Zips football: Observations from Saturday's game

 It was a Division 1-AA team, but the Akron Zips took a step forward nonetheless.

However, they get about 48 hours to enjoy because coach Terry Bowden gets to show the team his SEC roots when he takes them to Tennessee next week and as enjoyable as the victory was, the Zips will have to play a perfect game next week to even be in it.

The Zips turned the ball over twice – once on a fumble as they were driving and the other on an ill-advised pass that the Morgan State Bears picked off - in the red zone to squander scoring opportunities.

A couple of plays prior to the fumble running back Jawon Chisholm inexplicably stepped out of bounds at the 20-yard line with little other than field turf in front of him.  The also committed penalties in crucial situations to keep the Bears hanging on too close to comfort.

For all intents and purposes, this game should have been over in the first half.  And although MAC teams like to view themselves as giant killers, the Bears came in looking to win.  They hung with Buffalo last week and scored 30 plus points on them.

Just sayin’.

If Dalton Williams can win East Division Player of the Week throwing 50 percent, he should have this week’s award locked up as well.  Williams connected on 37-of-48 passes for 446 yards and three scores in the Zips record-setting win versus Morgan State.

Counting records:  The team tied or set school records for points scored (66), first downs in a game (43); passing yards in a game (565); passing attempts (59); completions (44), individual completions by a quarterback (37 by Williams) and a MAC record with 565 passing yards by a team.