2017 Akron Zips football team

The 2017 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by sixth-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. The Zips finished the season 7–7, 6–2 in MAC play to win the East Division. They lost to Toledo in the MAC Championship. They received an invitation to play in the Boca Raton Bowl where they lost to Florida Atlantic.

2017 Akron Zips football
MAC East Division champion
MAC Championship, L 28–45 vs. Toledo
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record7–7 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorA. J. Milwee (5th season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorChuck Amato (6th season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumInfoCision Stadium–Summa Field
Seasons
← 2016
2018 →
2017 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Akron xy   6 2     7 7  
Ohio   5 3     9 4  
Miami (OH)   4 4     5 7  
Buffalo   4 4     6 6  
Bowling Green   2 6     2 10  
Kent State   1 7     2 10  
West Division
Toledo xy$   7 1     11 3  
Central Michigan   6 2     8 5  
Northern Illinois   6 2     8 5  
Western Michigan   4 4     6 6  
Eastern Michigan   3 5     5 7  
Ball State   0 8     2 10  
Championship: Toledo 45, Akron 28
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant

Notable Players: Ulysees GilbertIII, Kyron Brown, Jamal Davis, Kwadarrius Smith.

Preseason

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In a preseason poll Aof league media, Akron was picked to finish fourth in the East Division.[1]

Coaching staff

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Name Title Years at Akron Alma mater
Terry Bowden Head Coach 6 West Virginia
Chuck Amato Assoc. Head Coach/Def. Coord. 6 NC State
Todd Stroud Asst. Head Coach/DL Coach 6 Florida State
A. J. Milwee Off. Coord./QB Coach 6 North Alabama
Jeff Bowden ST Coord./WR Coach 6 Florida State
Trent Boykin TE/H-Backs Coach 6 Youngstown State
Brett Ekkens OL Coach 2 Mount Union
Eric Hickson RB Coach 3 Kansas State
Otis Mounds CB Coach 4 Auburn
Mike Woodford Safeties Coach 6 Arizona
Mark Ouimet Assistant Director of Football Operations 6 Siena Heights
Matt Gildersleeve S&C Coach 4 Mount Union
Hunter Bowden GA, Offense 2 North Alabama
Mike Schuff GA, Offense 1 Mount Union
Dylan Evans GA, Defense 1 Akron
Nick Verna GA, Defense 2 Akron

Source:[2]

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 2Noonat No. 6 Penn State*ABCL 0–52101,684
September 96:30 p.m.Arkansas–Pine Bluff*ESPN3W 52–317,464
September 16NoonIowa State*
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
CBSSNL 14–4122,811
September 236:00 p.m.at Troy*ESPN3L 17–2227,324
September 306:00 p.m.at Bowling GreenESPN3W 34–2315,111
October 73:30 p.m.Ball State 
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN3W 31–320,199
October 151:00 p.m.at Western MichiganCBSSNW 14–1316,568
October 21Noonat ToledoWTOL/ESPN3L 21–4820,414
October 2811:30 a.m.Buffalo
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
CBSSNW 21–2017,427
November 77:30 p.m.at Miami (OH)ESPN2L 14–2412,813
November 147:00 p.m.Ohio
  • InfoCision Stadium
  • Akron, OH
ESPN2W 37–3417,832
November 217:00 p.m.Kent State
ESPNUW 24–1421,683
December 2Noonvs. ToledoESPNL 28–4516,225
December 197:00 p.m.at Florida AtlanticESPNL 3–5025,912
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[3]

Game summaries

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At No. 6 Penn State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 0 0 0 0
No. 6 Nittany Lions 14 21 10 7 52

Arkansas–Pine Bluff

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1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Lions 0 3 0 0 3
Zips 14 17 14 7 52

Iowa State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Cyclones 14 6 14 7 41
Zips 0 14 0 0 14

At Troy

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 3 0 7 7 17
Trojans 7 9 0 6 22

At Bowling Green

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 13 7 7 7 34
Falcons 6 7 10 0 23

Ball State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Cardinals 3 0 0 0 3
Zips 7 10 0 14 31

At Western Michigan

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 7 7 0 0 14
Broncos 0 3 0 10 13

At Toledo

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 7 0 14 21
Rockets 21 3 14 10 48

Buffalo

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 6 0 7 20
Zips 7 7 0 7 21

At Miami (OH)

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 7 0 0 7 14
RedHawks 7 3 14 0 24

Ohio

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 14 10 3 7 34
Zips 10 20 0 7 37

Kent State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 0 7 7 0 14
Zips 10 14 0 0 24

2017 MAC Championship Game

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 0 7 21 28
Rockets 7 21 10 7 45

2017 Boca Raton Bowl

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1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 0 3 0 0 3
Owls 7 14 15 14 50

References

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  1. ^ "MAC Football 2017: Toledo, Ohio University picked as division winners in preseason poll". cleveland.com. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  2. ^ Akron Football Coaching Staff. Akron Zips Athletics. Accessed November 25, 2017.
  3. ^ 2017 Akron Zips football schedule. FBSchedules.com. Accessed November 25, 2017.