American college football season
The2019 Akron Zips football team represented theUniversity of Akron during the2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Zips were led by first-year head coachTom Arth and played their home games atInfoCision Stadium inAkron, Ohio . They competed as members of the East Division of theMid-American Conference (MAC).
The 2019 Zips lost every single game on their schedule, finished with an 0–12 overall record and an 0–8 record in MAC play, and were outscored by their opponents by a total of 435 to 126. They finished in last place in the conference's East Division.CBS Sports rated Akron last, at 130th, in their season's-end ranking of all 130 FBS teams.[ 1] Division I FBS team to gowinless in the 2019 season. They were also the last team to be winless in a full seasonuntil Kent State in 2024 .
Following the firing of seven-year head coachTerry Bowden at the end of the2018 season , Akron announced the hiring ofTom Arth on December 14, 2018.[ 2] University of Tennessee at Chattanooga , leading them to records of 3–8 and 6–5 in2017 and2018 , respectively. Before Chattanooga, he was the head coach atJohn Carroll University , where he led the team to an upset victory over No. 1Mount Union to claim anOhio Athletic Conference title in 2016 and was named D3football.com Coach of the Year.
Tom Arth announced the members of his coaching staff in January and March 2019.[ 3] [ 4]
The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 23, 2019, with the Zips predicted to finish in fifth place in the East Division.[ 5]
Akron's non-conference slate consisted of home games againstUAB ofConference USA andTroy of theSun Belt Conference , and road games againstIllinois of theBig Ten Conference andUMass , afootball independent .
InMid-American Conference play, the Zips hostedKent State ,Buffalo ,Eastern Michigan , andOhio , and traveled toCentral Michigan ,Northern Illinois ,Bowling Green , andMiami . They did not play West Division membersBall State ,Toledo , orWestern Michigan .
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance August 31 Noon atIllinois * BTN L 3–4230,654 September 7 Noon UAB * CBSSN L 20–3118,972 September 14 3:00 p.m. atCentral Michigan ESPN+ L 24–4518,641 September 21 3:00 p.m. Troy * InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPN+ L 7–3516,954 September 28 3:30 p.m. atUMass * FloSports L 29–377,284 October 12 3:30 p.m. Kent State ESPN3 L 3–2622,692 October 19 3:00 p.m. Buffalo InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPN3 L 0–2116,909 October 26 3:30 p.m. atNorthern Illinois ESPN3 L 0–499,027 November 2 2:00 p.m. atBowling Green ESPN+ L 6–3512,113 November 12 6:00 p.m. Eastern Michigan InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPNews L 14–4210,811 November 20 7:30 p.m. atMiami (OH) ESPNU L 17–2022,921 November 26 6:00 p.m. Ohio InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH ESPN+ L 3–5221,414
Source:[ 6]
[ 7]
Tom Arth - Head coachMatt Feeney – Defensive Coordinator / Inside LinebackersTommy Zagorski – Offensive coordinator / Offensive LineBrian Cochran – Defensive Line Chris Cook – Tight ends / Offensive Tackles Jonathan Cooley – Defensive Backs / Corners & Nickels Jayden Everett – Running Backs Shelton Felton – Outside Linebackers / Defensive Ends Bryan Gasser – Pass Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers Chris Hurd – Special Teams / Fullbacks / HalfbacksOscar Rodriguez – Secondary / Safeties1 2 3 4 Total Zips 3 0 0 0 3 Fighting Illini 14 14 14 0 42
Statistics AKR ILL First downs 16 22 Total yards 192 401 Rushing yards 64 207 Passing yards 128 194 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 31:37 28:23
Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Kato Nelson 10/24, 122 yards, INT Rushing Deltron Sands 14 rushes, 47 yards Receiving Nate Stewart 5 receptions, 79 yards Illinois Passing Brandon Peters 14/23, 163 yards, 3 TD Rushing Mike Epstein 8 rushes, 45 yards Receiving Ricky Smalling 4 receptions, 54 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Blazers 7 10 14 0 31 Zips 6 0 0 14 20
Statistics UAB AKR First downs 15 16 Total yards 402 393 Rushing yards 83 34 Passing yards 319 359 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 27:37 32:23
Team Category Player Statistics UAB Passing Tyler Johnston III 15/24, 319 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Spencer Brown 16 rushes, 35 yards Receiving Austin Watkins Jr. 3 receptions, 95 yards, 2 TD Akron Passing Kato Nelson 25/44, 359 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kato Nelson 13 rushes, 31 yards Receiving Dustin Burkhart 8 receptions, 217 yards
At Central Michigan [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Zips 0 10 0 14 24 Chippewas 3 24 3 15 45
Statistics AKR CMU First downs 16 21 Total yards 326 533 Rushing yards 42 189 Passing yards 282 344 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 31:10 28:50
Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Kato Nelson 26/42, 241 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Kato Nelson 16 rushes, 28 yards Receiving Nate Stewart 5 receptions, 78 yards, TD Central Michigan Passing David Moore 20/31, 316 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kobe Lewis 27 rushes, 146 yards, 3 TD Receiving Kalil Pimpleton 7 receptions, 116 yards, TD
1 2 3 4 Total Trojans 7 14 14 0 35 Zips 7 0 0 0 7
Statistics TROY AKR First downs 32 10 Total yards 485 242 Rushing yards 270 39 Passing yards 215 203 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 41:17 18:43
Team Category Player Statistics Troy Passing Kaleb Barker 27/37, 214 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing D. K. Billingsley 22 rushes, 100 yards, TD Receiving Luke Whittemore 7 receptions, 64 yards Akron Passing Kato Nelson 15/29, 200 yards, TD Rushing Brandon Lee 6 rushes, 38 yards Receiving Nate Stewart 4 receptions, 89 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Zips 7 7 7 8 29 Minutemen 7 13 14 3 37
Statistics AKR MASS First downs 22 24 Total yards 406 433 Rushing yards 71 220 Passing yards 335 213 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 29:02 30:58
Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Zach Gibson 12/16, 173 yards, TD Rushing Michiah Burton 8 rushes, 25 yards, TD Receiving Boogie Knight 5 receptions, 100 yards UMass Passing Michael Curtis 17/31, 173 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Bilal Ally 15 rushes, 97 yards Receiving Samuel Emilus 6 receptions, 70 yards, TD
1 2 3 4 Total Golden Flashes 7 10 0 9 26 Zips 0 3 0 0 3
Statistics KENT AKR First downs 24 19 Total yards 382 288 Rushing yards 233 95 Passing yards 149 202 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 29:34 30:26
Team Category Player Statistics Kent State Passing Dustin Crum 16/21, 149 yards, TD Rushing Will Matthews 25 rushes, 126 yards, TD Receiving Isaiah McKoy 7 receptions, 80 yards, TD Akron Passing Kato Nelson 17/28, 202 yards Rushing Kato Nelson 14 rushes, 64 yards Receiving Nate Stewart 4 receptions, 71 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Bulls 7 0 7 7 21 Zips 0 0 0 0 0
Statistics BUFF AKR First downs 16 11 Total yards 254 196 Rushing yards 189 3 Passing yards 65 193 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 34:37 25:23
Team Category Player Statistics Buffalo Passing Kyle Vantrease 14/23, 65 yards Rushing Jaret Patterson 17 rushes, 88 yards Receiving Daniel Lee 6 receptions, 30 yards Akron Passing Zach Gibson 22/39, 193 yards, INT Rushing Decavilon Reese 8 rushes, 37 yards Receiving Julian Hicks 9 receptions, 51 yards
At Northern Illinois [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Zips 0 0 0 0 0 Huskies 7 14 14 14 49
Statistics AKR NIU First downs 7 21 Total yards 145 345 Rushing yards 94 274 Passing yards 51 71 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 20:35 39:25
Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Zach Gibson 4/15, 36 yards, INT Rushing Brandon Lee 10 rushes, 76 yards Receiving Julian Hicks 3 receptions, 22 yards Northern Illinois Passing Marcus Childers 7/9, 71 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tre Harbison 31 rushes, 158 yards, 2 TD Receiving Mitchell Brinkman 2 receptions, 36 yards, TD
1 2 3 4 Total Zips 6 0 0 0 6 Falcons 7 14 7 7 35
Statistics AKR BGSU First downs 7 17 Total yards 100 276 Rushing yards 29 156 Passing yards 71 120 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 22:58 37:02
Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Kato Nelson 9/24, 60 yards, 2 INT Rushing Peter Hayes-Patrick 4 rushes, 23 yards Receiving Nate Stewart 3 receptions, 26 yards Bowling Green Passing Grant Loy 12/20, 113 yards, TD Rushing Andrew Clair 29 rushes, 86 yards, 2 TD Receiving Quintin Morris 4 receptions, 53 yards, TD
1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 7 14 14 7 42 Zips 0 0 7 7 14
Statistics EMU AKR First downs 25 14 Total yards 498 342 Rushing yards 252 54 Passing yards 246 288 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:45 26:15
Team Category Player Statistics Eastern Michigan Passing Mike Glass III 20/25, 246 yards Rushing Shaq Vann 28 rushes, 142 yards, 4 TD Receiving Matthew Sexton 4 receptions, 76 yards Akron Passing Kato Nelson 20/33, 288 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Peter Hayes-Patrick 13 rushes, 43 yards Receiving Boogie Knight 6 receptions, 121 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Zips 0 3 7 7 17 RedHawks 3 14 3 0 20
Statistics AKR MOH First downs 11 19 Total yards 202 355 Rushing yards 5 238 Passing yards 197 117 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 26:54 33:06
Team Category Player Statistics Akron Passing Kato Nelson 15/25, 197 yards, TD Rushing Peter Hayes-Patrick 6 rushes, 17 yards Receiving Nate Stewart 3 receptions, 66 yards Miami Passing Brett Gabbert 10/21, 117 yards, 2 INT Rushing Jaylon Bester 21 rushes, 128 yards, TD Receiving Jack Sorenson 3 receptions, 46 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Bobcats 14 17 7 14 52 Zips 3 0 0 0 3
Statistics OHIO AKR First downs 25 7 Total yards 603 74 Rushing yards 251 41 Passing yards 352 33 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 37:34 22:26
Team Category Player Statistics Ohio Passing Nathan Rourke 20/28, 308 yards, 4 TD Rushing De'Montre Tuggle 9 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Tyler Walton 5 receptions, 82 yards Akron Passing Zach Gibson 3/11, 23 yards, INT Rushing Peter Hayes-Patrick 14 rushes, 42 yards Receiving Boogie Knight 2 receptions, 22 yards
^ "College Football Rankings 2019 - CBS Sports 130" .CBS Sports . RetrievedDecember 25, 2019 .^ Caron, Emily (December 14, 2018)."UT-Chattanooga's Tom Arth Named Akron Football Coach" .Sports Illustrated . ^ "Akron Football Adds Assistant Coaches, Staff" .GoZips.com . University of Akron. January 9, 2019.^ "Arth Completes Akron Football Staff" .GoZips.com . University of Akron. March 8, 2019.^ "MAC Announces 2019 Preseason Football Poll" .getsomemaction.com . RetrievedAugust 2, 2019 .^ "2019 Akron Football Schedule" .FBSchedules.com . RetrievedMarch 13, 2019 .^ "Football Coaches - University of Akron Athletics" . Archived fromthe original on April 9, 2019. RetrievedOctober 30, 2019 .
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