Akron finally gets over the hump in emphatic win over EMU.
Akron pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the Mid-American Conference season and called Eastern Michigan’s contender status into question with a 25-21 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Zips raced to an 18-0 lead thanks in part to two Tahj Bullock touchdowns and an early two-point conversion attempt, but some old defensive foibles showed themselves after that, as the visiting Eagles went on drives of 65, 73, and 99 yards to take a 21-18 lead in the fourth quarter.
Akron responded quickly with a 75-yard drive ending with a touchdown from Ben Finley to Adrian Norton with 3:59 left in the game to get back in front at 25-21, but the Zips would have to weather another EMU possession in order to take away the victory.
EMU started the drive off with five-stright passes, but found themselves in easy conversion territory on third-and-three at their own 44-yard line. Cole Snyder would hand the ball off to Elijah Jackson-Anderson, who burst out for a long 40-yard run to seemingly flip the field— but crucially, Jackson-Anderson fumbled, allowing Akron defensive back Paul Lewis III to fall on the ball at the Akron 16 with under two minutes remaining.
EMU’s defense would force a quick pun, but it was all for naught, as the offense would stall out at the Akron 33-yard line needing a touchdown.
Akron’s run game showed vast improvement from prior weeks, totaling 220 yards. This was nearly half the output they had in their first 6 games. Jordan Simmons proved he is Akron’s feature back with 109 yards, while Charles Kellom showed explosiveness not seen all year with a 43-yard run.
Eastern Michigan’s usual reliable run game faltered, with only 114 yards on 32 rushes. That lack of efficiency forced EMU to reply on the pass more than usual, as Oran Singleton and Terry Lockett Jr. combined for 200 yards to lead the offense. Singleton had a steady 10 catches for 102 yards, while Lockett had three catches for 98 yards, accentuated by a 79-yard grab.
Eastern Michigan must address these holes in their run defense if they want to rise above the other contenders in an open MAC. However, Cole Snyder proved he can lead the Eagles from big deficits in the comeback. His performance showed why he is one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
Akron, who must win every game from this point on to clinch a postseason bowl bid, has momentum heading into next week’s clash with 4-4 Buffalo, while Eastern Michigan faces fellow 5-3 squad Toledo as both teams look to seal the MAC’s first postseason bid against one another.