2018 Akron Zips football team

2018 Akron Zips football
2018 Akron Zips football
Conference	Mid-American Conference
	East Division
Record	4–8 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach	Terry Bowden (7th season);
Offensive coordinator	A. J. Milwee (6th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Todd Stroud (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Captain	Kyron Brown; Ulysees Gilbert III; Kyle Ritz;
Home stadium	InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field
	Seasons ← 2017 2019 →

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2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
v t e
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
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions

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

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]

Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
East Division
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*	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN+	W 41–7	18,413
September 15	7:30 p.m.	at Northwestern*	Ryan Field Evanston, IL	BTN	W 39–34	40,014
September 22	11:00 a.m.	at Iowa State*	Jack Trice Stadium Ames, IA	FSN	L 13–26	54,028
October 6	3:30 p.m.	Miami (OH)	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN+	L 17–41	22,437
October 13	Noon	at Buffalo	UB Stadium Amherst, NY	CBSSN	L 6–24	19,506
October 20	3:30 p.m.	at Kent State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH (Wagon Wheel)	ESPN+	W 24–23 ^OT	18,774
October 27	Noon	Central Michigan	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN3	W 17–10	17,582
November 1	7:00 p.m.	Northern Illinois	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	CBSSN	L 26–36	16,401
November 10	Noon	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	ESPN3	L 7–27	12,403
November 17	3:30 p.m.	Bowling Green	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN3	L 6–21	17,742
November 23	Noon	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	CBSSN	L 28–49	12,938
December 1^[a]	Noon	at South Carolina*	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	SECN	L 3–28	53,420
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings 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.

Source:^[10]

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

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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[1] "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.

[2] "Akron fires Terry Bowden following 4-8 season". December 2, 2018.

[3] Caron, Emily (December 14, 2018). "UT-Chattanooga's Tom Arth Named Akron Football Coach". si.com. Retrieved December 26, 2018.

[4] "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.

[5] "2018 Biletnikoff Award Watch List". July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.

[6] "Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Names 2018 Preseason Watchlist". July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.

[7] "2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List". July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.

[8] "NIU & Ohio Picked as Divisional Winners in 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll".

[9] "Akron–Nebraska Football Game Cancelled". Akron Athletics. September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

[10] 2018 Akron Zips football schedule. FBSchedules.com. Accessed April 7, 2018.

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v t e Akron Zips football
Venues	League Park (c. 1910) Buchtel Field (c. 1915–1939) Rubber Bowl (1940–2008) InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field (2009–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Kent State (Wagon Wheel) Youngstown State (Steel Tire, 1940–1995)
Culture & lore	Zippy "Akron Blue and Gold" Zips Marching Band
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897–1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904–1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024