By EVAN MEYER
After four games, the Akron Zips are still looking for that elusive first win under head coach Tom Arth.
Last Saturday at home, UA was tied with the Troy Trojans 7-7 midway through the first quarter. From that point on however, the visitors from the Sun Belt Conference dominated Akron in every facet of the game en route to 35-7 victory.
The Zips go on the road this week, meeting . . .
After four games, the Akron Zips are still looking for that elusive first win under head coach Tom Arth.
Last Saturday at home, UA was tied with the Troy Trojans 7-7 midway through the first quarter. From that point on however, the visitors from the Sun Belt Conference dominated Akron in every facet of the game en route to 35-7 victory.
The Zips go on the road this week, meeting . . .
. . . a UMass squad that is also looking for its first victory under a new head coach. Walt Bell's Minutemen fell to Coastal Carlina last week.
THE SERIES: The game is the fifth in the series and the first to be played in Amherst. The three previous games played in the Commmonwealth were at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, home of the New England Patriot.
Akron holds a 3-1 lead in the series, winning the last three including its last encounter with the Minutemen on November 7. 2015 17-13.
AKRON ZIPS (0-4, 0-1 MAC) vs MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN (0-4)
Saturday September 28 -- 3:30 p.m. ET
McGuirk Almuni Stadium – Amherst, Massachusetts
FloSports/NESN
Series: Akron leads 3-1
Saturday September 28 -- 3:30 p.m. ET
McGuirk Almuni Stadium – Amherst, Massachusetts
FloSports/NESN
Series: Akron leads 3-1
Here is a look at the two teams heading into their first meeting since 2015, when UMass was a football-only member of the MAC.
MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN (0-4)
-- UMass saw its record fall to 0-4 last Saturday when the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (Sun Belt Conference) came into Amherst and posted a 62-28 victory
-- The Minutemen opened 2019 with road losses at Rutgers (Big Ten), Charlotte (Conference USA). They also fell at home to FCS member Southern Illinois.
-- Walt Bell is in his first season as head coach. He comes from Florida State where he was the offensive coordinator last season under Willie Taggert. In 2016-17, was the offensive coordinator at Maryland.
-- In their first four games, the Minutemen have averaged 309 yards of offense.
-- Junior RB Bilal Ally leads the ground game with 256 yards on 52 carries, along with three touchdowns.
-- JR Andrew Brito has completed 40-of-68 attempts for 315 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions.
-- Fifth-year senior QB Andrew West took over when Brito was injured against the Chanticleers, passing for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
-- Freshman WR Jermaine Johnson has 17 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown
-- Junior LB Cory McCubrey leads the defense with 34 total tackles (16 solo), with a forced fumble and a pass breakup
-- The Minutemen head on the road next Saturday to South Florida when they face the Panthers of Florida International
MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN (0-4)
-- UMass saw its record fall to 0-4 last Saturday when the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (Sun Belt Conference) came into Amherst and posted a 62-28 victory
-- The Minutemen opened 2019 with road losses at Rutgers (Big Ten), Charlotte (Conference USA). They also fell at home to FCS member Southern Illinois.
-- Walt Bell is in his first season as head coach. He comes from Florida State where he was the offensive coordinator last season under Willie Taggert. In 2016-17, was the offensive coordinator at Maryland.
-- In their first four games, the Minutemen have averaged 309 yards of offense.
-- Junior RB Bilal Ally leads the ground game with 256 yards on 52 carries, along with three touchdowns.
-- JR Andrew Brito has completed 40-of-68 attempts for 315 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions.
-- Fifth-year senior QB Andrew West took over when Brito was injured against the Chanticleers, passing for 120 yards and two touchdowns.
-- Freshman WR Jermaine Johnson has 17 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown
-- Junior LB Cory McCubrey leads the defense with 34 total tackles (16 solo), with a forced fumble and a pass breakup
-- The Minutemen head on the road next Saturday to South Florida when they face the Panthers of Florida International
AKRON ZIPS (0-4, 0-1)
UA dropped to 0-4 last week, losing to the Trojans of Troy at Infocision Stadium 35-7
-- The Zips lone score came in the first quarter when QB Kate Nelson found TE Brandon Wolfley from 21 yards out. It was the second touchdown in as many games for Wolfley
-- Nelson completed 15-of-29 passes on the afternoon for 200 yards.
-- WR Nate Stewart had four receptions fort 89 yards.
-- LB Alvin Davis had 17 total tackles against the Trojans (12 solo), along with a forced fumble
-- Over the past three games (against UAB, Central Michigan, and Troy), Nelson has completed 66 of 115 passes for 800 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception.
-- UA will be facing its third first-year coach of 2019 (McIlwain-CMU & Chip Lindsey-Troy were the others)
-- The last time Akron started a season 0-5 was 2010, which was Rob Ianello’s first season. The Zips finished that campaign 1-11
-- After Saturday's tilt, Akron has a bye week before returning to action on Saturday October 12 when the Zips face arch rival Kent State in the battle for the Wagon Wheel Trophy.
UA dropped to 0-4 last week, losing to the Trojans of Troy at Infocision Stadium 35-7
-- The Zips lone score came in the first quarter when QB Kate Nelson found TE Brandon Wolfley from 21 yards out. It was the second touchdown in as many games for Wolfley
-- Nelson completed 15-of-29 passes on the afternoon for 200 yards.
-- WR Nate Stewart had four receptions fort 89 yards.
-- LB Alvin Davis had 17 total tackles against the Trojans (12 solo), along with a forced fumble
-- Over the past three games (against UAB, Central Michigan, and Troy), Nelson has completed 66 of 115 passes for 800 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception.
-- UA will be facing its third first-year coach of 2019 (McIlwain-CMU & Chip Lindsey-Troy were the others)
-- The last time Akron started a season 0-5 was 2010, which was Rob Ianello’s first season. The Zips finished that campaign 1-11
-- After Saturday's tilt, Akron has a bye week before returning to action on Saturday October 12 when the Zips face arch rival Kent State in the battle for the Wagon Wheel Trophy.
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