff
A pair of two-win teams clash Saturday when Akron visits Miami on homecoming day. For the Zips, it's a chance to create a winning streak. For MU, one of the goals is to AVOID a streak.
You'd have to go back to 2017 to find a year when Miami lost two straight conference games. As with this year, the RedHawks opened MAC play in 2017 with a win over Central Michigan. However, they followed it up with a loss to #22 Notre Dame and consecutive setbacks against Bowling Green (37-29) and Kent State (17-14).
Head coach Chuck Martin's teams have fared well in conference play over the past several seasons, but 2021 has already shown signs of parity across the league. Counting wins before the final whistle is a practice fraught with peril.
In addition to their wins over Wagner and (last week) Bowling Green, the Zips put up a stiff fight against Ohio. Akron led the 'Cats 17-10 midway through the third quarter, only to see Ohio finish the contest on a 24-point run.
Last week, it was Akron making the run as it exploded for 35 straight points in a 35-20 road win at Bowling Green.
This will be the 30th meeting between the two teams, with Miami holding a 19-9-1 edge. The RedHawks have prevailed in the last four matchups.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
AKRON ZIPS (2-4, 1-1 MAC)
>> Before UA's scoring avalanche, the Falcons scored on their first two drives. The Zips offense, meanwhile, had three total yards -- a three-and-out and an interception.
>> The Zips defense helped turn momentum, holding the falcons on four downs inside the five. Akron interceptions twarted two of Bowling Green's next three drives.
After the score moved to 13-0, senior QB Kato Nelson (who was in for red-shirt freshman DJ Irons) drove Akron on its first sustained drive. That resulted in a 70-yard eight play scoring drive to make the score 13-7 at halftime.
>> On the first drive of the third quarter. The Zips brought in redshirt Kyle Gibson for Nelson, who sustained an undisclosed injury. Gibson, who was the starting QB for much of the 2020 Pandemic season and was third on the depth chart as the 2021 season began, went to work and led the offense to four touchdown drives. The scoring run put UA up 35-13 early in the fourth quarter. By the time BGSU responded with a touchdown, it was too little and far too late.
>> Their win was the Zips' first road victory in 15 outings, with the last coming on October 20, 2018 at Kent State.
>> Offensively, Akron had 385 yards -- its second best production total of the season.
>> Freshman RB Blake Hester led the ground attack with a career-best 120 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. The first started the scoring barrage and the last came on a 39-yard burst to cap a 91-yard drive -- UA’s longest of the season.
>> Gibson was 14-of-15 in the second half for 177 yards and three touchdowns.
>> Freshman WR Konata Mumpfield had a career day, as well, with six receptions for 106 yards and two third quarter scores.
>> Gibson’s third TD went to Junior TE Nik Ognenovic a transfer from Kentucky his first reception with UA.
>> The defense had its best game of 2021 with four sacks, two forced fumbles, three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.
>> Freshman LB Andrew Behm led the "D" with 10 total tackles (five solo).
>> Freshman CB Tyson Durant had a sack. Forced fumble, fumble recovery, and interception. He was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week
>> Junior DB Charles Amankwaa had an interception (his third in as many games).
>> Hester paced the ground attack with 246 yards on 65 carries and two touchdowns.
>> Irons, who sustained a lower body injury in the Ohio game, nontheless has completed 69.3 percent of his passes (72-of-104) for 824 yards and eight touchdowns with only three interceptions.
>> Mumpfield leads the receivers with 28 catches for 380 yards and six touchdowns.
>> The defense has missed the leadership of senior LB Bubba Arslanian. Although he has not played in the first two MAC games due to an undisclosed injury, he still leads the team in tackles with 43 (19 solo).
>> Head coach Tom Arth’s two MAC win have come against the Falcons. Arth is 0-2 against Miami and head coach Chuck Martin.
>> With a victory, UA would have consecutive victories for the first time since 2018.
MIAMI REDHAWKS (2-4, 1-1 MAC)
>> Since 2016, the RedHawks are 8-1 in MAC play when coming off a conference loss.
>> Miami played just three games in 2020, but one of those was against Akron. The RedHawks were coming off a loss to Buffalo two weeks earlier and posted a 38-7 win over the Zips.
>> In the 2019 meeting, MU edged Akron 20-17 in Oxford. During that contest, the RedHawks registered a school record 12 sacks (five on UA's final two possessions). Then-freshman Ivan Pace also tied an NCAA record with six sacks. Now a sophomore, the linebacker ranks second among MAC defenders in total tackles with 55 (9.2 per game).
>> Pace led all tacklers with 12 stops last week at Eastern Michigan.
>> EMU came into the contest as the top offense in the MAC, averaging 32.6 points and 376.8 yards of total offense. Miami held the Eagles to 13 points and 257 total yards. EMU was also averaging 140.2 yards per game on the ground, but mustered just 51 yards on 33 attempts (1.5 per carry).
>> Miami’s front four harassed the EMU signal caller all game, finishing the contest with six sacks from five different defensive lineman.
>> Mike Brown is starting his 33rd straight game and has 163 tackles in his career. He ranks fourth among MAC players in tackles for loss.
>> Miami has dealt with a slew of injuries on both sides of the ball. Linebacker Ryan McWood is lost for the season and quarterback Brett Gabbert has missed half the season with injuries. Sophomore AJ Mayer has filled in and was at the helm for all of last week's contest. RBs Jalen Bester and missed all of 2020 and several games this year. The former played briefly against Central Michigan before getting sidelined again. Shelton has played some, although the ReHawks are still using a running game "by committee."
>> Mayer completed just 16-of-19 passes (259 yards) last week under intense EMU pressure. The Eagles registered three sacks and 17 quarterback hurries (8 by Turan Rush). A final Miami drive was stopped on fourth-and-five when Mayer's pass over the middle was batted down.
>> The RedHawks had cashed in at 87.3 percent from the redzone in MAC play over the last three years. However, they were not able to score a touchdown against EMU and settled for five field goal tries. Graham Nicholson connected on four, with a long of 47.
>> Jack Sorenson and Mac Hippenhammer have been the RedHawks key receiving threats, combining for 51 catches, 864 yards and five TDs. Sorenson has missed several games due to injury in his career, but has at least one catch in every game that he has played (24 career starts). Tight end Homer Bailey has been working his way back after missing time with an injury.
>> The RedHawks are seventh in total offense (378.8 ypg) and fourth in total defense (325.7 ypg). They rank fourth against both the run and the pass. Miami's passing game is third (242.2 ypg), while the ground game is eighth. (136.7 ypg).