>> The Akron Zips will meet Ohio State in gridiron action Sept. 25, 2021, according to an announcement from the schools.
Akron and OSU have met eight times since 1891 with the Buckeyes holding a 7-1 overall edge. The teams played every year during UA's first five years of the program's existence (1891 to 1895) with OSU going 4-1. The Zips' lone win came on Sept. 5, 1894, with a 12-6 victory in Columbus.
Since the Akron program moved up to Division I-A (FBS) play in 1987, UA and OSU have met just three times, all in Columbus, with the Buckeyes winning each contest. The teams last met on the gridiron in 2011 season opener with OSU claiming a 42-0 shutout (Sept. 3, 2011).
NEW 'CAT IN TOWN
>> The Ohio men's basketball program has added Torey James (Hickory, N.C.) to its 2018-19 recruiting class, fifth-year head coach Saul Phillips announced on Wednesday (May 16) to its 2018-19 recruiting class.
James averaged 21.3 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game at Hickory High School under head coach Andy Poplin as a senior in 2017-18, earning both all-conference and all-district honors for his efforts. He was invited to compete in the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game. James also competed on the AAU circuit for PSB Elite under head coach Sim Frazier.
BULLS TO BATTLE BIG TEN
>> The University at Buffalo football team has signed an agreement to play a pair of Big Ten opponents in future seasons. It was announced on Wednesday the Bulls will play at Ohio State in 2020 and at Maryland in 2022.
Buffalo will play at Ohio State on September 19, 2020. It will be the Bulls second trip to Ohio State and the 104,944-seat Ohio Stadium. The Bulls and Buckeyes last met in the opener to the 2013 season. Although, the then second-ranked Buckeyes won the game, 40-20, it was UB linebacker Khalil Mack who introduced himself to the nation with nine tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pick six.
The Bulls will play at Maryland on September 3, 2022. It will be the first meeting between the two schools.
PRESTON JOINS OHIO HOOPS
>> The Ohio men's basketball program has added Jason Preston (Orlanda, Fla.) to its 2018-19 recruiting class, fifth-year head coach Saul Phillips announced on Tuesday (May 15) to its 2018-19 recruiting class.
Preston spent the 2017-18 season at Believe Sports Academy, which is a college prep boarding program in Athens, Tenn. He averaged 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds per game on a squad that went 31-8 under head coach Tyson Waterman.
"Jason's a long, athletic guard who sees the court extremely well," said Phillips. "From the first time I saw him on the film, I really liked the way that he can make those around him better."
COLLEGE FOOTBALL REMAINS HIGHLY POPULAR
>> The National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame reently highlighted several powerful facts from the 2017 college football season that emphasize the strong popularity of college football, including the 56 percent of U.S. adults who cited themselves in a Gallup Poll as college football fans, a two percent increase from 2011 and more than professional baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer.
Additionally, excluding the combined numbers for Olympic Sports, college football ranks second in core fans behind only the NFL, and the sport's fan base grew by 1.4 million people in 2017, according to media outlets.