AKRON ZIPS at TOLEDO ROCKETS
Saturday November 27 -- Noon ET
Glass Bowl – Toledo, Ohio
ESPN+
By EVAN MEYER
The Toledo Rockets have a chance to finish 2021 on a three game win streak when they host Akron Saturday at the Glass Bowl. It would be the fourth win in five games for UT, which is seeking its seventh win overall and fifth in MAC competition.
Akron is in search of its third win on the year and is currently operating under the direction of interim Head Coach Oscar Rodriguez Jr. Tom Arth was relieved of his duties earlier this month.
THE SERIES: Saturday’s game will be the 21st lifetime meeting between the two schools, with the Rockets holding a 12-9 edge. Their last meeting was in the 2017 MAC Championship game in Detroit -- a 45-28 UT victory.
This is the first game in the Glass City since that 2017 season -- also a Rockets victory (48-21) and ninth overall. UA’s last win in the series was in 2015 at InfoCision Stadium (31-29) and in Toledo since 1937 (21-7).
Here's more on the two teams . . .
AKRON ZIPS (2-9, 1-6)
>> Last Saturday, the Zips were shutout by their archrvial, the Kent State Golden Flashes, 38-0 in the final home game this season at InfoCision Stadium. The loss dropped UA’ s record to 2-9 overall and 1-6 in MAC play. The Zips are 0-2 since Oscar Rodriguez Jr. took over as interim head coach.
>> After the Flashes scored on their first possession, Akron QB Zach Gibson led the offense 56 yards from its own 38-yard line to the KSU five. Facing fourth down from the six, Gibson found WR Konata Mumpfield all alone in the back of the end zone, but the receiver dropped the ball.
>> After a Flashes TD, Akron took over and fumbled. Again, KSU took seized its opportunity and scored a TD.
>> UA managed just 188 yards in total offense on the chilly afternoon. Freshman RB Jonzell Norrils continued his strong play down the stretch with 50 yards on 16 carries. Gibson was 14-of-21 through the air for 111 yards, while Mumpfield led the receivers with four catches for 39 yards.
>> Coming into the season finale against UT, the Zips are averaging 20.4 points and 337.1 yards offensively. The numbers are in spite being shutout for the first time overall since 2019 and only having 188 yards against KSU.
>> Norrils leads the ground attack with 483 yards on 105 carries with three touchdowns.
>> Gibson, since coming on in the second half in the win at Bowling Green, has completed 69.4 percent of his passes (109-of-187) for 1,262 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.
>> Mumpfield leads receivers with 61 catches for 723 yards and eight touchdowns.
>> The defense is yielding an average of 31.6 points and 457 yards over 11 games.
>> LB Jeslord Boateng leads the Akron defense with 80 total tackles (39 solo) in tackles for losses (7 ½ for 17 yards) and 1 ½ quarterback sacks.
>> DB Charles Amanwkaa is tied for first with three interceptions and is sixth in passes defended with 10.
>> Regarding Mumpfield, his 61 catches for 723 yards are the most by a Zips receiver since Jerome Lane in 2016 (62) and Zach D’ Orazio in 2014 (62). The 723 receiving yards are the most since Lane had 1,018 in 2016) and is eight touchdowns are the most since Jabari Arthur had 10 in 2017.
TOLEDO ROCKETS (6-5, 4-3)
>> Last Tuesday night, the Rockets picked up their second straight win and third in the last four games as they defeated the Ohio Bobcats in Athens 35-23.
UT used a 28-point second quarter to open a 28-9 lead at halftime and 35-9 after three quarters. The Bobcats scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter. By that time, Toledo had the game in hand.
>> The evening belonged to senior RB Bryant Koback, who had 203 yards rushing on 21 carries and scored four touchdowns. Koback also had three receptions for 19 yards to lead the Rockets.
>> Redshirt QB Daquan Finn completed 10-of-14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown.
>> The offense produced 401 total yards, marking the fourth consecutive game Toledo has registered over 400 yards in a game.
>> The Midnight Blue and Gold defense had five sacks, seven pass breakuops and a forced fumble.
>> Senior LB Jonathan Jones led the defense with 14 total tackles (eight solo) and was one of four UT players to have 10 or more tackles in the contest.
>> Jason Candle is completing his fifth season as head coach of the Rockets, compiling a 49-31 overall record (34-21 in MAC play). His first game against Akron.
>> In their 11 games of 2021, the Rockets are averaging 32.8 points and 421.5 yards per game.
>> Koback leads the rushers with 1,139 yards on 175 carries with 13 touchdowns. Coming into this week, he and Lew Nichols III of Central Michigan are the only rushers to reach the 1,000 yard plateau.
>> Finn, who became the starter in week seven at Central Michigan, is completing 59.5 percent of his passes (110-of-185) for 1,598 yards with 12 touchdowns and only one interception. He has also rushed for 409 yards and eight tallies.
>> He also has rushed for 550 yards and scored eight touchdowns.
>> Devin Maddox leads the receivers with 36 catches for 519 yards and three scores.
>> Defensively, UT is yielding 21.6 points and 340.5 yards.
>> Jones leads the defenders with 88 total tackles (27 solo) while Jamal Hines has 7 ½ sacks for 44 yards
>> Koback, a transfer from Kentucky, marked his second career 1,000-yard season. Going into the UA game, he is currently fourth on the Rockets all-time leading rushing last with 3,765 yards (only behind Kareem Hunt, Chester Taylor, and Wasean Tait). His four touchdowns against Ohio gives him 43 for his career and puts him in second place (one behind Hunt).
>> CB Shane Womack had three pass breakups against Ohio giving him 18 on the season one shy of the single season mark for that category.
>> The Rockets win was the first over the 'Cats since 2010 and ended a six-game losing streak in Athens.
Glass Bowl – Toledo, Ohio
ESPN+
By EVAN MEYER
The Toledo Rockets have a chance to finish 2021 on a three game win streak when they host Akron Saturday at the Glass Bowl. It would be the fourth win in five games for UT, which is seeking its seventh win overall and fifth in MAC competition.
Akron is in search of its third win on the year and is currently operating under the direction of interim Head Coach Oscar Rodriguez Jr. Tom Arth was relieved of his duties earlier this month.
THE SERIES: Saturday’s game will be the 21st lifetime meeting between the two schools, with the Rockets holding a 12-9 edge. Their last meeting was in the 2017 MAC Championship game in Detroit -- a 45-28 UT victory.
This is the first game in the Glass City since that 2017 season -- also a Rockets victory (48-21) and ninth overall. UA’s last win in the series was in 2015 at InfoCision Stadium (31-29) and in Toledo since 1937 (21-7).
Here's more on the two teams . . .
AKRON ZIPS (2-9, 1-6)
>> Last Saturday, the Zips were shutout by their archrvial, the Kent State Golden Flashes, 38-0 in the final home game this season at InfoCision Stadium. The loss dropped UA’ s record to 2-9 overall and 1-6 in MAC play. The Zips are 0-2 since Oscar Rodriguez Jr. took over as interim head coach.
>> After the Flashes scored on their first possession, Akron QB Zach Gibson led the offense 56 yards from its own 38-yard line to the KSU five. Facing fourth down from the six, Gibson found WR Konata Mumpfield all alone in the back of the end zone, but the receiver dropped the ball.
>> After a Flashes TD, Akron took over and fumbled. Again, KSU took seized its opportunity and scored a TD.
>> UA managed just 188 yards in total offense on the chilly afternoon. Freshman RB Jonzell Norrils continued his strong play down the stretch with 50 yards on 16 carries. Gibson was 14-of-21 through the air for 111 yards, while Mumpfield led the receivers with four catches for 39 yards.
>> Coming into the season finale against UT, the Zips are averaging 20.4 points and 337.1 yards offensively. The numbers are in spite being shutout for the first time overall since 2019 and only having 188 yards against KSU.
>> Norrils leads the ground attack with 483 yards on 105 carries with three touchdowns.
>> Gibson, since coming on in the second half in the win at Bowling Green, has completed 69.4 percent of his passes (109-of-187) for 1,262 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions.
>> Mumpfield leads receivers with 61 catches for 723 yards and eight touchdowns.
>> The defense is yielding an average of 31.6 points and 457 yards over 11 games.
>> LB Jeslord Boateng leads the Akron defense with 80 total tackles (39 solo) in tackles for losses (7 ½ for 17 yards) and 1 ½ quarterback sacks.
>> DB Charles Amanwkaa is tied for first with three interceptions and is sixth in passes defended with 10.
>> Regarding Mumpfield, his 61 catches for 723 yards are the most by a Zips receiver since Jerome Lane in 2016 (62) and Zach D’ Orazio in 2014 (62). The 723 receiving yards are the most since Lane had 1,018 in 2016) and is eight touchdowns are the most since Jabari Arthur had 10 in 2017.
TOLEDO ROCKETS (6-5, 4-3)
>> Last Tuesday night, the Rockets picked up their second straight win and third in the last four games as they defeated the Ohio Bobcats in Athens 35-23.
UT used a 28-point second quarter to open a 28-9 lead at halftime and 35-9 after three quarters. The Bobcats scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter. By that time, Toledo had the game in hand.
>> The evening belonged to senior RB Bryant Koback, who had 203 yards rushing on 21 carries and scored four touchdowns. Koback also had three receptions for 19 yards to lead the Rockets.
>> Redshirt QB Daquan Finn completed 10-of-14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown.
>> The offense produced 401 total yards, marking the fourth consecutive game Toledo has registered over 400 yards in a game.
>> The Midnight Blue and Gold defense had five sacks, seven pass breakuops and a forced fumble.
>> Senior LB Jonathan Jones led the defense with 14 total tackles (eight solo) and was one of four UT players to have 10 or more tackles in the contest.
>> Jason Candle is completing his fifth season as head coach of the Rockets, compiling a 49-31 overall record (34-21 in MAC play). His first game against Akron.
>> In their 11 games of 2021, the Rockets are averaging 32.8 points and 421.5 yards per game.
>> Koback leads the rushers with 1,139 yards on 175 carries with 13 touchdowns. Coming into this week, he and Lew Nichols III of Central Michigan are the only rushers to reach the 1,000 yard plateau.
>> Finn, who became the starter in week seven at Central Michigan, is completing 59.5 percent of his passes (110-of-185) for 1,598 yards with 12 touchdowns and only one interception. He has also rushed for 409 yards and eight tallies.
>> He also has rushed for 550 yards and scored eight touchdowns.
>> Devin Maddox leads the receivers with 36 catches for 519 yards and three scores.
>> Defensively, UT is yielding 21.6 points and 340.5 yards.
>> Jones leads the defenders with 88 total tackles (27 solo) while Jamal Hines has 7 ½ sacks for 44 yards
>> Koback, a transfer from Kentucky, marked his second career 1,000-yard season. Going into the UA game, he is currently fourth on the Rockets all-time leading rushing last with 3,765 yards (only behind Kareem Hunt, Chester Taylor, and Wasean Tait). His four touchdowns against Ohio gives him 43 for his career and puts him in second place (one behind Hunt).
>> CB Shane Womack had three pass breakups against Ohio giving him 18 on the season one shy of the single season mark for that category.
>> The Rockets win was the first over the 'Cats since 2010 and ended a six-game losing streak in Athens.
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