2018 Akron Zips football team
American college football season
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The 2018 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Terry Bowden and played their home games at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field in Akron, Ohio as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 4–8, 2–6 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the East Division.
| 2018 Akron Zips football | |
|---|---|
| |
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| East Division | |
| Record | 4–8 (2–6 MAC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | A. J. Milwee (6th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Todd Stroud (1st season) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Captain |
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| Home stadium | InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo x | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (OH) | 6 | – | 2 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akron | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kent State | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Illinois x$ | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Michigan | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan | 0 | – | 8 | 1 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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On December 2, Akron fired head coach Terry Bowden.[2] He finished at Akron with a seven-year record of 35–52. On December 14, the school hired Chattanooga head coach Tom Arth for the head coaching job.[3]
Preseason
Award watch lists
Listed in the order that they were released
| Award | Player | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck Bednarik Award[4] | Ulysees Gilbert | LB | SR |
| Fred Biletnikoff Award[5] | Kwadarrius Smith | WR | SR |
| Jim Thorpe Award[6] | Kyron Brown | CB | SR |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy[7] | Ulysees Gilbert | LB | SR |
Preseason media poll
The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Zips predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.[8]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Morgan State* | ESPN+ | W 41–7 | 18,413 | |
| September 15 | 7:30 p.m. | at Northwestern* | BTN | W 39–34 | 40,014 | |
| September 22 | 11:00 a.m. | at Iowa State* | FSN | L 13–26 | 54,028 | |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) |
| ESPN+ | L 17–41 | 22,437 |
| October 13 | 12:00 p.m. | at Buffalo | CBSSN | L 6–24 | 19,506 | |
| October 20 | 3:30 p.m. | at Kent State | ESPN+ | W 24–23 OT | 18,774 | |
| October 27 | 12:00 p.m. | Central Michigan |
| ESPN3 | W 17–10 | 17,582 |
| November 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois |
| CBSSN | L 26–36 | 16,401 |
| November 10 | 12:00 p.m. | at Eastern Michigan | ESPN3 | L 7–27 | 12,403 | |
| November 17 | 3:30 p.m. | Bowling Green |
| ESPN3 | L 6–21 | 17,742 |
| November 23 | 12:00 p.m. | at Ohio | CBSSN | L 28–49 | 12,938 | |
| December 1[a] | 12:00 p.m. | at South Carolina* | SECN | L 3–28 | 53,420 | |
| ||||||
- ^[a]The game between Akron and Nebraska, originally scheduled for September 1, 2018, was canceled due to inclement weather.[9] The Zips agreed to schedule South Carolina, who also canceled a game earlier in the year due to Hurricane Florence.
Game summaries
Morgan State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Zips | 17 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 41 |
At Northwestern
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 0 | 3 | 23 | 13 | 39 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
At Iowa State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Cyclones | 7 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 26 |
Miami (OH)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RedHawks | 0 | 14 | 10 | 17 | 41 |
| Zips | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
At Buffalo
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Bulls | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
At Kent State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Golden Flashes | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
Central Michigan
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewas | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Zips | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Northern Illinois
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huskies | 7 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 36 |
| Zips | 7 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 26 |
At Eastern Michigan
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Eagles | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 27 |
Bowling Green
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Zips | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
At Ohio
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
| Bobcats | 21 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 49 |
At South Carolina
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zips | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Gamecocks | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
Players drafted into the NFL
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 207 | Ulysees Gilbert III | LB | Pittsburgh Steelers |
