Biggest Moment in Zip Football History

[DannyHoke]

Dennison

Biggest Win – Zips shutout Ball St on the road in 1976, 3-0 (Cards were MAC champs)

Worst Defeat – Austin Peay blows out the Zips in a 1980 Rubber Bowl matchup, 41-14.

 

Faust

Biggest Win – Home standing Zips crush the UC Bearcats 31-0 under a warm autumn sun in 1989.

Worst Defeat – Delaware STATE explodes on the Zips 52-26 in a horrifying 1987 Rubber Bowl tilt.

 

Owens

Biggest Win – Tough call here (almost went with the Jason Taylor “win” against Va Tech), but I finally decided on the thrilling 35-29 comeback victory over Navy in Annapolis, with Roger Staubach and other Midshipmen alums observing their 1999 homecoming game.

Worst Defeat – Miami U actually takes a knee BEFORE HALFTIME, in a humiliating 65-0 shellacking down in Oxford to close out Owens 1st year at the helm in 1995.

 

Brookhart

Biggest Win – Getsy-to-Hixon with 10 seconds left, and Zips nip NIU 31-30 in 2005 MAC Championship.

Worst Defeat – Any loss to K.E.N.T. blows, and the 37-15 whipping of 2006, after the Zips started the season so well in Raleigh, ranks up there in most sickening losses of all-time.

 

Ianello

Biggest Win – The coin says the 22-14 win over Buffalo to close out the 2010 season and provide Zip fans with only their third FBS victory at the Info to date.

Worst Defeat – When you lose a home game to a team from the Big South, that’s all one needs to know: G-Webb 38, Zips 37 (OT) 2010.

 

Bowden

Biggest Win - Idaho Potato Bowl  win

[Dr Z]

2002 victory over ranked Marshall. Leftwich being carried down the Rubber Bowl field. Still shown as classic college football game to this day. Owens best win for me. 

[DannyHoke]

That was a great game.  Click here for the Video Flashback to the Zips win over the Herd

Edited October 23, 2019 by DannyHoke

[DannyHoke]

Other fun links from Zips FB Video... too bad page has not been updated since 2015 https://www.youtube.com/user/ZipsFBVideo/featured

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[UA1987]

3 hours ago, DannyHoke said:

 

Faust

Worst Defeat – Delaware STATE explodes on the Zips 52-26 in a horrifying 1987 Rubber Bowl tilt.

 

Bowden

Biggest Win - Idaho Potato Bowl  win

Faust Worst Defeat - Arkansas St 1991 - Akron was ahead against Div IAA ASU 23-22 at the Rubber Bowl, but during a late 4th qtr. drive the Red Wolves shocked Akron and ran a fumblerooski for a TD to beat the Zips 28-23. The next year Arkansas St. moved up to IA (thank you Akron). 

Bowden Biggest Win - Northwestern 2018 - I was in Chicago this past summer and NU fans are still shaking their heads at that one  

Edited October 23, 2019 by UA1987

[Cykron]

I still remember the fantastic tribute to Jason Taylor during half-time of the Iowa State game.  Something about "15 Miles to Fame."  It was awesome.  

[zipsfan15]

Wow, a young sounding Joe Dunn on commentary at the Youngstown game.  Was he the guy before Frenchy?  Anyone know? 

[UA1987]

9 hours ago, zipsfan15 said:

Wow, a young sounding Joe Dunn on commentary at the Youngstown game.  Was he the guy before Frenchy?  Anyone know? 

Don Ursetti (sounded like a garbage disposal) and Whitey Wall (sounded like a grandmother-big contributor to UA though) were the previous announcers. They were terrible - French was a huge upgrade (Touchdown Akron! - wish we could hear more fo that this season)   

[Dr Z]

2 hours ago, UA1987 said:

Touchdown Akron! - wish we could hear more fo that this season

Make it your ringtone. ?

[clarkwgriswold]

December 18, 1985-  Zips relieve Jim Dennison of his duties and hire Gerry Faust.  Regardless of whether you think it was a good or bad decision, it was a huge one that dictated the future of the program. 

[LoyalZIP]

As unbelievable and amazing as the Northwestern win was, I just can't give it my vote for best Bowden win. It was just so fluky. I sound ungrateful of course, but I just didn't see it as being as impressive as these two:

 

Obviously the Potato Bowl win is probably the most meaningful and historic win in the history of the program (Damn you, Michigan). A trick play for a touchdown, flawless kicking game, a third string QB leading the team to 8 wins, all while doing it on the blue turf with Ohio's Pride in the stands. I regret not shelling out the cash for that trip.

 

But if I had one vote, I give it to the win over Ohio in 2017.

 

I have never left Infocision Stadium with a bigger smile on my face. I wasn't even in much disbelief, I was just so proud of the program. First win over them in a decade that all but locked up a trip to Detroit, and one of the first plays from scrimmage was a 70-yard QB run to put Ohio up 7-0. The two deep balls to Kwad, the pick by Featherstone that came out of nowhere, Ohio ran a philly special for a TD before it was the philly special. I couldn't believe my eyes and didn't think Akron would win until George picked off Rourke to start the fourth quarter. Then it was just a battle to hang on for dear life, and I believe Kato sealed it with a strong run to get a first down. I had a swagger about me for the entirety of the week and into next week because it hadn't been that good to be a Zips fan in 12 years.

 

Honorable mention: Toledo in 2013. People crying about the closing off of sections and it being cold and Black Friday seemed like a recipe for disaster. Instead, the Zips rallied for one of their best performances of the last 8 years to keep Matt Campbell's Rockets out of a bowl game. What a game. I thought the Zips would run away with the MAC East in 2014 after this one, and then they went on to beat Pitt and start 2-0 in the MAC, but we don't need to revisit hard times right now. We've got plenty to be miserable about LOL.

[Let'sGoZips94]

2005 MAC Title Game. 

 

What a road to get in, needing help from the NIU/WMU game. What a comeback. Garrett Wolfe throwing up over 200 yds on the ground, prompting the SportsCenter personality to say in an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice, "I will poop on all your defense!" My dad wanting to leave with something like 3-5 minutes left in the game before wisely appeasing his 11 year old son at the time who wanted to stay (I still remember the pessimist in him thinking Hixon dropped the ball, thinking "that's an Akron thing to happen"). Hixon battling cramps all game. And of course, who could forget...

 

"Getsy pumps, he throws for Hixon and it is... CAUGHT! FOR A TOUCHDOWN! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

Edited October 24, 2019 by Let'sGoZips94

[UA1987]

1 hour ago, LoyalZIP said:

As unbelievable and amazing as the Northwestern win was, I just can't give it my vote for best Bowden win. It was just so fluky. I sound ungrateful of course, but I just didn't see it as being as impressive as these two:

 

I hear ya, but this was a hard hitting game. NU fans were asking me how big our team was as we were smashing the Cats. Their 4 star tailback Larkin had to quit football after the game. Brian Bell and Lako were all over the place. We lost several to injury too (which affected our season later on I'm afraid to say). Akron moved the ball and it looked as if the big ten refs were trying to steal the game, but Akron perservered. I was up into the wee hours of the morning watching the big ten channel while drinking bourbon - time flew       

Edited October 24, 2019 by UA1987

[Section210Zip]

I want to throw out there 2 other moments that haven't been mentioned. The Andre Jones walk-off return for a TD in 2007 against Western Mich. That was on every news network and ESPN top 10 plays for over a week. 

 

The other one is the Daron Alcorn 58 yrd field goal to Beat Toledo in the home opener at the Rubber Bowl in 1992. The Zips would go on to a 7-3-1 record that year. Daron Alcorn would then go on to be Mr. Irrelevant in the 1993 NFL Draft 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Section210Zip

[Cykron]

My biggest moment in the stadium was winning the 50/50 raffle for the Iowa State game!  I actually made money by hosting a huge tailgate in Akron. 

 

Love the Roo!  Wore a Zips button for the rest of the season. 

 

[scottditzen]

5 hours ago, Section210Zip said:

The other one is the Daron Alcorn 58 yrd field goal to Beat Toledo in the home opener at the Rubber Bowl in 1992. The Zips would go on to a 7-3-1 record that year. Daron Alcorn would then go on to be Mr. Irrelevant in the 1993 NFL Draft 

I remember rushing the field. Such a great memory! 

[Lee Adams]

On 10/24/2019 at 12:11 PM, LoyalZIP said:

As unbelievable and amazing as the Northwestern win was, I just can't give it my vote for best Bowden win. It was just so fluky. I sound ungrateful of course, but I just didn't see it as being as impressive as these two:

 

Obviously the Potato Bowl win is probably the most meaningful and historic win in the history of the program (Damn you, Michigan). A trick play for a touchdown, flawless kicking game, a third string QB leading the team to 8 wins, all while doing it on the blue turf with Ohio's Pride in the stands. I regret not shelling out the cash for that trip.

 

But if I had one vote, I give it to the win over Ohio in 2017.

 

I have never left Infocision Stadium with a bigger smile on my face. I wasn't even in much disbelief, I was just so proud of the program. First win over them in a decade that all but locked up a trip to Detroit, and one of the first plays from scrimmage was a 70-yard QB run to put Ohio up 7-0. The two deep balls to Kwad, the pick by Featherstone that came out of nowhere, Ohio ran a philly special for a TD before it was the philly special. I couldn't believe my eyes and didn't think Akron would win until George picked off Rourke to start the fourth quarter. Then it was just a battle to hang on for dear life, and I believe Kato sealed it with a strong run to get a first down. I had a swagger about me for the entirety of the week and into next week because it hadn't been that good to be a Zips fan in 12 years.

 

Honorable mention: Toledo in 2013. People crying about the closing off of sections and it being cold and Black Friday seemed like a recipe for disaster. Instead, the Zips rallied for one of their best performances of the last 8 years to keep Matt Campbell's Rockets out of a bowl game. What a game. I thought the Zips would run away with the MAC East in 2014 after this one, and then they went on to beat Pitt and start 2-0 in the MAC, but we don't need to revisit hard times right now. We've got plenty to be miserable about LOL.

Did Kareem Hunt play? Or am I in the wrong decade?

[Lee Adams]

There are no bigger wins than the 2005 MAC Championship game. But, the playoff games in 1976 are close. Makes me wonder if the program should drop back down at some point.

[ZippyRulz]

Becoming the first program to make the move up from Div. I-AA to Div. I-A and finding its natural home in the MAC.

[ZippyRulz]

2 hours ago, Lee Adams said:

There are no bigger wins than the 2005 MAC Championship game. But, the playoff games in 1976 are close. Makes me wonder if the program should drop back down at some point.

 

Jeez, broken record ... why are you here if your heart is with Ashland?

 

[ZipsVoice]

16 hours ago, Lee Adams said:

There are no bigger wins than the 2005 MAC Championship game. But, the playoff games in 1976 are close.

They were my highlights, especially the win over Northern Michigan.  It was my first real tailgate experience and my first "sneak a flask into a game" game.  We said we'd do a shot after every score.  I was hammered!  But the excitement of that game and those games were the beginning for me.

 

16 hours ago, Lee Adams said:

Makes me wonder if the program should drop back down at some point.

C'mon Lee, I'm with ZippyRulz, you've got to stop this wishing we were small again.  It ain't gonna happen, nor should it.  The MAC is a good home for us, and if we dropped down to FCS or D2, it would destroy all the other top-caliber programs we have, besides football.  I know you only look at the football side, but Men's soccer and soon to be women's soccer, swimming and diving, track and field, now volleyball...they would be decimated.

[akronzips71]

Hixon catch. I can watch that over and over again.

And it got him a ticket to the NFL and a Superbowl ring.

[dre22era]

Brookhart upsetting NC State on a last second TD run by Kennedy also warranting a live interview on ESPN that Monday is a unforgettable moment 

Edited October 27, 2019 by dre22era

[dre22era]

Also Bowden on the verge of upsetting Michigan 

We had a shot'

[Lee Adams]

23 hours ago, ZipsVoice said:

They were my highlights, especially the win over Northern Michigan.  It was my first real tailgate experience and my first "sneak a flask into a game" game.  We said we'd do a shot after every score.  I was hammered!  But the excitement of that game and those games were the beginning for me.

 

C'mon Lee, I'm with ZippyRulz, you've got to stop this wishing we were small again.  It ain't gonna happen, nor should it.  The MAC is a good home for us, and if we dropped down to FCS or D2, it would destroy all the other top-caliber programs we have, besides football.  I know you only look at the football side, but Men's soccer and soon to be women's soccer, swimming and diving, track and field, now volleyball...they would be decimated.

I don't disagree. But, 'follow the money'. Unfortunately a lot more going out than coming in.