2018 Akron Zips football team

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
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record4–8 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorA. J. Milwee (6th season)
Defensive coordinatorTodd Stroud (1st season as coordinator, 7th overall season)
Captain
  • Kyron Brown
  • Ulysees Gilbert III
  • Kyle Ritz[1]
Home stadiumInfoCision Stadium–Summa Field (Capacity: 27,881)
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
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

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]

East Division
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1Ohio140 (21)
2Buffalo112 (1)
3Miami95 (2)
4Akron74
5Bowling Green58
6Kent State25

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 83:30 p.m.Morgan State*ESPN+W 41–718,413
September 157:30 p.m.at Northwestern*BTNW 39–3440,014
September 2211:00 a.m.at Iowa State*FSNL 13–2654,028
October 63:30 p.m.Miami (OH)dagger
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN+L 17–4122,437
October 13Noonat BuffaloCBSSNL 6–2419,506
October 203:30 p.m.at Kent StateESPN+W 24–23 OT18,774
October 27NoonCentral Michigan
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN3W 17–1017,582
November 17:00 p.m.Northern Illinois
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
CBSSNL 26–3616,401
November 10Noonat Eastern MichiganESPN3L 7–2712,403
November 173:30 p.m.Bowling Green
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN3L 6–2117,742
November 23Noonat OhioCBSSNL 28–4912,938
December 1[a]Noonat South Carolina*SECNL 3–2853,420
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • 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.

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 4OT Total
Zips 7 3 7 07 24
Golden Flashes 3 7 7 06 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
6207Ulysees Gilbert IIILBPittsburgh Steelers

References

  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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