Where: InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field (30,000), Akron.
RELATED: Pass defense a concern for RedHawks
Coaches: Miami Chuck Martin, fifth season, 17-37 at Miami, 91-44 overall; Akron Terry Bowden, seventh season, 33-45 at Akron, 173-107-3 overall.
Last time: Running back Kenny Young gained 109 yards on the ground and 89 through the air with a touchdown to lead Miami to a 24-14 win over the Zips at Yager Stadium in Oxford. The RedHawks defense piled up six sacks while limiting Akron to 273 yards of total offense.
Series notes: Miami leads the series, 17-9-1, including 6-6 at Akron. Last season's win snapped the RedHawks' four-game losing streak in the series.
Stat pack: Miami RB Alonzo Smith 52 carries, 240 yards, 546 avg., 1 TD; QB Gus Ragland 90-of-154 passing, 1,017 yards, 8 TDs, 2 int.; WR Jack Sorenson 22 catches, 360 yards, 2 TDs; S De'Andre Montgomery 44 tackles, 23 solo.
Akron RB Van Edwards 43 carries, 185 yards, 4.3 average, 2 TDs; QB Kato Nelson 45-of-82 passing, 662 yards, 6 TDs, 2 ints; WR Jonah Morris 10 catches, 182 yards, 1 TD; LB John Lako 28 tackles, 16 solo.
Local flavor: FR. LB Jake Bracher, Mason; Sr. PK/P Nick Gasser, Lakota East;
Worth noting: Despite being the defending MAC East champion, Akron was picked to finish fourth behind third-place Miami in the pre-season MAC media poll … The Zips will celebrate Homecoming on Saturday. They romped to a 35-13 win over Miami on Homecoming in 2016, the RedHawks' most recent visit to Akron. … Akron's opener at Nebraska on September 1 was cancelled after a lengthy delay caused by a huge storm. … The Zips had last Saturday off and are playing their conference opener. … They rank 11thin the nation in rushing defense and 33rdin total defense. … Among their wins is a 39-34 victory at Northwestern of the Big Ten on September 15. They returned two interceptions for touchdowns and recovered a Wildcats' fumble in the end zone for a third defensive score. … Gasser was the MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week after tying his career best with a 45-yard field and then setting a new best with a 49-yard boot in Akron's 26-13 loss at Iowa State on September 22.
Quotable: Bowden, at his weekly media session, on his team finally starting MAC play: "It's different. It feels different. When you go into games against Power 5 conferences, you can say what you want to, but there's less stress there, because you go in and people think you can't win. You're a little bit more relaxed."
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