Zips Battle Rockets Tonight at 7 pm ET on ESPN2

• Matt Campbell, 9-3 (1st full year) at Toledo, same overall. 0-0 vs. Akron.

• Terry Bowden, 1-10 (1st year) at Akron, 141-72-2 overall in 19 years. 0-0 vs. Toledo.

 

 

 

Akron Coach Terry Bowden (West Virginia, 1978): Is in his first season at the helm for the Zips and his 19th campaign as a collegiate head coach, owning a 141-72-2 record. He was named the program's 27th all-time coach on Dec. 22, 2011, but is just the seventh person to hold the position since 1960. This is his first time facing Toledo.

 

The Series: Tuesday marks the 17th all-time meeting between the Zips and Rockets on the gridiron, with the series record tied at 8-all. The programs haven't faced one another since 2008, a 47-30 Zips' win in Akron. UT has won six of the last seven meetings and holds a 4-2 advantage when playing at home. UA last posted a win in Toledo on Oct. 16, 1937 (21-7). The Zips won the first six games in the series in 1923, '24, '29, '30, '37, '38.

 

• Following its bye week, Akron (1-10, 0-7 MAC) travels to Mid-American Conference West Division opponent Toledo (8-3, 5-2) to end its 112th season on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be televised nationally via ESPN2.

• Akron and Toledo are meeting for the first time since 2008, when the Zips claimed a 47-30 decision at UA's Rubber Bowl. UT has won six of the last seven meetings in a series that dates to 1923.

• Zips RB Jawon Chisholm had 103 yards rushing and WR Marquelo Suel had 105 yards receiving as UA's second-half comeback fell short in a 22-14 loss to visiting Massachusetts on Nov. 10. Akron QB Dalton Williams completed 34-of-51 passes for 332 yards, but also threw four interceptions. UA led in total offense, 427-327.

• The UA offense is ranked 14th nationally in passing (317.1 ypg, 1st MAC) and 40th in total offense (435.8 ypg, 6th MAC).  

• Akron's 4,794 yards of total offense ranks sixth in the MAC and 38th nationally (435.8 ypg).

• The Zips have one of the more efficient red zone offenses in the MAC, having scored on 82.5 percent (33-of-40) of its trips into that territory this season (sixth best in the league). The squad's 27 red zone TDs is fifth most in the MAC. UA has converted on 11 of its last 13 red zone drives (2-for-2 versus UMass on Nov. 10).

• 2012 marks the return of head coach Terry Bowden to the Football Bowl Subdivision sideline. He coached at Division-II North Alabama the last three seasons (20-6 record) and was head coach at Auburn from 1993-98 (47-17-1).

• Bowden is one of 59 coaches at FBS schools voting in this season's USA Today top-25 poll.

• UA looks for its first road win since a 42-35 victory at Eastern Michigan on Oct. 18, 2008 (stretch of 25-straight away game losses).

• The Zips' last victory over a MAC foe came against Buffalo, 22-14, on Nov. 28, 2010 (stretch of 15-straight conference game losses).

• Akron snapped a 10-game program losing streak and racked up a school-record 753 yards of total offense with a 66-6 victory over visiting FCS foe Morgan State on Sept. 15. The Zips scored a school-record nine TDs in that outing.

 

• QB Dalton Williams leads the MAC in passing yards (3,335), passing yards per game (303.2) and touchdown passes (25). His 25 TDs is a school single-season record (surpassed Luke Getsy's 23 in 2005).

• Williams has thrown for over 300 yards in three-straight games (332 versus UMass on Nov. 10).

• Akron's 28 passing touchdowns this season is the program's single-season record, surpassing the mark of 24 established in 2005.

• RB Jawon Chisholm has posted at least 100 yards of rushing in six games this season. He had 23 carries for 103 yards versus UMass on Nov. 10, after posting 115 yards off 16 carries at Kent State the previous week.

• Chisholm has 906 total rushing yards this season (163 attempts), and is looking to become Akron's first 1,000 rusher since 2008 (Dennis Kennedy; 1,321).

• 18 UA players have caught at least one pass this season (10 did so versus UMass on Nov. 10), with 10 of those grabbing 10 or more.

• Biletnikoff Award Watch List member WR Marquelo Suel leads the team with 73 catches (790 yards). He had a career-high 12 receptions at Tennessee (Sept. 22), and has combined for 21 over the last two games (10 for 105 yards versus UMass on Nov. 10).

• The Zips have outgained their opponent in three-straight games and five times this season.

• Thus far this season the UA offensive line has given up 20 sacks (1.8 spg) compared to 35 (3.1 spg) through the first 11 games in 2011 (allowed 38 total last season).

• The UA coaching staff has used 24 first year players (13 true freshmen, 11 redshirt freshmen). That ranks as the fifth most nationally, behind TCU (27), Kentucky (26), UCLA (25) and USC (25). The 13 true freshmen number is tied for third most nationally (Colorado, Georgia).

• UA's 44 completions against Morgan State (Sept. 15) is tied as the eighth most nationally this season (Marshall versus Ohio, Sept. 15; Louisiana Tech versus Texas A&M, Oct. 13). The Zips' 565 passing yards in that game rank as the fifth-most by any team this year.

 

 

The Rockets’ goal to be MAC champions is no longer attainable. But there are at least 18 other reasons why Toledo’s regular-season finale with Akron on Nov. 20 matters. Toledo (8-3, 5-2 MAC) lost its showdown game for the MAC West Division title to Northern Illinois on Nov. 14. NIU rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to claim a 31-24 victory and its third-straight division crown. But while the Rockets know they won’t be playing in Detroit on Nov. 30, they also know that with eight wins under their belt, there is a good chance they will be invited to play in a third straight bowl game. A ninth win against the Zips would make a bowl berth seem to be a lock.

 

Tuesday’s game is also the final home contest for 18 seniors, a group that won has 30 games in the last four years and also racked up a 19-4 league record the past three seasons. The Rockets can make it an even 20 wins with a victory over Akron.

 

Akron is 1-10, 0-7 in MAC play under first-year head coach Terry Bowden. The Zips own a 66-6 victory over FCS opponent Morgan State, as well as a few close losses in MAC play. Despite its record, Akron ranks a respectable sixth in the MAC in total offense and seventh in total defense, indicators that the Zips may be tougher than their record. Senior quarterback Dalton Williams leads the MAC with 303.2 yards passing per game.

 

• This will be the 17th meeting between the two schools, with each team winning eight games. Because Akron is in the MAC’s East Division, the Rockets and Zips rarely play. They have met just twice in the last 14 years, with UT winning in 2006 and the Zips coming out on top in 2008.

• Toledo is 19-4 in its last 23 Mid-American Conference games, with three of those losses coming to Northern Illinois.

• Senior LB Dan Molls’ 148 tackles leads the country. He has made at least nine tackles in 16 consecutive games.

• Junior RB David Fluellen is fourth in the nation in rushing with 1,460 yards. He needs 11 yards to pass Chester Taylor (1,470 in 2000) for No. 5 on UT’s all-time season list. He is 161 yards shy of the No. 2 spot on the list.

• Sophomore PK Jeremiah Detmer has made 14 consecutive field-goal attempts. He has 21 field goals this season, and needs one more to pass Rusty Hannah (21 in 1992) for the UT season record.

 

• The Rockets are 8-3, 5-2 MAC following their 31-24 loss at Northern Illinois on Nov. 14.

• Toledo is tied for second in the MAC West with Ball State.

• Toledo had won eight straight games until a loss to Ball State on Nov. 6. The Rockets’ eight straight wins was the most since the 1997 team opened up the season 8-0.

• Toledo is 19-4 in MAC games over the past three seasons.

• Junior RB David Fluellen is a Doak Walker Award semifinalist, one of 10 players to make the list for the nation’s best running back.

• Fluellen is fourth in the country with 1,460 yards rushing.

• Fluellen’s 1,460 yards is his first 1000-yard season, and ranks sixth-best in UT history. He needs 11 yards to pass Chester Taylor (1,470 in 2000) for fifth place and 161 to move past Taylor’s No. 2 spot on the list (1,620 in 2001).

• Senior LB Dan Molls leads the nation

with 148 tackles.

• In the Nov. 4 polls, the Rockets were ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press poll, No. 25 in the USA Today coaches poll and No. 25 in the BCS rankings. It was the first Top-25 ranking for UT since 2001.