BOWLING GREEN, Ohio– The Akron Zips led all but 2:36 of a 34-23 Mid-American Conference opening win over Bowling Saturday at Doyt Perry Stadium.
With the win, Akron snapped BGSU's eight-game series winning streak, moving to 1-0 in league play and 2-3 overall. Bowling Green fell to 0-1 in conference standings and 0-5 on the season.
The Zips reached . . .
With the win, Akron snapped BGSU's eight-game series winning streak, moving to 1-0 in league play and 2-3 overall. Bowling Green fell to 0-1 in conference standings and 0-5 on the season.
The Zips reached . . .
. . . the end zone five times as senior QB Thomas Woodson led the offense with 168 yards in the air, completing 13-of-24 passes with two touchdowns. He added an 11-yard touchdown run and totaled 24 yards on the ground on eight attempts.
Woodson's main target was senior WR A.J. Coney, who caught five passes for 42 yards with a touchdown. Senior WR Austin Wolf followed with three catches and 68 yards receiving, including a 43-yard long touchdown reception.
On the ground, junior RB Van Edwards, Jr. carried the load. Edwards gained 70 yards on 14 attempts with a touchdown, while senior RB Manny Morgan picked up 51 yards on 11 rushing attempts. Senior RB Warren Ball, meanwhile, left the game with an injury after three carries.
The Akron defense also put points on the scoreboard as junior CB Kyron Brown recorded a pick-six for his first career touchdown. The Zips won the turnover battle, 4-3, which included three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III and sophomore LB John Lako led the Zips in tackles. Gilbert recorded 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a sack, while Lako registered 10 takedowns.
Junior DB Jordan George also had a big game for the defensive unit. George recorded six tackles and an interception, while blocking a field goal attempt and forcing a fumble.
Akron won the coin toss and deferred to the home standing Falcons, which proved to be a productive decision.
On the second play of the game, senior LB Andrew Hauser caused a fumble. Sophomore CB Alvin Davis, Jr. recovered the loose ball and traveled to the BGSU 19-yard line. Six plays later Akron led 7-0 as senior WR Kevin Gladney caught a 13-yard pass to set up first-and-goal.
On second-and-goal the Zips sealed the drive when Woodson rolled out of the pocket to his right and found Coney in the back of the end zone for the early advantage at 11:44.
BGSU responded with a 50-yard kickoff return that eventually led to a touchdown at the 8:13 mark. The Falcons failed to tie the game as George blocked the extra point attempt, and Akron led 7-6.
On Akron's second drive of the game, Woodson connected with Wolf on the right sideline for a 43-yard touchdown. Akron, however, missed the extra point attempt, ending a 41-consecutive made PAT streak.
BGSU followed with another 40-plus yard kickoff return to around mid-field. This time, Akron's defense held the Falcons scoreless as Alvin Davis nearly intercepted the third down pass attempt.
At the 13:22 mark in the second quarter, redshirt freshman QB Kato Nelson led the Zips to the red zone. Nelson gained 29 yards on the ground, including a 20-yard run, and sent a 15-yard strike to junior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.), ending at the BGSU 21 yard line.
Woodson came back behind center and wasted no time in lengthening the drive with a 17-yard pass to Coney. Edwards finished the scoring drive with a three-yard run for pay dirt. Akron took a 20-6 lead with 9:38 left in the half.
The Falcons narrowed the Zips lead to seven points with 6:10 left in the quarter. BGSU’s score came on a 17-yard touchdown pass to the right corner of the end zone, but the Zips took a 20-13 advantage to intermission.
Akron opened the second half with the ball, but it was short lived as BGSU caused a fumble in Akron territory. Bowling Green wasted no time as QB James Morgan found Andrew Clair for a 26-yard touchdown pass, tying the game 20-20 with 13:11 showing on the scoreboard.
Six minutes later, BGSU took its first lead of the game on a 25-yard field goal. With 7:02 remaining in the third quarter, the Falcons led 23-20.
It was Bowling Green’s only lead and lasted just 2:36 as Woodson marched the Zips down the field in seven plays for 63 yards for the score.
Woodson used two big passing plays -- to Wolf and freshman TE Kobie Booker -- to cover most of the yardage. Wolf caught a 19-yard pass on the right sideline, and Booker was found across the middle of the field for an 18-yard reception to setup an 11-yard touchdown run by Woodson. Akron led 27-23 with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Zips extended their lead with defense. Brown jumped in front of a BGSU receiver for an interception and returned the errant pass 38 yards for a touchdown to give Akron a 34-23 advantage.
Akron returns to InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field on Saturday, Oct. 7, to host Ball State. Bowling Green is at Miami (2:30 p.m. ET).
(Courtesy of UA Athletics)
Woodson's main target was senior WR A.J. Coney, who caught five passes for 42 yards with a touchdown. Senior WR Austin Wolf followed with three catches and 68 yards receiving, including a 43-yard long touchdown reception.
On the ground, junior RB Van Edwards, Jr. carried the load. Edwards gained 70 yards on 14 attempts with a touchdown, while senior RB Manny Morgan picked up 51 yards on 11 rushing attempts. Senior RB Warren Ball, meanwhile, left the game with an injury after three carries.
The Akron defense also put points on the scoreboard as junior CB Kyron Brown recorded a pick-six for his first career touchdown. The Zips won the turnover battle, 4-3, which included three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Junior LB Ulysees Gilbert III and sophomore LB John Lako led the Zips in tackles. Gilbert recorded 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a sack, while Lako registered 10 takedowns.
Junior DB Jordan George also had a big game for the defensive unit. George recorded six tackles and an interception, while blocking a field goal attempt and forcing a fumble.
Akron won the coin toss and deferred to the home standing Falcons, which proved to be a productive decision.
On the second play of the game, senior LB Andrew Hauser caused a fumble. Sophomore CB Alvin Davis, Jr. recovered the loose ball and traveled to the BGSU 19-yard line. Six plays later Akron led 7-0 as senior WR Kevin Gladney caught a 13-yard pass to set up first-and-goal.
On second-and-goal the Zips sealed the drive when Woodson rolled out of the pocket to his right and found Coney in the back of the end zone for the early advantage at 11:44.
BGSU responded with a 50-yard kickoff return that eventually led to a touchdown at the 8:13 mark. The Falcons failed to tie the game as George blocked the extra point attempt, and Akron led 7-6.
On Akron's second drive of the game, Woodson connected with Wolf on the right sideline for a 43-yard touchdown. Akron, however, missed the extra point attempt, ending a 41-consecutive made PAT streak.
BGSU followed with another 40-plus yard kickoff return to around mid-field. This time, Akron's defense held the Falcons scoreless as Alvin Davis nearly intercepted the third down pass attempt.
At the 13:22 mark in the second quarter, redshirt freshman QB Kato Nelson led the Zips to the red zone. Nelson gained 29 yards on the ground, including a 20-yard run, and sent a 15-yard strike to junior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.), ending at the BGSU 21 yard line.
Woodson came back behind center and wasted no time in lengthening the drive with a 17-yard pass to Coney. Edwards finished the scoring drive with a three-yard run for pay dirt. Akron took a 20-6 lead with 9:38 left in the half.
The Falcons narrowed the Zips lead to seven points with 6:10 left in the quarter. BGSU’s score came on a 17-yard touchdown pass to the right corner of the end zone, but the Zips took a 20-13 advantage to intermission.
Akron opened the second half with the ball, but it was short lived as BGSU caused a fumble in Akron territory. Bowling Green wasted no time as QB James Morgan found Andrew Clair for a 26-yard touchdown pass, tying the game 20-20 with 13:11 showing on the scoreboard.
Six minutes later, BGSU took its first lead of the game on a 25-yard field goal. With 7:02 remaining in the third quarter, the Falcons led 23-20.
It was Bowling Green’s only lead and lasted just 2:36 as Woodson marched the Zips down the field in seven plays for 63 yards for the score.
Woodson used two big passing plays -- to Wolf and freshman TE Kobie Booker -- to cover most of the yardage. Wolf caught a 19-yard pass on the right sideline, and Booker was found across the middle of the field for an 18-yard reception to setup an 11-yard touchdown run by Woodson. Akron led 27-23 with 4:17 remaining in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Zips extended their lead with defense. Brown jumped in front of a BGSU receiver for an interception and returned the errant pass 38 yards for a touchdown to give Akron a 34-23 advantage.
Akron returns to InfoCision Stadium– Summa Field on Saturday, Oct. 7, to host Ball State. Bowling Green is at Miami (2:30 p.m. ET).
(Courtesy of UA Athletics)
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