The University of Akron football team snapped multiple four-game losing streaks in one fell swoop Saturday.
Coming off a bye, the Zips were in the midst of a four-game losing streak this season. And UA had fallen in its previous four meetings with Mid-American Conference foe Eastern Michigan .
But UA survived a Hail Mary on the final play to end those droughts with a wild 25-21 win over Eastern Michigan.
"The message heading into this entire season was we're done talking about taking over the worst program in the country by any metric [two years ago] and becoming a competitive team," Akron coach Joe Moorhead said. "... We've got to be a team that's done talking about the turnaround we've made to become competitive. We've got to win the freaking games. So, to me, this is a, I don't want say validation, but to a certain extent I believe that."
Akron (2-6, 1-3) kicked off against Eastern Michigan (5-3, 2-2) at 3:32 p.m. Saturday at InfoCision Stadium. Here is how our updates unfolded throughout the game, with quotes from interviews added afterward.
The Zips started celebrating during the two-minute timeout because a replay review showed Eastern Michigan running back Elijah Jackson-Anderson had lost a fumble at the end of a 40-yard run into the red zone.
Zips cornerback Justin Anderson tackled Jackson-Anderson, and safety Paul Lewis III recovered the fumble at the UA 16-yard line with 2:06 left to play.
Anderson said he punched the ball away from Jackson-Anderson. Moorhead called it the play of the game.
"In the two-minute [timeout], I could low-key see the officials reviewing it, and I was low-key whispering over there, like, 'That's our ball, right? That's our ball,'" Anderson said.
Fortunately for the Zips, Lewis had the ball at the end of the play, even though the officials had initially ruled Jackson-Anderson was down.
"I'm so glad I picked it up," Lewis said. "I mean, we do it every practice. Coach yells at us. Even if the play's dead, the receiver breaks up the ball, the ball's down, he's like, 'Somebody's got to pick it up.'"
After taking possession, Akron wound up punting. Eastern Michigan marched to the UA 33-yard line and attempted a Hail Mary, but it was incomplete out the back of the end zone with time expired.
Since Moorhead's first season at the helm of UA in 2022, the Zips have suffered 11 one-score losses. Doubt naturally crept into the coach's mind before Eastern Michigan's final pass.
"I don't want to be a defeatist because I'm a glass-half-full guy," Moorhead said. "But I'm like, 'This can't freaking happen again. There's no way.' But it goes through your head just because we've found a way in the fourth quarter to lose them in a bunch of different varieties.
"The kids did a great job with their accountability and their discipline this week. The game of football rewards people who do it the right way and unfortunately punishes the people who don't. And we got rewarded because we did it the right way this week."
Akron countered after losing the lead and earned a 25-21 advantage with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter.
But UA's go-ahead, 75-yard touchdown drive came with an injury scare.
On third-and-10, Zips starting quarterback Ben Finley connected with wide receiver Adrian Norton for a 21-yard touchdown. Norton dived for the right pylon to reach the end zone, and Garrison Smith made the ensuing extra-point kick.
"He made the play by his route," Finley said of Norton. "AD is by far one of our best receivers, and to get him one-on-one is a matchup in our favor. So I knew he was going to stick [the defender] and create the leverage, and I was going to be able to throw that ball.
"[I've] just got to stand in there. That's one thing I've been working on is just standing in the pocket. My line, I can help them out a majority of the time just sitting in there and delivering balls. And we did that, especially on that last drive, and then we put it all together, put the icing on the cake with AD's touchdown. I'm really happy for him."
Finley took a big hit and was injured during the play. Medical personnel helped him off the field as he kept weight off his left leg.
Moorhead said he didn't think the injury was significant because Finley told him on the sideline he would be ready to return to the game.
"I'm good," Finley said. "Just one day at a time. Got to get healthy and focus on the next game."
Finley finished 12-of-23 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown with an interception. Norton had two catches for 29 yards, including the 21-yard TD.
The Akron offense stalled again early in the fourth quarter, but punter Avery Book provided a silver lining. His punt rolled a long way, and the Zips downed it at the EMU 1-yard line with 13:11 left in the fourth quarter.
Here's the problem for Akron: On third-and-9 from the Eastern Michigan 2, quarterback Cole Snyder connected with wide receiver Terry Lockett Jr. for a 79-yard gain.
On third-and-goal at the 5, Akron had Eastern Michigan stopped because cornerback Elijah Reed broke up Snyder's pass to wide receiver Markus Allen in the end zone. However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on Zips defensive end CJ Nunnally IV as he celebrated after the play gave the Eagles a fresh set of downs.
Then on fourth-and-goal, running back Delbert Mimms III rushed for a 1-yard touchdown, and Eastern Michigan went ahead 21-18 with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter. It was EMU's first lead of the game.
Still, the Zips fought back after blowing an 18-0 lead.
"Our resilience, it was definitely there tonight," Anderson said. "We just had to keep it one play at a time and make the plays that came to us."
After Akron went three-and-out on its second possession of the third quarter, Eastern Michigan continued to rally.
On second-and-12, Snyder took advantage of busted coverage by throwing an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide-open tight end Jere Getzinger. However, Jesus Gomez missed the ensuing extra-point kick, and Eastern Michigan trailed 18-14 with 31 seconds left in the third quarter.
Akron led by the same score at the end of the third quarter. Still, Eastern Michigan owned the third quarter with 14 points after trailing 18-0 at halftime.
On the opening drive of the second half, Akron went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Eastern Michigan 37-yard line. UA backup quarterback Tahj Bullock took a shotgun snap and kept the ball, but he was stopped for a 2-yard gain and a turnover on downs with 11:39 left in the third quarter.
Eastern Michigan took over at its 35 and produced a 13-play, 65-yard scoring drive.
On third-and-goal, Snyder threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Getzinger. Then Snyder's shovel pass to wide receiver Max Reese gave EMU two points and cut Akron's lead to 18-8 with 6:15 left in the third quarter.
The Zips led the Eagles 18-0 at halftime.
After the Zips forced a turnover on downs, the UA offense played complementary football with a seven-play, 71-yard scoring drive.
Bullock rushed for his second touchdown of the game, this time from 15 yards. Akron made the extra-point kick and captured an 18-0 lead with 2:45 left in the second quarter.
Bullock finished 2-of-3 passing for 36 yards and rushed six times for 17 yards and two touchdowns.
"Going into the week, we've got these set formations or matchups we want to attack," Bullock said. "Game planning for myself, we know the defense wants to attack me a certain way, and [I was] just getting my opportunity."
Eastern Michigan found a spark when free safety David Carter Jr. intercepted an underthrown pass by Finley with 10:24 left in the second quarter. Finley was shaken up during the play, but returned to action on the next UA possession. Regardless, EMU took over at its 23-yard line after the interception.
Eastern Michigan threatened to turn the takeaway into points, yet Akron's defense stepped up.
On fourth-and-1 at the UA 29, Snyder ran to his left, and had only Anderson in his way. However, Anderson tackled Snyder a half yard short of the line to gain, and the spot survived a replay review. As a result, Akron forced a turnover on downs with 6:13 remaining in the second quarter.
After UA's defense recorded its second consecutive three-and-out, the Zips took over at their own 38-yard line following a downed punt.
Akron marched into the red zone and settled for Garrison Smith's 34-yard field goal and an 11-0 advantage with 14:15 left in the second quarter.
UA led Eastern Michigan 8-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Zips drew first blood after a penalty on the Eagles gave UA great field position to begin its second possession.
After Eastern Michigan went three and out deep in its own territory and punted out of its end zone, EMU's Nick Devereaux drew a fair catch interference penalty when he decked UA punt returner Jordan Castleberry at the 50-yard line.
The penalty gave Akron possession at the Eastern Michigan 35. Seven plays later, Bullock rushed for a 3-yard touchdown on second-and-goal. Then Bullock completed a two-point pass to long snapper Liam Reardon to give the Zips an 8-0 lead with 2:53 remaining in the opening quarter.
Eastern Michigan received the opening kickoff and marched into Akron territory before stalling. Four plays after an offensive pass interference penalty pushed EMU from the UA 30-yard line to the 45, the Eagles tried a long field goal.
However, Gomez's 54-yard attempt fell short with 9:08 left in the first quarter. And the Zips took possession at their 36.
UA's ensuing drive fizzled at the EMU 44. The Zips downed Book's punt at EMU's 2.
Akron now has a 20-16 series edge versus Eastern Michigan.
Last season, Akron lost 30-27 on the road to Eastern Michigan in double overtime.
The Zips won a game in the series for the first time since 2015, when they prevailed 47-21 at Rynearson Stadium.
Below is some pregame information.
The Akron Zips have done the following this season:
Aug. 31: lost 52-6 at Ohio State
Sept. 7: lost 49-17 at Rutgers
Sept. 14: beat Colgate 31-20
Sept. 21: lost 50-7 at South Carolina
Sept. 28: lost 30-10 at Ohio (MAC game)
Oct. 5: lost 27-20 to Bowling Green (MAC game)
Oct. 12: lost 34-24 at Western Michigan (MAC game)
Oct. 19: bye
The game will be televised on ESPN+ with Anthony Lima as the play-by-play announcer and Ryan Cavanaugh as the analyst. It will be broadcast locally on the radio via WHLO 640-AM (flagship), WHK 1420-AM and 102.5 FM with David Skoczen as the play-by-play announcer and Joe Dunn as the analyst.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips beat Eastern Michigan: MAC football score, highlights
