1985 Akron Zips football team

1985 Akron Zips football
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 27–35 vs. Rhode Island
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Record	8–4 (5–2 OVC)
Head coach	Jim Dennison (13th season)
Captain	Gary Kalis Steve Rafac Tim Wallace
Home stadium	Rubber Bowl

1985 Ohio Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Middle Tennessee $^	7	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
No. 10 Akron ^	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
No. 17 Murray State	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	3	–	1
No. 19 Eastern Kentucky	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Youngstown State	4	–	3	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Austin Peay	2	–	5	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Tennessee Tech	1	–	6	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
Morehead State	0	–	7	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1985 Akron Zips football team represented Akron University in the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They were led by thirteenth-year head coach Jim Dennison, in his final season with the Zips. The Zips played their home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. They finished the season with a record of 8–4 overall and 5–2 in OVC play to tie for second place.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 7	at Eastern Kentucky		Hanger Field Richmond, KY	L 6–16	11,800	[1]
September 14	Kent State*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Wagon Wheel)	W 24–0	32,183	[2]
September 21	Eastern Michigan*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 16–12	12,236	[3]
September 28	at Bowling Green*		Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH	L 22–27	25,000	[4]
October 5	at Western Kentucky*		L. T. Smith Stadium Bowling Green, KY	W 34–32	23,984	[5]
October 12	No. 6 Murray State		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 17–10	8,903	[6]
October 19	at Morehead State	No. 18	Jayne Stadium Morehead, KY	W 38–9	5,500	[7]
November 2	at Tennessee Tech	No. 13	Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 27–9		[8]
November 9	Youngstown State	No. T–9	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Steel Tire)	W 30–5	16,001	[9]
November 16	No. 1 Middle Tennessee	No. T–7	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 0–17		[10]
November 23	at Austin Peay	No. 13	Clarksville Municipal Stadium Clarksville, TN	W 17–14		[11]
November 30	at No. 7 Rhode Island*	No. 10	Meade Stadium Kingston, RI (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 27–35	7,317	[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

^[13]

References

1. "Eastern Kentucky wins". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 8, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "32,183 see Akron crush Kent State". The Plain Dealer. September 15, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Akron's two long field goals sink the Hurons, 16–12". Detroit Free Press. September 22, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Bowling Green edges Akron to remain undefeated". The Newark Advocate. September 29, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Akron edges Tops 34–32". The Park City Daily News. October 6, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Akron takes low road to end Murray streak". The Courier-Journal. October 13, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Akron stays on ground to shoot down Eagles". The Paducah Sun. October 20, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Akron gets 27–9 victory over TTU". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. November 3, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Zips bomb Youngstown 30–5". The Akron Beacon Journal. November 10, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Middle Tennessee State grabs forst OVC crown in 20 seasons". The Tennessean. November 17, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Akron drive throttles Govs". The Leaf-Chronicle. November 24, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Skies aren't friendly to Zips". The Akron Beacon Journal. December 1, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "2019 Akron Zips Football Media Guide: Records" (PDF). University of Akron. p. 170. Retrieved May 5, 2020.