2026 ZIPS SCHEDULE WITH PRESEASON RANKINGS FOR OPPONENTS

[ZippyDoo]

Zips got their work cut out for them... IF they finally make it to a bowl, I feel comfortable saying that they will  have earned it if this preseason prediction is accurate...

 

1. Wake Forest                          ACC Preseason #11             

2. Robert Morris University     NEC Preseason # 3       

3. Minnesota                             Big 10 Preseason 11  

4. UNLV                                     Mountain West Preseason #1   

5. Central Michigan                  MAC PRESEASON # 3            

6. Eastern Michigan                  MAC PRESEASON # 8                      

7. Miami (ohio)                           MAC PRESEASON # 1

8. Kent State                                   MAC PRESEASON # 10

9. Ohio                                       MAC PRESEASON # 5

10. Western Michigan               MAC PRESEASON # 2

11.  UMASS                                MAC PRESEASON # 13

12. Buffalo                                  MAC PRESEASON # 6    

 

 

 Just for the record Athlon predicts the MAC Championship to be Miami (ohio) over Western Michigan.... Zips were #9; Not on our schedule ( Toledo #4, Bowling Green #7, Sacramento State #12)

 

What are everyone's thoughts? Looking at this ranking it is gonna be really hard to get to a bowl...  Zips would be the underdog EVERY week except week 2 and week 11...  I bet after last year against Kent State and the fact that they would be the home team this year-Zips will probably be the underdog that week too....

 

 

 

 

[Zips1991]

13 minutes ago, ZippyDoo said:

Zips got their work cut out for them... IF they finally make it to a bowl, I feel comfortable saying that they will  have earned it if this preseason prediction is accurate...

 

1. Wake Forest                          ACC Preseason #11             

2. Robert Morris University     NEC Preseason # 3       

3. Minnesota                             Big 10 Preseason 11  

4. UNLV                                     Mountain West Preseason #1   

5. Central Michigan                  MAC PRESEASON # 3            

6. Eastern Michigan                  MAC PRESEASON # 8                      

7. Miami (ohio)                           MAC PRESEASON # 1

8. Kent State                                   MAC PRESEASON # 10

9. Ohio                                       MAC PRESEASON # 5

10. Western Michigan               MAC PRESEASON # 2

11.  UMASS                                MAC PRESEASON # 13

12. Buffalo                                  MAC PRESEASON # 6    

 

 

 Just for the record Athlon predicts the MAC Championship to be Miami (ohio) over Western Michigan.... Zips were #9; Not on our schedule ( Toledo #4, Bowling Green #7, Sacramento State #12)

 

What are everyone's thoughts? Looking at this ranking it is gonna be really hard to get to a bowl...  Zips would be the underdog EVERY week except week 2 and week 11...  I bet after last year against Kent State and the fact that they would be the home team this year-Zips will probably be the underdog that week too....

 

 

 

 

If they could've just gave us Sac State instead of Miami, I think we'd get to 6 wins. I see us beating Robert Morris, EMU, Kent, UMass, and one of either Ohio or Buffalo.

Edited June 29 by Zips1991

[ZippyDoo]

I was looking at EMU, UMASS, Kent, RMU and hoping for BUFF as the season finale at home  IF we pulled off BUFF and OHIO plus these others that would give us six....  an upset against any of those other three non-conference teams would be tremendous.  I don't know if it is realistic, but it would be tremendous.   I think the offense has a lot of fire power if this qb is any good..  The wr's are gonna be studs and I'm excited for the rb's this season.  

 

the defense doesn't have to shut the other teams out, the offense just has to outscore them!  I think that is an optimistic way of looking at it.  (just trying to stay positive as we head into the season.) camp is officially two weeks away.  

[kreed5120]

I don't think the schedule is particularly gruesome. Wake Forest, Minnesota, and UNLV are all winnable games for a team competing at the top of the MAC. Not saying I'd expect a Miami (OH) to win all 3, but I'd think they would win at minimum 1.

 

The real issue is we're projected as the 9th best team in what is arguably the worst FBS conference. Of course getting to 6 wins will be a challenge. There are only 13 teams in all of FBS that Athlon has ranked below us.

[zippy5]

Once we beat Wake and Minnesota we'll be favored in all of them

[Zips1991]

1 hour ago, kreed5120 said:

I don't think the schedule is particularly gruesome. Wake Forest, Minnesota, and UNLV are all winnable games for a team competing at the top of the MAC. Not saying I'd expect a Miami (OH) to win all 3, but I'd think they would win at minimum 1.

 

The real issue is we're projected as the 9th best team in what is arguably the worst FBS conference. Of course getting to 6 wins will be a challenge. There are only 13 teams in all of FBS that Athlon has ranked below us.

At least we're ahead of 13 teams. There was a time when we weren't ahead of any!

[GP1]

On 6/29/2026 at 10:39 AM, zippy5 said:

Once we beat Wake and Minnesota we'll be favored in all of them

Never be surprised when an ACC team loses. 

 

We beat a better Big Team in Northwestern than Minnesota years ago. I think NE went to the Big Ten Championship that season, or not.... can't remember. 

[LZIp]

15 hours ago, GP1 said:

Never be surprised when an ACC team loses. 

 

We beat a better Big Team in Northwestern than Minnesota years ago. I think NE went to the Big Ten Championship that season, or not.... can't remember. 

They did. Finished very close to ranked as well. I believe also the same year that Bowden was canned.

[Let'sGoZips94]

UNLV is such a good OOC home game. Should be excellent football weather and hopefully we surprise people this season. 

 

It's Joe-Bowl or Joe-No-Mo this year. Give me 7 or 8 wins. Go Zips. 

[exit322]

1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

UNLV is such a good OOC home game. Should be excellent football weather and hopefully we surprise people this season. 

 

It's Joe-Bowl or Joe-No-Mo this year. Give me 7 or 8 wins. Go Zips. 

 

This should be a sign at the games.

[ZippyDoo]

I can't wait for camp to open up next week !!!  Right now we are tied for first in the MAC... I don't know how long that will last but I can enter the season cautiously optimistic....

 

I hope the qb can bring back his Albany numbers....

[exit322]

43 minutes ago, ZippyDoo said:

Right now we are tied for first in the MAC... I don't know how long that will last but I can enter the season cautiously optimistic....

 

Sadly, only until August 29th, at which point Akron will only be tied for second.

[ZippyDoo]

Yep so I can be excited until 6:59 pm at least !!!  Go Zips....

[MangoZip]

2 hours ago, ZippyDoo said:

I can't wait for camp to open up next week !!!  Right now we are tied for first in the MAC... I don't know how long that will last but I can enter the season cautiously optimistic....

 

I hope the qb can bring back his Albany numbers....

Next week?? They don’t start practice until August 

[ZippyDoo]

i know i was jumping the gun when i said "camp". i should have said the whole team will be reporting. 

 

im pretty sure all the incoming freshman should be there for Mondays practice and the whole team start working out together before camp.

 

im easily excited so i get excited over little baby steps

[exit322]

1 hour ago, ZippyDoo said:

im easily excited so i get excited over little baby steps

 

eh it's still a sign the season's near.  Carry on

[ZippyDoo]

for anyone interested here is a MAC prediction/breakdown.  I am sure it is one of many to come...

 

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/48633226/2026-mac-college-football-preview-season-predictions

[exit322]

29 minutes ago, ZippyDoo said:

for anyone interested here is a MAC prediction/breakdown.  I am sure it is one of many to come...

 

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/48633226/2026-mac-college-football-preview-season-predictions

 

So, 4-8.  Sounds about right

[kreed5120]

Four wins or fewer and I feel Joe is gone. The reported ~$600K buyout would be a lot, but Kaulig or whoever is probably more likely to absorb that compared to the $1M+ it would have been had he been fired this past December.

 

Five wins I could see playing out either way.

 

Six+ wins he probably gets offered an extension.

Edited Thursday at 04:39 PM by kreed5120

[exit322]

2 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

Four wins or fewer and I feel Joe is gone. The reported ~$600K buyout would be a lot, but Kaulig or whoever is probably more likely to absorb that compared to the $1M+ it would have been had he been fired this past December.

 

Five wins I could see playing out either way.

 

Six+ wins he probably gets offered an extension.

 

Eh it's all about cost cutting.  They'll Bengals it and keep him until his contract's up.

[ZippyDoo]

i think 6 + wins deserves an extension at this point, 5 or less time to move on. no excuses. it's fully his team full practices bowl or bust. 

 

[exit322]

48 minutes ago, ZippyDoo said:

i think 6 + wins deserves an extension at this point, 5 or less time to move on. no excuses. it's fully his team full practices bowl or bust. 

 

 

6+ wins once after being 13-35 doesn't deserve an extension.

[Captain Kangaroo]

4 hours ago, exit322 said:

6+ wins once after being 13-35 doesn't deserve an extension.

I agree. Joe took over a well-funded juggernaut when he accepted the Zips job. 13-35 should have been 35-13. The practices we couldn’t hold last season should have kept the team fresh. Instead we struggled in the red zone.

 

i think the Zips lead the MAC in NIL funds, and student body support. That alone’s gotta be worth 2-3 wins this year?
 

Joe’s had every possible advantage known to man after taking over for Tom Arth. I can’t believe the team hasn’t improved every year since he’s been HC. Oh wait…it has. 

[exit322]

44 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I agree. Joe took over a well-funded juggernaut when he accepted the Zips job. 13-35 should have been 35-13. The practices we couldn’t hold last season should have kept the team fresh. Instead we struggled in the red zone.

 

i think the Zips lead the MAC in NIL funds, and student body support. That alone’s gotta be worth 2-3 wins this year?
 

Joe’s had every possible advantage known to man after taking over for Tom Arth. I can’t believe the team hasn’t improved every year since he’s been HC. Oh wait…it has. 

 

Hey that's all well and good if you're happy with 13-35. I'm truly glad you're happy with it.

 

I'm not.  I can see it took Joe four years to get to the five wins Kent got in the first year after Kenni Burns.

Edited Friday at 03:44 AM by exit322
Grammar

[72 Roo]

14 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I agree. Joe took over a well-funded juggernaut when he accepted the Zips job. 13-35 should have been 35-13. The practices we couldn’t hold last season should have kept the team fresh. Instead we struggled in the red zone.

 

i think the Zips lead the MAC in NIL funds, and student body support. That alone’s gotta be worth 2-3 wins this year?
 

Joe’s had every possible advantage known to man after taking over for Tom Arth. I can’t believe the team hasn’t improved every year since he’s been HC. Oh wait…it has. 

You forgot to note that Joe inherited a season ticket base that has a waiting list and attendance that gives the Zips a decided advantage with our twelfth man. Texas A & M has nothing on us. Also how about Joe getting his budget cut every year for the last four. That freed up tons of money for our award winning marketing campaigns. Football at Akron is much fought over program to lead.