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A 43-3 stomping has to be a quite a bit discouraging. Ohio sacking the Zips eight times has to be discouraging. If one were to characterize this game for Akron, one might call it...discouraging.
The Zips showed some some spunk over the first few drives, shutting down the Bobcats' offense several times in the first quarter. But it was not to last. And its not as if they did not shoot themselves in the foot. A fumbled punt return spelled disaster early on for Akron as Ohio picked up a safety and an early 2-0 lead. Those 12 penalties for 135 yards will likely give coach Tommy Bowden headaches all week.
The Bobcats put pressure on Zips' QB Kyle Pohl, something he had not seen in weeks. Akron had not yielded a sack in their previous three weeks. Safe to say Kyle Pohl woke up a bit more sore this morning after having been sacked eight times. Ty Branz ripped through the Zips; O-Line, gathering 2.5 sacks. Tarell Basham added two more.
The scoring did not come fast early on but when Ohio did first score, it became an onslaught. The Bobcats drove down the field and Tyler Tettleton threw the Bobcats' first touchdown of the day to Donte Foster on a fade that was initially ruled incomplete. After the call was reversed, the Bobcats held an early 9-3 lead.
Troy Mangen was on the receiving end of Tettleton's other TD pass, which then made it a 16-3 game.
Tettleton went 14-21 on the day, for 171 yards and two touchdowns. In the game he continued his streak of reaching milestones. Tettleton passed Josh Cribbs (Kent State) for 25th on the all-time MAC passing yardage list, and also leaped Charlie Batch (EMU) for 22nd in passing touchdowns in the MAC.
Things became ugly when a Thad Ingol interception, and later an 18-yard fumble return for touchdown stretched the gap to 27. The 30-3 halftime margin was noticeably deflating.
Daz Patterson and Ryan Boykin picked up the other touchdowns and Josiah Yazdani, who has solidified his spot as the teams go to kicker, knocked through three field goals.