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AKRON, OH – Since fall camp opened, Akron Zips head coach Rob Ianello has stressed winning execution. Judging from Saturday afternoon’s performance against the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs, the Zips have a way to go as UA squandered a 14-point third quarter lead while falling 38-37 in overtime before an announced crowd of 10,046 Saturday afternoon at InfoCision Stadium.
After the visitors from the Big South Conference tied the game with 6:28 remaining, Akron (0-2) had two chances to win the game in regulation.
Senior running back Nate Burney’s fumble on the five-yard line when it looked as if UA was going to score a touchdown ended the first opportunity.
The second opportunity came shortly after Akron forced a punt and took over at the GWU 49. UA moved the ball to the 17 and got the ball to the middle of the field. Senior placekicker Igor Iveljic, however, missed a field goal from 34-yards away, sending the game into overtime.
Another special teams issue early in OT proved to be fatal Senior Alex Allen scored a Zips touchdown, but the extra point blocked. Gardner-Webb responded with its own touchdown when freshman Juanne Blount scored from four yards out. Junior placekicker Ryan Gates converted the extra point, and GWU came away with the victory.
“This was a team loss” Ianello said after the contest. “Offense had plenty of chances to win the game today, the defense had plenty of chances to win the game today, and special teams had plenty of chances to win the game today.”
With the victory, Gardner-Webb (2-0) picked up its first-ever win against Mid-American Conference opposition. Previously, GWU lost at Ohio in 2007 and last year at Buffalo.
“To upset a team you have to have a little bit of luck.” Bulldogs head coach Steve Patton said afterward. “We came so close two years ago at Georgia Tech and missed a field goal. I feel great for our kids, because they never gave up.”
If you loved offense, this was an afternoon to enjoy. The two teams combined for 790 yards and 75 points. Both UA running backs (Allen & Burney) went over 100 yards in rushing.
The offensive barrage began on UA’s first possession as the Zips took a short GWU punt on their own 49 yard line and in just two plays were in the end zone. Senior running back Alex Allen came up the middle, got a key block from the offensive line, and went 33 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Allen, a senior from Youngstown, Ohio who was granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA in the winter, had a fine afternoon with 110 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
“We had a good week of practice, and we’re disappointed not to finish on top. We will bounce back and get ready for next week (at Kentucky)” Allen said.
Gardner-Webb, who defeated Division II Brevard College in the Bulldogs opening game, used a two-quarterback system to guide the offense. Sophomore John Rock got the start against UA and on their second possession moved the ball from his own 40 to the Akron 22, where the Zips defense stiffened. Gates connected on a 40-yard field goal to make the score 7-3.
Before the end of the first quarter, Akron extended its lead to 14-3.
After pinning the visitors inside their five yard line, Akron further benefitted from a short punt that gave UA possession on the GWU 34 yard line. On the third play of the drive, sophomore quarterback Patrick Nicely hit senior wide receiver Jeremy LaFrance over the middle for 37 yards and a touchdown.
Nicely, the sophomore from Willoughby, Ohio finished the afternoon completing 14-of-21 passes for 165 yards, with one TD and one interception. He also scored one TD on the ground. “I thought Patrick took a big step managing the game today.” Ianello said. “I saw some growth and positive steps out of him.”
The Gardner-Webb offense really got into high gear when redshirt freshman Chandler Browning came into the game at quarterback. His first possession came in the second quarter when they moved the ball 56 yards in six plays. Freshman running back Nino Woolridge scored from four yards out to close the deficit to 14-10.
Akron emphatically answered that score with one of their own. Taking the kickoff to their own 34-yard line, the Zips moved 66-yards in 11-plays, with Nicely scrambling out of the pocket and scoring a touchdown from two-yards.
The drive was set up mostly on the running of Burney. The senior from Youngstown, a transfer from Division II Ashland University, had his best day in the Akron Blue and Gold as he registered his first career 100-yard rushing day with 119 yards on 17 carries.
A momentum swing in favor of GWU came late in the first half as Nicely threw a deep pass that was intercepted by senior cornerback Cedric McGowan, who returned the ball to the 43. With Rock at the controls, the Bulldogs converted the turnover into a touchdown by driving 67 yards in 10 plays. Rock found senior wide receiver Jerome Pathon in the end zone from 14-yards away to narrow Akron’s lead to 21-17 at intermission.
UA got that turnover back on the third play of the third quarter when senior cornerback Manley Waller intercepted a Rock pass and returned it to the GWU 15 yard line. It took the offense just two plays to score, with Allen scoring his second touchdown of the game from 11-yards out to make the score 28-17.
After forcing a punt, the Zips offense chewed up over six minutes with an 11-play drive - ten of which were on the ground - moving the ball to the GWU 30, where the drive stalled. Iveljic came on and connected on a 48-yard field goal for a 31-17 UA lead.
Before the quarter ended, the Bulldogs were in the end zone again as they took possession after the kickoff on their own 18 and used just seven plays to travel 82 yards. Browning connected with junior wide receiver James Perry III from four yards out to make the score 31-24.
Akron continued its ground assault on the next possession, but the Bulldogs defense eventually stiffened and forced a punt.
That was the break the Bulldogs needed, and they took advantage to tie the game. Starting on their own 14 yard line, they moved 86 yards in 14 plays, with Browning and Perry hooking up for their second touchdown of the game - this one from 13-yards out - as Perry was wide open in the end zone.
Following the tying touchdown, the Zips again moved the football. Starting on their own 32-yard line, Nicely connected with junior wide receiver Gary Pride for 25 yards to get the ball into Gardner-Webb territory. The running of Allen and Burney moved UA to the Bulldogs 12 when on a first down, Burney was hit and lost the ball recovered by senior cornerback Bryce Nixon for the Bulldogs at five yard line.
The Akron defense had their biggest stop of the game as they held GWU on three plays and forced a punt that was downed on the Bulldogs 49 yard line with 1:34 remaining in regulation. Aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty after a Nicely completion to LaFrance, the Zips had the ball on the Bulldogs 16.
Allen rushed for 15 yards to get the ball to the one, but that play was called back on an illegal formation penalty. They moved the ball into the center of the field for Iveljic. But he pushed his 34-yard field goal attempt wide right to send the game to overtime. A week earlier in the 29-3 season opening loss to Syracuse, Iveljic had a field goal attempt blocked, and the Orange returned it for a touchdown.
GWU won the coin toss and elected to start on defense. The Zips took five plays to score a touchdown, with Allen getting his third of the game from three yards out. However, Iveljic’s kick was blocked by Nixon to give Akron just a six point lead 37-31.
Gardner-Webb also used five plays to score its touchdown as Blount, who had 123 yards in the Bulldogs season-opening victory, scored from four yards away. Gates made the extra point that sent the Bulldogs into delirium and the Zips into despair.
G-W held the ball for 45:26. The Bulldogs were 11-for-20 on third down conversions and were a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone. Browning was 18-for-27 for 207 yards and the two scores to Perry who had 10 catches for 125 yards
Akron now has four of their next five on the road which starts next Saturday night at Kentucky. Gardner-Webb faces Western Carolina.
NOTES: The loss was Akron’s first to an FCS opponent since 1995 (against Youngstown State) had won four consecutive games…Akron is 1-1 lifetime against the Big South Conference (2002 Liberty 49-21)….Since UA moved to the FBS in 1987 all four of its head coaches have started their careers at 0-2 (Gerry Faust, Lee Owens, J.D. Brookhart, Ianello)
GAMERS
OFFENSE: NATE BURNEY & ALEX ALLEN-AKRON. Burney rushed for 119 yards on 17 carries while Allen had 110 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns. It was the first time Akron had two running backs over 100 yards in the same game since August 28, 2003 vs. Kent State
DEFENSE: BRYCE NIXON-GARDNER WEBB. The senior cornerback from Glenwood, Georgia led the Bulldogs with nine tackles (eight solo). His second quarter interception led to a touchdown just before halftime. His penetration contributed to Iveljic’s missed field goal at the end of regulation.
SPECIAL TEAMS: RYAN GATES-GARDNER WEBB. The junior from Newman, Georgia averaged 54.7 yards on kickoffs, had a 40-yard field goal in the first quarter and was 5-for-5 on extra points including the winner in overtime.
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