MDZip

They seem happy to have him (and have only one listed center on the roster). Glad to see him back in the States.

College Cup - three ACC schools (MD, VA, ND) and a mid major (New Mexico). Sounds an awful lot like 2009. Hope New Mexico gets a better result.

Glad the article mentioned opportunity cost so football at Temple which just cost about 150 athletes their opportunities and football in general (since it takes so many playesr) also has an oppotunity cost for many non-football playing male athletes because of title nine. With all of the injuries associated with it maybe this would fit into the "Will we always have football?" thread.

Sometimes it can be because a guy put in the work in practice, sometimes it can be to send a message, sometimes the coach is experimenting with lineups. As long as it works we're happy. Glad to hear Alex was at the game, that has to be awfully hard for him. He made a huge mistake, he paid the price and hopefully that means he intends to try to finish up since he didn't just go into hiding. Good for him.

Chevy commercial today where a Santa lookalike says he needs a truck for a long drive north. When the sales person asks where that is he responds "Akron".

Maybe we should take three weeks off between every game. Team looked good and Cleveland St is no slouch. Beating them at their place is a good win.

I'm expecting another fundraising effort.

Marla Ridenour highlights Jimmy Kimmel's take on it where Akron is used as the example city. Pretty funny.

Other than to make one smart alecky comment, I've kind of stayed out of this because I don't really have a dog in the fight. With the Article GP1 linked to there are at least five (and I would argue a few more) that could have a good argument to be in the hunt for the National Championship. I love that they are going to a four team playoff next year and I hope the same sort of quagmire (giggity) occurs so that eventually the College Presidents and AD's get involved and force a real full scale playoff (it would be fun for Auburn to win the SECC and get shut out of the National Championship just so their AD can sceam and holler loud enough to get the process started to expand it beyond 4). Don't care about any of the jockeying that is occuring now, I just want it to eventually force the real playoff. And please NIU, send the BCS out with an upraised middle finger by winning tomorrow night.

Dave want to move Christmas to June! War on Christmas! WAR ON CHRISTMAS!!!

Here's the tiniest bit of support for him. I try never to wish anyone ill will and once it's over it's over (wish I could do a better job of convincing my ex-wife of that ), but I was curious about the perception of him so when I was at the Puerto Rico tipoff I had a chance to ask an opinion of him to one of the administrators who was there and was steadfastly told that as a person they really liked him. I asked about the public perception and was told they weren't really aware of that as much but that he really was a decent guy. So a disaster as a football coach but maybe not the awful person that he was perceived to be? I wish him well in whatever his next stop is (though I will be shocked if it is North Dakota). By the way did anyone notice that a someone in the AP poll gave North Dakota St (an FCS school) a vote in the top 25?

Maybe I wan't clear. I think you are correct, Michigan State is pretty well locked into the Rose Bowl no matter what happens in the B1GC because they aren't going to play in the NC game, however, if they win the B1GC that knocks OSU out of the NC but probably not out of the BCS bowls. Never said a word about NIU somehow being in the Rose Bowl. In the scenario I was referring to, both NIU and OSU would be effectively at large teams and could get matched up. I said it wasn't likely but it is possible. As a matter of fact I think I am going to root for that to happen. Go MSU! One other NIU note, I wondered who played them the closest since the Zips had a good game against them, however they beat Iowa by only 3 and Eastern Illinois by 4, but the Zips were the only team to hold them under 30 and that was at NIU. Nice job Chuck and company.

If NIU wins the MACC and Michigan State wins the B1GC there is an outside chance that could occur but it's sadly not too likely. I wouldn't completely discount NIU in such a scenario either.

Something else that should not be overlooked is how well these young women represent UA. High grade point averages, high character and high shooting percentages. Rachel Tecca recognized as nominee for 2014 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team

Dave, for your sake I hope they are not scanning ZN.O posts.

Quote from the article. "While staying at home was a nice bonus, Williams felt the biggest attraction was the growth of the Zips under new coach Terry Bowden. Akron went from 1-11 in 2011 and 2012 to 5-7 in 2013 under Bowden, including winning three straight games to end the regular season". The improvement this season starts paying dividends now.

Root was also wide open and just ahead of Pohl on the first touchdown to Smith. Really surprised Pohl didn't go to him. Could have had a two TD Senior Day.

Looks pretty clear from the Beacon Journal Photo too. University of Akron's C.J. Mizell (back, called for facemask) and Jatavis Brown take down Toledo running back Kennedy Frazier on a fourth quarter run at InfoCision Stadium on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013 in Akron, Ohio. The Zips held on to win the game 31-29. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

Fresno loses 62-52, if NIU wins the MACC that should solidify another BCS bowl for them. Incredible - more cash for the Zips too.

THEY WERE WHO I THOUGHT THEY WERE! They won 8 games and won exactly as many games against teams with winning records as the Zips. I contend most of their success was schedule based. I did state in another thread that I felt BGSU would win the East before Zips MAC play started and I do think the best team in the East won it. So the Zips finished tied for third in the East - and actually won only one MAC games less than they did the year the won the MAC. Schedule, schedule, schedule.

Also love that the Zips will get a game in before facing Penn State. Nice scheduling. Now give us what we should get out of the West next year and I could see a chance of actually competing for the MAC Championship (assuming the defense can be shored up but the offense returns a lot of talent). Wow again. I believe.

I love how Terry Bowden played to win it. A fake punt deep in our territory, going for it and scoring a touchdown on 4th and 2. Some great plays by the defense and special teams (how about Pratt's tackle and onside kick recovery and Grice's blocked PAT). What a great way to end the season, gives a lot of hope going into 2014. Who saw a .500 MAC record coming with having to play the top three teams in the West? Well done.

ESPN highlights Tressel's Principles of Coaching class.

Latest USA Today Bowl projections have 6 MAC teams going including Toledo out to Boise (nice if we can send them there "cold") and NIU to the Fiesta Bowl (I now hope they do, let the MAC be the conference that sticks it to the BCS in the last two years of it's existence) but the AAC gets an automatic slot so watch the Fiesta Bowl match NIU against UCF. I bet it happens. They also have BGSU against Notre Dame in Detroit - would love to see that one as well. We picked a bad few years to suck since MAC bowl bids have been flying off the boards the last few years.

I'd like to see that too but you couldn't do it without having at least one of the next three years have only five home games. Would be OK with an FCS team each of those years giving six home games a year. Plus at the moment one of those games a year count toward bowl eligibility. We have four good home and homes already included in those years (Marshall, Pitt, Louisiana and now Applachaian St). Thats a good set to have home and home series with.