2018 Akron Zips football team

The 2018 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Terry Bowden and played their home games at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field in Akron, Ohio as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 4–8, 2–6 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the East Division.

2018 Akron Zips football
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	East Division
Record	4–8 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach	Terry Bowden (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	A. J. Milwee (6th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Todd Stroud (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Captain	Kyron Brown Ulysees Gilbert III Kyle Ritz[1]
Home stadium	InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field
Seasons ← 2017 2019 →

2018 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Buffalo x		7	–	1					10	–	4
Miami (OH)		6	–	2					6	–	6
Ohio		6	–	2					9	–	4
Akron		2	–	6					4	–	8
Bowling Green		2	–	6					3	–	9
Kent State		1	–	7					2	–	10
West Division
Northern Illinois x$		6	–	2					8	–	6
Western Michigan		5	–	3					7	–	6
Eastern Michigan		5	–	3					7	–	6
Toledo		5	–	3					7	–	6
Ball State		3	–	5					4	–	8
Central Michigan		0	–	8					1	–	11
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions

On December 2, Akron fired head coach Terry Bowden.^[2] He finished at Akron with a seven-year record of 35–52. On December 14, the school hired Chattanooga head coach Tom Arth for the head coaching job.^[3]

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Award	Player	Position	Year
Chuck Bednarik Award[4]	Ulysees Gilbert	LB	SR
Fred Biletnikoff Award[5]	Kwadarrius Smith	WR	SR
Jim Thorpe Award[6]	Kyron Brown	CB	SR
Bronko Nagurski Trophy[7]	Ulysees Gilbert	LB	SR

Preseason media poll

The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Zips predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.^[8]

East Division
Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Ohio	140 (21)
2	Buffalo	112 (1)
3	Miami	95 (2)
4	Akron	74
5	Bowling Green	58
6	Kent State	25

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 8	3:30 p.m.	Morgan State*	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN+	W 41–7	18,413
September 15	7:30 p.m.	at Northwestern*	Ryan Field Evanston, IL	BTN	W 39–34	40,014
September 22	11:00 a.m.	at Iowa State*	Jack Trice Stadium Ames, IA	FSN	L 13–26	54,028
October 6	3:30 p.m.	Miami (OH)	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN+	L 17–41	22,437
October 13	Noon	at Buffalo	UB Stadium Amherst, NY	CBSSN	L 6–24	19,506
October 20	3:30 p.m.	at Kent State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH (Wagon Wheel)	ESPN+	W 24–23 OT	18,774
October 27	Noon	Central Michigan	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN3	W 17–10	17,582
November 1	7:00 p.m.	Northern Illinois	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	CBSSN	L 26–36	16,401
November 10	Noon	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	ESPN3	L 7–27	12,403
November 17	3:30 p.m.	Bowling Green	InfoCision Stadium Akron, OH	ESPN3	L 6–21	17,742
November 23	Noon	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	CBSSN	L 28–49	12,938
December 1[a]	Noon	at South Carolina*	Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	SECN	L 3–28	53,420
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^{^[a]} The game between Akron and Nebraska, originally scheduled for September 1, 2018, was canceled due to inclement weather.^[9] The Zips agreed to schedule South Carolina, who also canceled a game earlier in the year due to Hurricane Florence.

• Source:^[10]

Game summaries

Morgan State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	0	0	0	7	7
Zips	17	10	14	0	41

See also: 2018 Morgan State Bears football team

At Northwestern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	0	3	23	13	39
Wildcats	7	14	7	6	34

See also: 2018 Northwestern Wildcats football team

At Iowa State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	7	3	3	0	13
Cyclones	7	10	0	9	26

See also: 2018 Iowa State Cyclones football team

Miami (OH)

	1	2	3	4	Total
RedHawks	0	14	10	17	41
Zips	0	10	7	0	17

See also: 2018 Miami RedHawks football team

At Buffalo

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	3	3	0	0	6
Bulls	7	3	7	7	24

See also: 2018 Buffalo Bulls football team

At Kent State

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Zips	7	3	7	0	7	24
Golden Flashes	3	7	7	0	6	23

See also: 2018 Kent State Golden Flashes football team and Wagon Wheel (trophy)

Central Michigan

	1	2	3	4	Total
Chippewas	0	0	10	0	10
Zips	7	10	0	0	17

See also: 2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

Northern Illinois

	1	2	3	4	Total
Huskies	7	17	5	7	36
Zips	7	3	16	0	26

See also: 2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

At Eastern Michigan

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	0	7	0	0	7
Eagles	7	3	0	17	27

See also: 2018 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

Bowling Green

	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	0	7	7	7	21
Zips	3	3	0	0	6

See also: 2018 Bowling Green Falcons football team

At Ohio

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	0	7	7	14	28
Bobcats	21	7	7	14	49

See also: 2018 Ohio Bobcats football team

At South Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Zips	3	0	0	0	3
Gamecocks	14	14	0	0	28

See also: 2018 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

Players drafted into the NFL

See also: 2019 NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
6	207	Ulysees Gilbert III	LB	Pittsburgh Steelers