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2024 Rewind: Duquesne went 8-3 last season, co-winning the NEC (FCS) championship. Their only losses came against Toledo, Boston College, and their season finale to Central Connecticut State. They’re led by Jerry Schmitt, who’s been at the helm since 2005. Recruiting under Schmitt: N/A for FCS schools. Dukes on Offense: The Dukes will break in a new quarterback following the graduation of Darius Perrantes, with several different players currently in the mix for the starting job. In the backfield, Taj Butts and Shawn Solomon are expected to split carries after the spring departure of All-NEC running back JaMario Clements to Wake Forest. The duo combined for 531 yards and two touchdowns last season. Joey Isabella returns as the clear top target in the passing game after an All-NEC campaign that saw him haul in 41 receptions for 741 yards and 11 scores. Beyond Isabella, though, there’s not much proven production at wide receiver. Tight end Daniel Tarabrella is penciled in as the starter, but he’s primarily used as an extra blocker. Up front, the offensive line should be a strength. All five starters are back, including All-NEC selections Brian Beidatsch, Michael Fallah, and Cameron McLaurin. Dukes on Defense: Almost all of Duquesne’s defensive line production returns, highlighted by All-NEC performers A.J. Ackerman at defensive tackle and Jack Dunkley at defensive end. The pair combined for 45 total tackles and 10 sacks in 2024 and should anchor a strong front. Linebacker is where the biggest changes come. Former Kent State transfer Luke Miller saw part-time action last season and is expected to step into a full-time role. The other spot is still up for grabs between Murray State transfer Tyson Meiguez and Maine transfer Jabari Odoemenem. The secondary should again be a strength. All-NEC defensive backs Antonio Epps and DJ Cerisier return, with Epps holding down one safety spot and Cerisier locking up one of the corners. TJ Jones is back at the other safety spot, while part-time starter Jaelen Carson is expected to fill in at the corner opposite Cerisier. 2024 backup Malachi Lowery should slide into the nickel role. The Dukes will roll out a new starting kicker and punter this season. Position Advantage: Akron holds a talent and experience advantage across the board—except at the lines of scrimmage, defensive back, and special teams. That said, by the time Week 4 rolls around, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Zips prove to be better in all of those areas as well. QB - Akron RB - Akron WR - Akron TE - Akron OL - Duquesne DL - Duquesne LB - Akron DB - Even ST - Even Way too Early Prediction: It’ll be a nice reprieve to see a matchup against an FCS school at this point in the season instead of a power conference opponent. That said, Duquesne has consistently won games at the FCS level and could present more of a challenge than expected. Offensively, the Dukes likely won’t be as potent as they were in 2024. Replacing a highly productive starting quarterback, an All-NEC running back, and multiple receivers is no small task. The silver lining for them is the return of their entire offensive line—arguably one of the better units in the FCS—which should provide some stability while the skill positions get sorted out. Defensively, while Duquesne may not match Akron's overall talent level, they bring back a ton of experience. That continuity makes them a tougher out than most expect from an FCS squad. Going through Duquesne’s roster was actually refreshing—a reminder that not every program has been gutted by the portal. They’ve stuck with a more traditional model, building through prep prospects and only sprinkling in a few transfers. Still, I don’t think the Dukes have enough in the tank to knock off Akron unless the Zips completely lay an egg. I expect a competitive first half before Akron’s depth and talent start to take over. Give me the Zips, 31–20.

Slightly off topic but didn't know where to post this. The Exchange Street demolition renovation project is finally done & it looks nice. Also, there is now a Swenson's in the plaza at the corner of Exchange and Goodkirk 🙏🙌🙏🙌 I noticed it for the first time yesterday & stopped by. I asked the young girl working there how long they'd been open and she said "I just started working here, but about 3 years." What?

If you haven't watched the HBO documentary, Surviving Ohio State, I highly encourage you to do so. Most of you I assume are taxpayers of Ohio and you should see how your tax dollars are being spent. Yes, that's present tense. What happened at OSU is just as bad as what happened at Michigan State and Penn State with the addition of injecting steroids into athletes without their knowledge because they were told they were B-12 shots. The risk to Ohio taxpayers is not complete yet as the settlement amounts are not final. It's all quite disturbing on a multitude of levels.

What evidence do you have that "the cuts" made any difference? UA was still Number 1 in North America. It's more like Kyoto and Tokyo fell off, more than magical "we made cuts, so now we're better". Because that at face value makes no sense. The ratings are based on papers published, and citations of those papers: "These rankings are based on research output (EduRank's index has 32,967 academic publications and 788,899 citations attributed to the University), non-academic reputation and the impact of 99 notable alumni. UA also scored in the top 50% across 177 research topics." So past performance can have an impact on these rankings. Which means "the cuts" wouldn't necessarily be felt until later, as the scaled back programs will start publishing LESS which means LESS citations and notable alumni.

Never seen somebody so committed.

2024 Rewind: Toledo was a bit of an enigma in 2024. The Rockets arguably had the most talent of any team in the MAC and a favorable schedule that could have positioned them for a College Football Playoff push. Instead, they stumbled to a 8-5 finish with puzzling losses to WKU, Buffalo, Bowling Green, Ohio, and Akron. They did manage to finish on a high note with a wild six-overtime bowl win over a depleted Pittsburgh squad. Jason Candle returns for his 10th season and remains one of the most respected coaches in the MAC. Toledo continues to sit near the top of the conference when it comes to institutional support and resources dedicated to football. Recruiting under Candle: *IN MAC* 2016: On3 - 3rd 247 - 2nd 2017: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st 2018: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st 2019: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st 2020: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st 2021: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st 2022: On3 - 6th 247 - 6th 2023: On3 - 5th 247 - 5th 2024: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st 2025: On3 - 1st 247 - 1st Rockets on Offense: Tucker Gleason is expected to be the starter again after putting up 2,793 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions while completing 60.5% of his passes last season. While those numbers are solid, Gleason's inconsistency at times was a source of frustration for the fanbase—and, as is often the case, there was a vocal segment calling for backup John Alan Richter to get more reps. Richter may be the more polished passer, but Gleason brings added mobility to the position, which gives the offense a different dimension. Running back play wasn’t up to par in 2024, due in large part to injuries and the departure of Peny Boone via the transfer portal. Unlike in 2023—when the Rockets could wear teams down with a bruising ground game led by Boone and the dual-threat ability of DeQuan Finn—Toledo lacked that same punch last fall. To address the issue, the Rockets dipped into the portal and added Kentucky transfer Chip Trayanum and NC A&T transfer Kenji Christian. Both backs bring more explosiveness than what was mostly available a year ago and should help reestablish a more dynamic rushing attack. All-MAC First Team selection Jerjuan Newton is off to the NFL, and while his production will be missed, the Rockets appear to have enough firepower to fill the void collectively. Junior Vandeross, another All-MAC First Teamer, returns as the go-to option, and Toledo added a proven playmaker in NIU transfer Trayvon Rudolph. The receiving corps also gets a boost at tight end with the addition of Jacob Peterson, who posted nearly 500 receiving yards at Holy Cross last season. An offensive line that was strong in pass protection, but often struggled to open holes in the run game returns three of its starters. Pittsburgh transfer Terence Moore is expected to step in at one of the vacant interior OL spots, while part-time starter Stephen Gales will look to lock down a starting role at tackle. Rockets on Defense: The defensive line lost all four starters, leaving the door wide open for new faces to step in and claim significant snaps. On the interior, there’s a bit more stability with the return of Martex Poynter and Essam Carter—two backups from last season who saw meaningful action and combined for 46 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. On the edges, former backup Malachi Davis is expected to take on a larger role, while UMASS transfer Louce Julian should slot in opposite him as a projected starter. Linebacker took a major hit, with the Rockets losing almost all of their production from last season. Backups Damon Ollison and Chris D’Appolonia are expected to step into starting roles after combining for just 20 total tackles in 2024. There’s plenty of potential - and uncertainty - at the position, and how quickly they adjust to increased responsibilities could go a long way in determining the defense’s overall effectiveness. Toledo’s secondary went from elite in 2023 to very good in 2024 after losing some standout defensive backs and their secondary coach, who left for Illinois. Even so, the Rockets still have plenty of talent on the backend and should be strong again this season with almost all of their starters returning. When it comes to recruiting defensive backs, Toledo has been second to none in the MAC, and that pipeline continues to pay dividends. Zips fans are familiar with returning kicker Dylan Cunanan, who was excellent during much of the season. Starting punter Emilio Duran is also back, giving Toledo stability in the kicking game heading into 2025. Position Advantage: Both quarterbacks are pre-season All-MAC selections. Neither team has many running backs that have proven much at the G5 level and linebacker is still to be determined. Akron holds the advantage at tight end, whereas Toledo holds position advantages every where else. QB - Even RB - Even WR - Toledo TE - Akron OL - Toledo DL - Toledo LB - Even DB - Toledo ST - Toledo Way too Early Prediction: Toledo’s ground game ought to be much improved, and if that proves true, the Rockets will look a lot more like the 2023 squad than the inconsistent version we saw in 2024. Defensively, Toledo lost plenty of production and key contributors, but there’s still enough talent on the roster to remain one of the better units in the MAC. There’s always a vocal group of Toledo fans who view every loss as the Rockets simply underperforming—rarely giving much credit to the opponent. In the case of last year’s Akron/Toledo matchup, that group would mostly be right. Akron played well enough to win, but absolutely needed some help from Toledo to pull it out. It’ll be tough for Akron to catch the Rockets off guard again, especially with the game coming earlier in the season, at Toledo, and last year’s result still lingering. I say Rockets get their revenge, 31-17.

2024 Rewind: The Blazers took a step back in Trent Dilfer’s second season. After winning four games in year one, UAB only managed three wins in year two. Those three wins came convincingly over Alcorn State, Tulsa, and Rice—two of which have new head coaches in 2025. All of UAB’s losses came in convincing fashion, with the exception of a two-point loss to Charlotte. Coincidentally, Charlotte also has a new head coach this season. Recruiting under Dilfer: 2023: On3 - 9th in AAC 247 - 10th in AAC 2024: On3 - 11th in AAC 247 - 9th in AAC 2025: On3 - 13th in AAC 247 - 11th in AAC Blazers on Offense: Former Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna is back for his second season in Dilfer’s offense. The redshirt senior threw for 2,209 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and completed 62% of his passes in 2024. Kitna is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the AAC, with most publications including him in their preseason All-AAC selections. UTEP transfer Jevon Jackson is expected to start at running back. Jackson was an FCS All-American before transferring to UTEP, where he rushed for 754 yards and 4 touchdowns. He’ll split snaps with returning senior Isaiah Jacobs. Redshirt sophomore Corri Milliner is UAB’s most productive returning receiver. Milliner posted 24 receptions for 416 yards and 3 touchdowns last season. Former consensus 4-star Kaleb Brown transferred in from Iowa (originally committed to Ohio State) and will attempt to live up to his potential, while the tight end position will be littered with new faces and minimal experience. Quarterback Jalen Kitna will be playing behind a less experienced offensive line that gave up 33 sacks last season. However, two of the returning starters are dependable—center Brady Wilson and former South Carolina tackle JonDarius Morgan. New starting guards Calib Perez and Barry Walker combined to play just 86 snaps as backups. Former Wagner offensive tackle Brandon Sneh is expected to start after spending the spring at Kansas State before transferring a second time to UAB. Blazers on Defense: The Blazers’ pass rush in 2024 was on par with Akron’s, to give a general idea of their effectiveness. UAB’s run defense was horrendous, and they struggled to stop most teams from scoring. Supposedly, the bulk of their NIL funds went toward upgrading the defensive line, and they’ve added five transfers. Three of the four projected starters will be newcomers—Old Dominion transfer Amorie Morrison, Boston College transfer Nigel Tate, and Sam Houston transfer Denver Warren (who originally committed to Bowling Green out of high school). A returner that is expected to start is former backup James Smyre, who collected 9 total tackles and 2 sacks last season. UAB lost nearly all of its production at linebacker and have turned to the portal for replacements. Eli Ennis will be one starter and he was an FCS All-American at Nicholls. The other starting linebacker will be Idaho State transfer Calvin Pitcher. The Blazers’ secondary didn’t allow many yards per game, but that was partially because most opponents were able to run the ball at will. Regardless, UAB brought in five portal defensive backs this cycle and returns just one starter—safety Sirad Bryant. Bryant collected 59 total tackles and one interception. Not overly impressive numbers, but PFF graded him well in pass coverage. Backup safety AJ Brown will move into a starting role, and backup cornerback Donald Lee will also step into a starting spot. Pittsburgh transfer Tamarion Crumpley is expected to start opposite Lee, while Maryland transfer Perry Fisher is slated to start at the “star” position. Kicker Jonah DeLange and punter Patrick Foley are back. The duo had a strong year and so did the rest of UAB’s special teams. They should be solid again. Position Advantage: The positions turned out to be closer than I expected upon a deeper dive. I think Akron holds a distinct advantage at wide receiver and tight end, and a small advantage at defensive back. The rest of the rosters are either up for debate or have so many question marks at this point that it’s hard to call. QB - Even RB - Even WR - Akron TE - Akron OL - Even DL - Even LB - Even DB - Akron ST - UAB Way too Early Prediction: There’s a strong possibility this will be Dilfer’s last season at UAB. It’s hard to fathom this Blazers squad pulling out more than 3–4 wins again. Akron should be able to move the ball fairly proficiently against an almost completely rebuilt UAB defense. This would be a good time for Moorhead to become stubborn and run the football. We usually don’t run enough—to my liking at least—until later in the season. I don’t expect the UAB offensive line to be any better than it was last year. If we can’t get a decent amount of pressure on the quarterback in this game, I’ll be worried about what the rest of the season has in store. Kitna is going to get his stats no matter what, but we can’t make it easy on him. I imagine both fanbases have this one circled on their calendars as wins. This is a game we absolutely must win to show progress going into year four of this regime. I think the Zips get it done 24-21, and we finally get an out-of-conference road win in the Moorhead era.

I'm not letting them pig out, but saving $20-30 on some hot dogs, a popcorn, and some pretzels is a very nice offer. I'd definitely be more willing to bring my family to games knowing there won't be an additional cost to the $50+ spent on tickets.