Events Calendar
In This Section
UA's Zakuani to find out about elite award
UA soccer player Zakuani goes pro, could be first pick in draft
Zips end win streak for Mountain Hawks
Zips break down in MAC warm-up
UA soccer players make All-MAC team
Zips give Dambrot 100th victory at UA
Free throws give Zips 61-60 win over host Bearkats
Most Read Stories
Blogs:
Akron Law Café:
College Football is Un-American
The Heldenfiles:
"Breaking Bad" Season 2 on March 8
Tribe Matters:
Time to extend Lee’s contract?
Patrick McManamon:
Heckert out? Good news on defensive coordinator
Browns Bulletin:
Kokinis not a lock to become general manager
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini takes command
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Cleveland Cavaliers: Of Leprechauns and Losses
CavsHQ: A Fan's View:
Running Thoughts - Cavs v. Bobcats
Akron Zips:
Five things you should know about Miami
Varsity Letters:
Ignatius’ Kyle has busy offseason
Kent State Sports:
Volleyball players earn All-Academic honors
Car Chase:
January is auction time
See Jane Style:
Chicago Chic?
All Da King's Men:
Obama's Economic News Conference
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Trillion Dollar Deficits
HRLite House:
The Psychology Channel, Interesting Videos, Jobs in I-O, and Happy Birthday Elvis
Akron Gamer:
Games in '09: Resident Evil 5
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Does Ohio have an Andy Warhol Museum?
Sound Check:
Axl Rose speaks on Guns & Rose(s)
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Macy's to Close 11 Stores in 9 States
Mistakes on special teams lead to loss to Bobcats
By Beacon Journal sports
POSTED: 10:22 p.m. EST, Nov 22, 2008
Just 10 days ago, the University of Akron had legitimate dreams of playing two postseason games in December.
Now, it appears the Zips' season will end on the day after Thanksgiving.
The Zips (5-6, 3-4), falling prey to special-teams mistakes and the play of Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson, lost to the host Bobcats 49-42 on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference game and Senior Day at Peden Stadium in Athens.
On Nov. 13, the Zips faced the University at Buffalo in the Rubber Bowl finale that left the winner in first place in the MAC East. The Zips lost that one 43-40 in four overtimes but could have made themselves bowl eligible by beating lowly Ohio (3-8, 2-5).
Instead, Jackson threw a school-record five touchdown passes — including the decider in the final minute — to send the Zips to Philadelphia on Friday for a game with Temple that the Zips would need to win to reach .500 and keep their faint bowl hopes alive.
''Being in the MAC, it's going to be hard to get in at 6-6,'' senior tailback Dennis Kennedy told reporters afterward. ''But we have another week to go and get it done. We will do our best.''
The Zips had a 374-313 edge in total yardage and an 84-51 edge in plays. But Ohio had 296 yards on kickoff and punt returns, scoring once in each area.
''Special teams were the culprit today,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''I am in charge of special teams, and we did some things today we hadn't done all year.''
Jackson provided the offense for Ohio by completing 20-of-28 passes for 222 yards and the five touchdowns. Taylor Price caught eight passes for 100 yards and three scores.
For the Zips, Kennedy rushed 34 times for 123 yards and four touchdowns. Junior quarterback Chris Jacquemain was 21-of-36 for 235 yards and one score.
Ohio looked to be in command with a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes remaining, but it suffered two consecutive turnovers that gave UA life.
The Zips recovered two fumbles, and Kennedy scored on short runs at 8:08 and 2:12 to make it 42-42.
But Ohio, led by a series of big plays by Jackson, went 74 yards in 10 plays to win. The touchdown was a 1-yard pass from Jackson to David Carter with 32 seconds left.
''He can make plays, no question,'' Brookhart said of Jackson. ''The one thing he didn't do today was make mistakes.''
The Zips took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards on 13 plays to go ahead 7-0. The touchdown was a 3-yard run by Kennedy.
The Bobcats tallied the next two touchdowns on a 66-yard punt return by LaVon Brazill late in the first quarter and a 4-yard pass from Jackson to Price early in the second quarter.
UA got back to 14-14 on a 9-yard run by Jacquemain, but Jackson followed with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Carter to put Ohio back ahead 21-14.
The Zips tied the score at 21-21 with 1:19 left until halftime on a 60-yard pass from Jacquemain to Deryn Bowser.
Just when it appeared the half would end in a tie, Ohio's Chris Garrett returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards to the Zips' 19. On the first play, Jackson hit Price for a score that made it 28-21 at the break.
After a 35-point second quarter, the only score of the third quarter was a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Price to give Ohio a 35-21 advantage.
In the first play of the fourth quarter, UA got back to a 35-28 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Kennedy.
But Garrett got back those points in a hurry when he returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to make it 42-28.
Just 10 days ago, the University of Akron had legitimate dreams of playing two postseason games in December.
Now, it appears the Zips' season will end on the day after Thanksgiving.
The Zips (5-6, 3-4), falling prey to special-teams mistakes and the play of Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson, lost to the host Bobcats 49-42 on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference game and Senior Day at Peden Stadium in Athens.
On Nov. 13, the Zips faced the University at Buffalo in the Rubber Bowl finale that left the winner in first place in the MAC East. The Zips lost that one 43-40 in four overtimes but could have made themselves bowl eligible by beating lowly Ohio (3-8, 2-5).
Instead, Jackson threw a school-record five touchdown passes — including the decider in the final minute — to send the Zips to Philadelphia on Friday for a game with Temple that the Zips would need to win to reach .500 and keep their faint bowl hopes alive.
''Being in the MAC, it's going to be hard to get in at 6-6,'' senior tailback Dennis Kennedy told reporters afterward. ''But we have another week to go and get it done. We will do our best.''
The Zips had a 374-313 edge in total yardage and an 84-51 edge in plays. But Ohio had 296 yards on kickoff and punt returns, scoring once in each area.
''Special teams were the culprit today,'' UA coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''I am in charge of special teams, and we did some things today we hadn't done all year.''
Jackson provided the offense for Ohio by completing 20-of-28 passes for 222 yards and the five touchdowns. Taylor Price caught eight passes for 100 yards and three scores.
For the Zips, Kennedy rushed 34 times for 123 yards and four touchdowns. Junior quarterback Chris Jacquemain was 21-of-36 for 235 yards and one score.
Ohio looked to be in command with a 42-28 lead with 10 minutes remaining, but it suffered two consecutive turnovers that gave UA life.
The Zips recovered two fumbles, and Kennedy scored on short runs at 8:08 and 2:12 to make it 42-42.
But Ohio, led by a series of big plays by Jackson, went 74 yards in 10 plays to win. The touchdown was a 1-yard pass from Jackson to David Carter with 32 seconds left.
''He can make plays, no question,'' Brookhart said of Jackson. ''The one thing he didn't do today was make mistakes.''
The Zips took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards on 13 plays to go ahead 7-0. The touchdown was a 3-yard run by Kennedy.
The Bobcats tallied the next two touchdowns on a 66-yard punt return by LaVon Brazill late in the first quarter and a 4-yard pass from Jackson to Price early in the second quarter.
UA got back to 14-14 on a 9-yard run by Jacquemain, but Jackson followed with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Carter to put Ohio back ahead 21-14.
The Zips tied the score at 21-21 with 1:19 left until halftime on a 60-yard pass from Jacquemain to Deryn Bowser.
Just when it appeared the half would end in a tie, Ohio's Chris Garrett returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards to the Zips' 19. On the first play, Jackson hit Price for a score that made it 28-21 at the break.
After a 35-point second quarter, the only score of the third quarter was a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Price to give Ohio a 35-21 advantage.
In the first play of the fourth quarter, UA got back to a 35-28 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Kennedy.
But Garrett got back those points in a hurry when he returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to make it 42-28.
Comments
Click here to post your comments