BCS teams are coming to town

Football

I spoke with former athletic director Mike Thomas last spring. He said a new stadium might bring a Big 10 team to campus. It will happen sooner than that.

Thanks to my friends at ZipsNation.org, I noticed that Akron updated its football schedules through 2011. Here are the home-game highlights...

• Sept. 15, 2007 - The Zips will welcome their first Big 10 team to campus since becoming a Division IA team when the Indiana Hoosiers come to campus. Mark these words: The Zips will win that game. With sophomore quarterback Carlton Jackson and junior running back Dennis Kennedy, Akron will run all over the Hoosiers.


• Sept. 27, 2008 - Thomas' Cincinnati Bearcats will play at the Rubber Bowl - unless it's replaced by then. Once again, a winable game. Jackson, Kennedy and sophomore running back Andre Boone will run circles around defector Thomas' squad.


• Sept. 12, 2009 - Kentucky will come to the shiny new Akron Stadium, which I imagine will be built by then. Jackson and Boone will lay a severe beating on the Wildcats.


• Sept. 18, 2010 - Syracuse's sorry program will limp into Akron to get a whipping from senior quarterback Sean Hakes, Boone and the Zips.


• Sept. 10, 2011 - Florida International will wander into Akron Stadium for a thrashing it will never forget. As a result, college football minds get together to create a mercy rule for 2012.

The Zips also will play some interesting away games...

• Sept. 2, 2006 - Penn State. Yikes. They will still be very good as long as that sophomore kicker can hit a clutch field goal.


• Sept. 8, 2007 - Ohio State. Double yikes. Akron-native Chris Wells will make this a blowout. I would like to see this game played at Cleveland Browns Stadium like the Bowling Green/Wisconsin game will be played next season.


• Sept. 3, 2011 - Ohio State. Who knows? Maybe Akron coach J.D. Brookhart will be on Ohio State's sidelines by then.