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Hitchens carries Zips to first victory
Zips' Porter creates culture of success
Bunbury helps push Zips soccer team forward
Zips get run over in second half
Zips get gobbled up by Wolfpack 66-45
Plenty of work waiting for Zips
Zips lose despite play of Murphy, Tamboue
Buckeyes' start fast in semifinal WNIT win
Bowling Green wide receiver might be tough for Zips to catch
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Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Does it work? Test team returns to try out new products advertised on television
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns vs. Lions live …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Robiskie, Harrison inactive
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Sunday Sanity Challenge
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
A Random Rant on Testing
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Fumble recovery for touchdown overcomes strong performance by Zips' defense featuring big plays
By David Lee Morgan Jr. Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
OXFORD: It came as no surprise that the winning score between the University of Akron and the host Miami RedHawks came from the defense.
In a Mid-American Conference matchup at Yager Stadium that was televised nationally on ESPN2, Miami's defense won the game.
RedHawks defensive lineman Craig Mester picked up a fumble midway through the fourth quarter and rumbled seven yards for the only score and Miami prevailed 7-0.
UA coach J.D. Brookhart said: ''The team fought really hard. We just couldn't convert when we had our opportunities.''
The costly turnover came as Akron (4-7, 3-4) faced a third-and-13 at its 20-yard line with 9:38 left in the game. Because the Zips' offense was struggling to move the ball consistently, Brookhart had changed quarterbacks for that series, inserting sophomore Carlton Jackson for sophomore starter Chris Jacquemain (12-of-33 for 116 yards and two interceptions).
Jackson was trying to pass and was pressured by Miami's Clayton Mullins, who forced the fumble just as Jackson was attempting to move his arm forward. Mester scooped up the ball and became the hero for the RedHawks.
''I thought we needed to change things up because we were not moving the ball,'' Brookhart said of the quarterback change. ''That ended up biting us.''
Akron had one more shot at a possible score, with the ball at Miami's 45 with 8.1 seconds left. But Jacquemain's desperation pass was intercepted in the end zone by Jerrid Gaines as time expired.
Miami outgained Akron 320-216, and because the Zips couldn't do much against the RedHawks' defense, Akron needed help from the defense to stay in the game. Senior captain and roverback John Mackey came up with two big plays.
Miami (6-5, 5-1) had the first scoring threat, with the ball at Akron's 15 with 3:14 remaining before halftime. Quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh dropped back to pass, but Mackey stepped in front of the intended receiver, intercepted the pass at the goal line and returned it 34 yards.
Akron was forced to punt, and Miami was poised for another scoring opportunity.
RedHawks receiver Chris Givens caught a 29-yard pass but was stripped of the ball at the 15. Zips defensive back Davanzo Tate recovered it at the 2.
The play was reviewed, however, and the call was reversed as officials ruled that Tate had a foot out of bounds on the fumble recovery. The ball was placed at the 15 because Miami wasn't allowed to advance the ball on a fumble, and the RedHawks went back on offense.
Three plays later, Mackey bailed out the Zips again. Raudabaugh tried to squeeze a pass to a receiver in the end zone, but it was tipped by linebacker Brion Stokes, then intercepted by Mackey with 58 seconds left before halftime.
Instead of being behind, the Zips managed to go into halftime tied.
Senior cornerback Reggie Corner also ended a potential Miami scoring threat with his interception in the end zone on the RedHawks' first drive of the second half.
Akron's only potential scoring drive was its first possession of the fourth quarter, but the drive ended when Jacquemain threw an interception in the end zone.
The game had seven turnovers: two interceptions and a fumble by Akron, and three interceptions and a fumble by Miami's offense. All five interceptions occurred in the north end zone.
David Lee Morgan Jr. can be reachedat dlmorgan@thebeaconjournal.com.
OXFORD: It came as no surprise that the winning score between the University of Akron and the host Miami RedHawks came from the defense.
Get the full article here.
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