2017 Akron Zips football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
|mode = football
|year = 2017
|team =Akron Zips
|image = Akron Zips logo.svg
|image_size = 200
|conference = Mid-American Conference
|division = East Division
|short_conf = MAC
|CoachRank =
|APRank =
|BCSRank =
|record = 7–7
|conf_record = 6–2
|head_coach = Terry Bowden
|hc_year = 6th
|off_coach = A. J. Milwee
|oc_year = 5th
|def_coach = Chuck Amato
|dc_year = 6th
|off_scheme = Spread
|def_scheme = 4–3
|stadium= InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field
|champion = MAC East Division champion
|conf_champ = MAC Championship
|conf_champ_result = L 28–45 vs. Toledo
|bowl = Boca Raton Bowl
|bowl_result = L 3–50 vs. Florida Atlantic
}}
{{2017 Mid-American Conference football standings}}
The 2017 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden and played their home games at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field in Akron, Ohio, as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. The Zips finished the season 7–7, 6–2 in MAC play to win the East Division. They lost to Toledo in the MAC Championship. They received an invitation to play in the Boca Raton Bowl where they lost to Florida Atlantic.
Notable players: Ulysees Gilbert III, Kyron Brown, Jamal Davis, Kwadarrius Smith.
Preseason
In a preseason poll Aof league media, Akron was picked to finish fourth in the East Division.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2017/07/mac_football_2017_toledo_ohio.html|title=MAC Football 2017: Toledo, Ohio University picked as division winners in preseason poll|work=cleveland.com|access-date=2017-11-25}}
Coaching staff
| class="wikitable" | |||
| {{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Akron Zips|Name|Title|Years at Akron|Alma mater}} | |||
| Terry Bowden | Head coach | 6 | West Virginia |
| Chuck Amato | Assoc. head coach and def. coord. | 6 | NC State |
| Todd Stroud | Asst. head coach and DL coach | 6 | Florida State |
| A. J. Milwee | Off. coord. and QB coach | 6 | North Alabama |
| Jeff Bowden | ST coord. and WR coach | 6 | Florida State |
| Trent Boykin | TE and h-backs coach | 6 | Youngstown State |
| Brett Ekkens | OL coach | 2 | Mount Union |
| Eric Hickson | RB coach | 3 | Kansas State |
| Otis Mounds | CB coach | 4 | Auburn |
| Mike Woodford | Safeties coach | 6 | Arizona |
| Mark Ouimet | Assistant director of football operations | 6 | Siena Heights |
| Matt Gildersleeve | S&C coach | 4 | Mount Union |
| Hunter Bowden | GA, offense | 2 | North Alabama |
| Mike Schuff | GA, offense | 1 | Mount Union |
| Dylan Evans | GA, defense | 1 | Akron |
| Nick Verna | GA, defense | 2 | Akron |
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2017
| poll = AP
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 2
| time = Noon
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Penn State
| opprank = 6
| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium
| site_cityst = University Park, PA
| tv = ABC
| score = 0–52
| attend = 101,684
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 9
| time = 6:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Arkansas–Pine Bluff
| site_stadium = InfoCision Stadium
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 52–3
| attend = 17,464
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 16
| time = Noon
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Iowa State
| site_stadium = InfoCision Stadium
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv = CBSSN
| score = 14–41
| attend = 22,811
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 23
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Troy
| site_stadium = Veterans Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Troy, AL
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 17–22
| attend = 27,324
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Bowling Green
| site_stadium = Doyt Perry Stadium
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, OH
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 34–23
| attend = 15,111
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 7
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Ball State
| site_stadium = InfoCision Stadium
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 31–3
| attend = 20,199
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 15
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Western Michigan
| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium
| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI
| tv = CBSSN
| score = 14–13
| attend = 16,568
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| time = Noon
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Toledo
| site_stadium = Glass Bowl
| site_cityst = Toledo, OH
| tv = WTOL/ESPN3
| score = 21–48
| attend = 20,414
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 28
| time = 11:30 a.m.
| w/l = w
| opponent = Buffalo
| site_stadium = InfoCision Stadium
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv = CBSSN
| score = 21–20
| attend = 17,427
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = {{tooltip|November 7|Tuesday}}
| time = 7:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Miami (OH)
| site_stadium = Yager Stadium
| site_cityst = Oxford, OH
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 14–24
| attend = 12,813
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = {{tooltip|November 14|Tuesday}}
| time = 7:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| opponent = Ohio
| site_stadium = InfoCision Stadium
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 37–34
| attend = 17,832
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = {{tooltip|November 21|Tuesday}}
| time = 7:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| opponent = Kent State
| gamename = Wagon Wheel
| site_stadium = InfoCision Stadium
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv = ESPNU
| score = 24–14
| attend = 21,683
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 2
| time = Noon
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| opponent = Toledo
| gamename = MAC Championship Game
| site_stadium = Ford Field
| site_cityst = Detroit, MI
| tv = ESPN
| score = 28–45
| attend = 16,225
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 19
| time = 7:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Florida Atlantic
| gamename = Boca Raton Bowl
| site_stadium = FAU Stadium
| site_cityst = Boca Raton, Florida
| tv = ESPN
| score = 3–50
| attend = 25,912
}}
}}
Game summaries
=At No. 6 Penn State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=No. 6 Nittany Lions
|H1=14
|H2=21
|H3=10
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Penn State Nittany Lions football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Arkansas–Pine Bluff=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Golden Lions
|R1=0
|R2=3
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=Zips
|H1=14
|H2=17
|H3=14
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Iowa State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Cyclones
|R1= 14
|R2= 6
|R3= 14
|R4= 7
|Home=Zips
|H1= 0
|H2= 14
|H3= 0
|H4= 0
}}
{{see also|2017 Iowa State Cyclones football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Troy=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1= 3
|R2= 0
|R3= 7
|R4= 7
|Home=Trojans
|H1= 7
|H2= 9
|H3= 0
|H4= 6
}}
{{see also|2017 Troy Trojans football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Bowling Green=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1=13
|R2=7
|R3=7
|R4=7
|Home=Falcons
|H1=6
|H2=7
|H3=10
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Bowling Green Falcons football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Ball State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Cardinals
|R1=3
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=Zips
|H1=7
|H2=10
|H3=0
|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2017 Ball State Cardinals football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Western Michigan=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1= 7
|R2= 7
|R3= 0
|R4= 0
|Home=Broncos
|H1= 0
|H2= 3
|H3= 0
|H4= 10
}}
{{see also|2017 Western Michigan Broncos football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Toledo=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1=0
|R2=7
|R3=0
|R4=14
|Home=Rockets
|H1=21
|H2=3
|H3=14
|H4=10
}}
{{see also|2017 Toledo Rockets football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Buffalo=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Bulls
|R1=7
|R2=6
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home=Zips
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Buffalo Bulls football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Miami (OH)=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home=RedHawks
|H1=7
|H2=3
|H3=14
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Miami RedHawks football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Ohio=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Bobcats
|R1=14
|R2=10
|R3=3
|R4=7
|Home=Zips
|H1=10
|H2=20
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Ohio Bobcats football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Kent State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Golden Flashes
|R1=0
|R2=7
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=Zips
|H1=10
|H2=14
|H3=0
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Kent State Golden Flashes football team|Wagon Wheel (trophy)}}
{{Clear}}
=2017 MAC Championship Game=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1= 0
|R2= 0
|R3= 7
|R4= 21
|Home=Rockets
|H1= 7
|H2= 21
|H3= 10
|H4= 7
}}
{{see also|2017 Toledo Rockets football team}}
{{Clear}}
=2017 Boca Raton Bowl =
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Zips
|R1= 0
|R2= 3
|R3= 0
|R4= 0
|Home=Owls
|H1= 7
|H2= 14
|H3= 15
|H4= 14
}}
{{see also|2017 Florida Atlantic Owls football team}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Akron Zips football navbox}}
Category:Akron Zips football seasons
{{Collegefootball-2017-season-stub}}