CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2017 Akron

7–⁠7 (6–⁠2 Mid-American Conference), coached by Terry Bowden.

Schedule and results

Akron in 2017, game by game: lost at No. 6 Penn State 0–52; won vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff 52–3; lost vs. Iowa State 14–41; lost at Troy 17–22; won at Bowling Green 34–23; won vs. Ball State 31–3; won at Western Michigan 14–13; lost at Toledo 21–48; won vs. Buffalo 21–20; lost at Miami (OH) 14–24; won vs. Ohio 37–34; won vs. Kent State 24–14; lost vs. Toledo 28–45; lost at Florida Atlantic 3–50+49−52Lost 0–52 at No. 6 Penn State-52No. 6 Penn StateWon 52–3 vs. Arkansas–Pine Bluff+49Arkansas–Pine B…Lost 14–41 vs. Iowa State-27Iowa StateLost 17–22 at Troy-5TroyWon 34–23 at Bowling Green+11Bowling GreenWon 31–3 vs. Ball State+28Ball StateWon 14–13 at Western Michigan+1Western MichiganLost 21–48 at Toledo-27ToledoWon 21–20 vs. Buffalo+1BuffaloLost 14–24 at Miami (OH)-10Miami (OH)Won 37–34 vs. Ohio+3OhioWon 24–14 vs. Kent State+10Kent StateLost 28–45 vs. Toledo-17ToledoLost 3–50 at Florida Atlantic-47Florida Atlantic
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2at6Penn StateL 0–⁠5219%
Sep 9vsArkansas–Pine BluffW 52–⁠389%
Sep 16vsIowa StateL 14–⁠4155%
Sep 23atTroyL 17–⁠2226%
Sep 30atBowling GreenW 34–⁠2344%
Oct 7vsBall StateW 31–⁠358%
Oct 15atWestern MichiganW 14–⁠1319%
Oct 21atToledoL 21–⁠4822%
Oct 28vsBuffaloW 21–⁠2066%
Nov 7atMiami (OH)L 14–⁠2448%
Nov 14vsOhioW 37–⁠3435%
Nov 21vsKent StateW 24–⁠1480%
Dec 2vsToledoMid-American Championship GameL 28–⁠4523%
Dec 19Bowls & playoffatFlorida AtlanticBoca Raton BowlL 3–⁠5021%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Florida Atlantic 50–⁠3 in the Boca Raton Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 2nd in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 10th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 64 on file).

MAC East champions6–⁠2 in the conference

Record
7–⁠7
Conference
6–⁠2 tied for 2nd in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
310–⁠392
Coach
Terry Bowden
Elo
1424 −14 this season
SP+ rating
-17.6 No. 119 of 128; offense No. 97, defense No. 118, special teams No. 120
SRS
−7.3 No. 96 of 130 in FBS
Returning
60% of last season’s EPA, No. 68 of 128
Recruiting class
No. 131 roster talent No. 104 in FBS
Offensive coordinator
A.J. Milwee
Defensive coordinator
Chuck Amato
Offense
Spread
Defense
4–⁠3

How good, play by play

  • Offense110th of 130
  • Defense84th of 130
  • Offense, opponent-adjusted116th of 130
  • Defense, opponent-adjusted82nd of 130
EPA per playSuccessExplosivenessFBS rank
Offense-0.0236%1.25110th of 130
Defense0.1349%1.1484th of 130
Opponent-adjusted-0.00 off
0.11 def		36% off
48% def		—116th off
82nd def
How these are measured

Play-weighted averages over games against FBS opponents; raw numbers, not adjusted for the strength of the opponent. EPA (expected points added) measures how much each play changed the expected score; success rate counts plays that kept the offense on schedule; explosiveness is the average EPA on successful plays. Lower is better on defense. Ranked by EPA per play among teams that were FBS that season. The opponent-adjusted row (offense / defense) is CollegeFootballData.com’s WEPA, which accounts for who each team played.

Drives and havoc

Points per trip inside the 40Average startHavoc
Offense3.1own 3218% allowed
Defense3.5own 3214% caused

CORE rating -16.5, 121st of 130 (offense -12.5, defense 4.0).

A trip inside the 40 is a drive that reaches the opponent’s 40-yard line; points per trip is how many it scored on average (allowed, on defense). Average start is where drives began (the defense’s line is where its opponents started). Havoc is the share of plays ending in a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, an interception or a pass broken up. CORE is CollegeFootballData.com’s context- and opponent-adjusted rating (points better than an average team; lower is better on defense). From CollegeFootballData.com.

Leaders

Passing yardsThomas Woodson QB1,777 yds
Passing touchdownsThomas Woodson QB14 TD
Rushing yardsManny Morgan RB434 yds
Rushing touchdownsManny Morgan RB4 TD
Receiving yardsKwadarrius Smith WR726 yds
Receiving touchdownsKwadarrius Smith WR7 TD
TacklesUlysees Gilbert III LB140 tkl
SacksUlysees Gilbert III LB5 sacks
InterceptionsJordan George DB4 INT

Top recruits in the 2017 class

Jeffrey Lubin CB★★No. 2227
Alex Ramart PRO★★No. 2541
Reggie Corner OLB★★No. 2675
Tracy Jordan SDE★★No. 2675
Will Barto OLB★★No. 2906

247Sports composite rankings via CollegeFootballData.com; national rank in the class.

The 2017 class by position

SignedStarsRating
Quarterbacks12.00.785
Running backs12.00.771
Receivers12.00.768
Offensive line32.00.770
Defensive line52.00.765
Linebackers22.00.777
Defensive backs52.00.766
Athletes and specialists12.00.768
Whole class192.00.769

High-school signees by position group, with their average stars and 247Sports composite rating (out of 1), via CollegeFootballData.com. Athletes are signees with no set position.

Roster 107

The 2017 roster

107 players, with numbers, heights, hometowns and each player’s 2017 line; 64 have a stat line. See the roster

2017 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Toledo7–⁠111–⁠3
Northern Illinois6–⁠28–⁠5
Central Michigan6–⁠28–⁠5
Akron6–⁠27–⁠7
Ohio5–⁠39–⁠4
Buffalo4–⁠46–⁠6
Western Michigan4–⁠46–⁠6
Miami (OH)4–⁠45–⁠7
Eastern Michigan3–⁠55–⁠7
Bowling Green2–⁠62–⁠10
Kent State1–⁠72–⁠10
Ball State0–⁠82–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.