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I was able to get a close-up look at Saturday's epic match up. With no Dr.Z available for photography, I tried my best to get some shots to go along with the story. Here's how it went... Akron-Kent Game Day

Chapman called out as Ryan McGee's backup QB of the week in his ESPN weekly Flipping the Field Column: Frank Reich Backup QB Of The Week Award: Tra'Von Chapman, Akron. Just prior to kickoff Chapman was informed that starter Thomas Woodson would be sidelined with a sore shoulder. It all felt a bit serendipitous as Chapman would be taking the field at Kent State. In 2013, when he was a player at Pitt, he was arrested in Kent, Ohio, for allegedly assaulting an ex-girlfriend. The former four-star Kent Roosevelt High School prospect pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, spent several nights in jail in his hometown, was dismissed from Pitt and bounced from Division II Ashland to Akron to play for Terry Bowden, where he became the starter and then lost the job. Chapman fired a 43-yard strike to set up the game-winning touchdown as the Zips defeated Kent 31-27. "There are guys who make headlines for the wrong reasons and never get it turned it around," Bowden said late Saturday night. "But there are also kids who work hard to right their wrongs. This is one those of stories."

Interesting analysis of Jatavis Brown's play-making ability prior to the Chargers 34-35 loss to the Saints in which Brown led the defense with 7 solo tackles. On the Chargers message board, a comparison was made between Brown and the LB he replaced as follows: "I think the most telling stats are these:" 'In 38 games play, Te’o had 9 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble, and 1.5 sacks. In 82 snaps, rookie Jatavis Brown has 4 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble, and a sack.' "This is really mind-boggling. In just a couple of games, as a BACK-UP, Brown has now equalled Teo on forced fumbles, nearly equalled him on sacks, and has already defensed nearly half the passes Teo has defensed over three years! And Teo is supposedly our best cover LB. If we extrapolate Brown's numbers over three years, he'd be top of the league among LB's." l

One thing that hasn't been really discussed is that it was a decent crowd, yesterday. Reported attendance was over 20,000. This was a much better atmosphere for a rivalry game than the week after Thanksgiving, when the students are away and people are with family.

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/6087527/57f075a6bd75201398e3cfb9 Marquise -vs- Green HS highlights EXPLOSIVE

Great win Zips! Exciting finish. APP fans are pulling for you every week. On a side note, someone remind Coach Bowden that it's App-a-LATCH-un. Thanks and good luck the rest of the way.

I understand why you might need to wait until halftime to change an entire defensive scheme, but why do you have to wait until after halftime to call a bubble screen to Lane or Natson or call a QB draw. It is clear those plays are already in the playbook, I've seen them run. In fact, wouldn't it make sense to call some high % passes early on to calm your new QBs jitters and build his confidence?

Gilbert has been fantastic. One of the few bright spots on this defense. That being said his high tackle total is more a testament to the fact the Zips D spends way too many snaps on the field.

Looks like we got another national TV game as I expected.

FIFY. You're welcome....

It's worth watching the replay...especially the second half. At the very least, watch the last five minutes.

Western #25 in Coaches Poll...Eastern Michigan(4-1) got a vote (Toledo at home this week).

Evan has almost single-handedly saved the Impact's playoff chances in 2016.

It looks like Akron is opening as an 8.5 point favorite.

As someone who graduated with the last 5 years, I'all give my perspective why my fellow recent alumni are absent from games. 1) A big majority of the students never attended an athletic event when they were students, so why start when they have to start paying to attend a game? 2) Many friends from the AK Rowdies now live out of state (myself included). So out of the few diehard students who put up with the Ianello years, many of them can't make the games now, even though I know most of them still actively follow the Zips. 3) Recent grads have to start paying back student loans and it makes them sour towards the Akron brand. I've heard many people say "I'm never giving Akron a dime, I already owe them too much". I was in DC this weekend for the Browns game and ran into many Browns fans that made the trip during the weekend. Many of them were Akron or Kent alumni (sadly my wife went to that other school). On Saturday anytime we talked to one of them they were completely clueless that the Wagon Wheel game was going on. It's hard to compete to get people's attention when they are willing to travel 6 hours to see a probable winless team and not even know there is good football at their alma mater.

Because we'd have a MAC East title, something we haven't had in 11 years? And a chance to play for a MAC title? Do you remember the 2005 MAC Title game? We were the underdog. NIU's Wolfe ran all over us for something like 300 yards rushing. Guess what? We still won.

It's too bad FC Cincinnati lost today and is out of the playoffs. They drew 30,000+ and set a USL playoff attendance record. Eric Stevenson scored their lone goal in the 2-1 loss. http://www.fccincinnati.com/news_article/show/704514?referrer_id=2577005

We are already having a special season. 3-2 (1-0) and the MAC east is weaker than ever. We don't have to win by 20 to have a special season, all we have to do is win.