By Tiffany Williams –
Akron closed its season with one of its most complete performances in years, grinding out a 19-16 road win over Bowling Green on Tuesday night at Doyt Perry Stadium. The victory delivered both a milestone moment for the program and a clear step forward in its rebuild, punctuated by Matthew Schramm’s perfect night and Jordan Gant’s place in school history.
Gant capped his first season as a Zip with 86 rushing yards, pushing him to 1,032 on the year and making him the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Dennis Kennedy posted 1,321 in 2008. His production, paired with Ben Finley’s career-high 62 rushing yards at 5.2 yards per carry, gave Akron the steady ground presence needed in a game controlled by defense and field position.
Schramm delivered the cleanest performance of the night, going 4-for-4 on field goals, including a 48-yarder that put Akron ahead early in the third quarter. His reliability repeatedly steadied the Zips in a matchup where touchdowns were scarce. Akron eventually generated one explosive strike when Finley found Israel Polk for a 75-yard touchdown that flipped the game to 16-13 in Akron’s favor. Polk finished with two catches for 85 yards, while Marcel Williams added six receptions for 74 yards.
Defensively, Akron dictated the game by limiting Bowling Green to 272 total yards, keeping the Falcons under 150 yards both on the ground and through the air. The Zips pressured the passing game into two interceptions, with Bruno Dall collecting one while posting eight tackles, and Mehki Flowers adding the other alongside seven stops. Ronald Hull contributed 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, helping close down Bowling Green drives before they could gain rhythm. Gage Summers led Akron with 10 tackles, part of a defensive effort that repeatedly took potential points off the board by forcing turnovers on their own side of the field.
Akron outgained Bowling Green 323-272, including a 176-138 edge through the air, and produced its best scoring frame in the third quarter with 10 points. The Zips went 3-for-13 on third downs but stayed perfect on fourth down, converting their lone attempt. Bowling Green’s Hunter Najm completed nine of 26 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while Austyn Dendy paced the Falcons with 110 rushing yards.
The Zips improved to 5-7 overall and 4-4 in the Mid-American Conference, marking the first time since 2017 they reached five wins and four league victories. For a team that spent the season emphasizing incremental growth, the finale delivered both the evidence and the optimism that the climb is gaining traction.
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