The Zips (3-3,1-1 MAC) had problems executing offensively and defensively all game long, but got a break recovering a muffed punt late in the fourth quarter, then scored a touchdown that was initially ruled incomplete but overturned by the replay booth. And finally, the Golden Flashes missed two short field goals, the latter coming in the second overtime, to escape Dix Stadium with a 30-27 victory.

 

The win gave the Zips their most road victories since 2005, the year they won the MAC Championship. In addition, it moved them into a first place tie with Buffalo atop the MAC East Division.

 

Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart said that the team must improve, beginning this Saturday at home against Bowling Green (2-3,0-1 MAC) if they seriously want to contend in the conference.

 

He remarked “It was a great win. Not necessarily pretty, but it was great. It is a game (against Kent State) that we emphasize every year. We had some adversity and we continued to fight through it as a football team. We had enough heart and character in us to finish the game.”  

 

The victory was redemption, in a way, for place kicker Igor Iveljic.

 

The sophomore from Mentor, Ohio missed an extra point and a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of the Zips 17-15 home loss to Cincinnati the week before, but against the Golden Flashes he was a perfect three-for-three on field goals, including the 32 and 25-yarders in overtime, and converted both extra points.

 

For his performance, he was named MAC East Division Special Teams Player of the Week and was the Lou Groza Star of the Week as selected by the Palm Beach Sports Commission.

 

With his 12-point performance, a season high, against the Flashes, Iveljic moved into fourth place among kickers in MAC scoring, and a tie for sixth in overall with 42 points (9-for-12 FG, 15-of-16 PAT).  

 

Wide receiver Deryn Bowser also garnered one of the MAC East Awards as he was named Offensive Player of the Week. The junior from Long Beach, California had five catches for 77 yards and that fourth quarter touchdown where he caught the pass from quarterback Chris Jacquemain, over the helmet of Kent State defensive back Rico Murray, and somehow retained possession and one foot in bounds for the score to give Akron the lead at that time 24-21.

 

Bowser, a transfer from Los Angeles Harbor College, leads the Zips with 35 receptions for 443 yards and two touchdowns. He ranks sixth in the MAC averaging 5.83 catches per game, second most in the Eastern Division. His 73.8 yards per game ranks him third.

 

Coming into the game, Akron has been one of the best in all of the Football Bowl Subdivision in causing turnovers. Last Saturday, they forced two fumbles, including the muffed punt in the fourth quarter that led to the touchdown catch by Bowser.

 

The pair of fumbles gives them 12 on the season which leads the nation and in their six games they have forced 16 turnovers which is tied for first in the MAC and fourth in the nation

 

This Saturday the Zips return for Homecoming;. their final one at the Rubber Bowl, with the Bowling Green Falcons (2-3,0-1 MAC) providing the opposition for the 6:00PM kickoff.

 

The Falcons were picked as the pre-season favorite to win the East Division at Media Day in Detroit. They opened the season strongly with a road win at nationally ranked Pittsburgh. However they come into the game against the Zips losing three of their last four including last Saturday to Eastern Michigan 24-21 in their MAC opener.

 

In commenting on the Falcons, Brookhart stated “They are clearly one of the best teams in this league on our side.” He added “Probably, the most improved defense in this league”

 

The Falcons' defense is led by middle linebacker Enrique Dozier. The fifth year senior from Akron (Garfield High School) leads with 40 tackles (18 solo). He has two tackles for losses, has forced two fumbles and has a sack. His 40 stops ranks him eighth in the MAC

 

“Offensively, they are a pain," continued Brookhart.. "They are difficult to defend. They are very exotic in their formations. I think the system (the spread offense) is very good. It really spreads the field, and you must cover the space well. They have a bunch of receivers that play well in that system, but their quarterback (Tyler Sheehan) is extremely accurate and he makes a lot of good decisions”

 

Sheehan, a junior from Cincinnati, is completing 65.8 percent of his passes (123-for-187) for 1208 yards with six touchdowns and just three interceptions.

 

In last Saturday’s game against EMU, Sheehan passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns finding ten difference receivers. He also had an eight-yard scoring run. Over his last two games (Wyoming and EMU) Sheehan has not thrown an interception while going 49-for-69 (71%) for 584 yards and four touchdowns.

 

Sheehan is currently sixth in MAC passing at 241.6 yds per game, sixth in passing efficiency at 127.4, and sixth in total offense 233.6 yds per game.

 

Amongst the Falcons catching the football, H-Receiver Corey Partridge has hauled in the most with 24 (tenth best in the MAC) for 254 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, tailback Chris Bullock leads BG with 237 yards on 57 carries.

 

When asked about how the team will bounce back after the heartbreaking loss to the Eagles, Falcons head coach Gregg Brandon said “’We’ve got to understand that in preparation it doesn’t matter what that team looks like on film, they are going to bring their A game every time they play Bowling Green because we were picked to win the East”

 

Brandon emphasized “We’ve had the bulls-eye on our chest. We are one of the top programs in the MAC and everybody wants to beat Bowling Green. It doesn’t matter who we play you’ve got to show up with the same intensity if we were playing Pitt or Boise State or whomever in this league”

 

With their win last Saturday the Zips ended a three-game MAC losing streak and six of seven dating back to last season. They look for their first home win of 2008, the final season at the Rubber Bowl, and first MAC win at home since November 7, 2007 (48-37 over Ohio) this Saturday against the Falcons.

 

NOTES: The game is the 17^th in the series with Bowling Green holding a 9-7 advantage including last season’s 44-20 win at Perry Stadium…The series is 4-4 at the Rubber Bowl with Akron winning two of the last three including the last meeting in 2006 35-28…Chris Jacquemain-AKR has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game so far this season and seven straight dating back to last year…Jacquemain is fifth in MAC passing at 242.8 yds per game, seventh in passing efficiency at 124.5, and fifth in total offense 240.2 yards per game…Andrew Johnson-AKR missed the Kent State game with what Brookhart referred to as a ‘double stinger’ and hopes to return this Saturday against the Falcons…Bryan Williams-AKR is ranked fourth in the FBS in kick returns (33.0 yds per return)… Akron’s +4 giveaway/takeaway stat is tied for first in the MAC with Northern Illinois, Ball State, and Temple…Brookhart is 3-1 lifetime against Brandon..Akron had 301 yards of total offense against the Golden Flashes, the seventh consecutive game dating back to last season that they have surpassed 300 yards…Nick Ivonelli-BG is third in MAC punting averaging  41.3 yds per kick…Diyral Briggs-BG leads the MAC in sacks with five (for -23 yards)…Kenny Lewis-BG is tied for ninth in passes defended with four..Akron’s overtime game against Kent State was the first in MAC conference play this season and third involving a MAC team so far this season.