2018 Akron Zips football team
American college football season
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.
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
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]
East Division
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Ohio
140 (21)
2
Buffalo
112 (1)
3
Miami
95 (2)
4
Akron
74
5
Bowling Green
58
6
Kent State
25
Schedule
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 8 3:30 p.m. Morgan State * ESPN+ W 41–718,413
September 15 7:30 p.m. at Northwestern * BTN W 39–3440,014
September 22 11:00 a.m. at Iowa State * FSN L 13–2654,028
October 6 3:30 p.m. Miami (OH) InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPN+ L 17–4122,437
October 13 Noon at Buffalo CBSSN L 6–2419,506
October 20 3:30 p.m. at Kent State ESPN+ W 24–23 OT 18,774
October 27 Noon Central Michigan InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPN3 W 17–1017,582
7:00 p.m. Northern Illinois InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH CBSSN L 26–3616,401
November 10 Noon at Eastern Michigan ESPN3 L 7–2712,403
November 17 3:30 p.m. Bowling Green InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPN3 L 6–2117,742
Noon at Ohio CBSSN L 28–4912,938
December 1[a] Noon at South Carolina * SECN L 3–2853,420
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
^[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
References
^ "2019 Akron Zips Football Media Guide: Records" . University of Akron. p. 172. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020 .
^ "Akron fires Terry Bowden following 4-8 season" . December 2, 2018.
^ Caron, Emily (December 14, 2018). "UT-Chattanooga's Tom Arth Named Akron Football Coach" . si.com . Retrieved December 26, 2018 .
^ "2018 Bednarik Award Watch List - Maxwell Football Club" . Maxwell Football Club . July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018 .
^ "2018 Biletnikoff Award Watch List" . July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018 .
^ "Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Names 2018 Preseason Watchlist" . July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018 .
^ "2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List" . July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018 .
^ "NIU & Ohio Picked as Divisional Winners in 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll" .
^ "Akron–Nebraska Football Game Cancelled" . Akron Athletics. September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018 .
^ 2018 Akron Zips football schedule . FBSchedules.com . Accessed April 7, 2018.
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