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Wild finish must occur for UA to capture title in MAC East Division
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
''Magic number'' is a term commonly used in baseball to determine the wins or losses needed by a team to clinch a championship.
It also can be used in football, although perhaps ''tragic number'' would be more apt when referring to the University of Akron.
Any combination of victories by the first-place University at Buffalo or losses by the Zips adding up to one will give the Bulls the title in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.
The number is two with Bowling Green, which is tied with the Zips for second place.
''Certainly, the odds are not with us right now,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''Things have to happen that are under other people's control.''
The only way those numbers can be reached — and, therefore, the only way for the Zips to win the East — the following must ALL happen:
• UA must win road games at Ohio on Saturday and at Temple on Nov. 28.
• Host Bowling Green must beat Buffalo on Friday.
• Visiting Kent State must defeat Buffalo on Nov. 28.
• Host Toledo must beat Bowling Green on Nov. 28.
Those scenarios suggest just how meaningful that four-overtime loss to Buffalo was last week in the Rubber Bowl. If the Zips had won, instead of losing 43-40, they would be the team in control of their destiny.
Furthermore, a 37-33 loss to Bowling Green at home on Oct. 11 means that the Zips lose the tiebreakers with the Falcons and Bulls.
''Certainly, that's not how we wanted to handle it,'' Brookhart said about winning the divisional race.
While an East title is a long shot, the Zips are still in contention for a bowl bid. If UA wins Saturday or at Temple, it would become what is called ''bowl eligible'' by the NCAA.
Victories in both remaining games might still not result in a championship, but the resulting 7-5 record would mean UA would be guaranteed to get a bid over 6-6 teams, no matter what their conference affiliation.
Of course, being bowl eligible doesn't guarantee a bowl bid, as the 2004 Zips that finished 6-5 found out. But the idea is to win, put yourself in position for a bid and see what happens.
''There are still a lot of reasons our team will be very motivated,'' Brookhart said. ''A chance to get bowl eligible certainly is the first thing we want to do and we will take it from there. That's what we have an opportunity to do this week.''
To defeat the Bobcats, Brookhart and his staff have been working hard to get the players in the proper frame of mind after the numbing loss to Buffalo.
In the first half, UA was outgained 319-190 in yards and was down in minutes of possession 23-7. There was improvement in the second half and the overtimes that narrowed the yardage difference to 476-474 and the minutes to 38-22 in favor of UB.
The Zips trailed 17-7 at the half and 24-17 with four minutes left. But an 80-yard, 12-play drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Dennis Kennedy (142 yards rushing, 121 yards receiving, four touchdowns) tied the score.
The drama in the overtime was intense, and the outcome wasn't decided until the Zips lost a fumble on their possession in the fourth overtime and UB's A.J. Principe ended it with a 40-yard field goal.
''Our kids were prepared,'' Brookhart said. ''They played hard and well and fought and competed. They just didn't pull it out.''
Brookhart said the players were disappointed about the outcome for themselves and for the fans who came out to say goodbye to the Rubber Bowl.
''There were a lot of tears, a lot,'' Brookhart said. ''My 3-year old [John] asked me why football players cried. He did. He said: 'I thought they were tough. They aren't supposed to cry.' ''
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
''Magic number'' is a term commonly used in baseball to determine the wins or losses needed by a team to clinch a championship.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 09:27 AM, 11/19/2008
we can still win out and get that 7-5 record and that bowl bid. That would be a good season in my book. I'll be down in Athens this weekend cheering on our Zips, hope alot of you all do the same.
GO ZIPS!
Posted 11:28 AM, 11/19/2008
It's time to get rid of Brookhart and get a real coach. This guy got lucky a few years back, but he can't get his teams prepared enough to win the big games. Plus, he doesn't recruit the Akron area hard enough. He misses so much local talent that it's ridiculous, but we get a lot of mediocre talent from Western PA and the DC area. New coach for the new stadium.
Posted 12:33 PM, 11/19/2008
IF if if if if if, Akron wins
There need to be one MAC conference, not this East and West.