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Another week, another simulation to run to see if art can imitate life! If you’re unfamiliar with NCAAFPTF, here’s a brief explainer on how we make it all work.
Last week was a bit of a mess. We ran a simulation in the wrong location, which had Ohio winning big. Then, an intrepid Twitter user noticed the mistake and we decided to re-run the simulation on our Twitter page live before the start of the real-life game. In that re-run, Akron won in overtime at home after a really questionable coaching decision by Ohio.
Then, there was ANOTHER problem discovered after the real-life game started: kato Nelson was the starter. The sim assumed Thomas Woodson would be back from his vaguely-worded “suspension of team rules,” which still hasn’t really been clarified.
Obviously, only one game could be played IRL, and it was Akron who seized the day thanks to Kato Nelson’s coming-out party, sneaking past the Bobcats by a final score of 37-34 in a wild, MACtion-y fashion.
We decided to take the second sim as our “real” sim (if that makes sense) for the win-loss record. The Akron win puts us at 2-7 on the season, ending a long losing streak. The O/U was fairly close too, as the IRL game actually outpaced the simulation by only 14 points, helping shore our number up to -226.
We decided to put up the only two teams to not be featured thus far in the season up for vote and overwhelmingly, you went with Kent State vs. Akron, marking the Zips’ second-straight week on NCAAPTF. This leaves Ball State as the only team to not make an appearance.
The game went down to the wire at InfoCision Stadium, as the upstart Kent State Golden Flashes shocked the homestanding Akron Zips to take back the Wagon Wheel by a final score of 16-15 on a Shane Hynes game-winning field goal from 24 yards out as time expired.
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The result was just as gritty as the game’s final play suggested; both teams combined for four interceptions (including a return touchdown,) fourteen sacks and six field goals on the day in what was a mudslinging, defensive slog.
A Nick Gasser 32-yard attempt at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter was the only score of the first half for either team.
It would take until the third quarter for either squad to score again, as the Zips picked up six more points on two more Nick Gasser field goals from 38 and 44 yards out, respectively. It placed him at 3-of-5 on the day after two attempts from 55 and 53 yards missed earlier in the game.
The Golden Flashes were finally able to spark a comeback rally thanks to the first touchdown of the day for either squad at the 6:47 mark thanks to a Demetrius Monday 40-yard touchdown return to put the score at 9-7.
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The Kent State defense recovered quickly and held Akron to two straight field goals after comitting two turnovers in a row to place the score at 15-7. That left just two minutes to go in the game, and they made the most of it.
George Bollas connected with Mike Carrigan for a 40 yard pass and then threw a 27-yard touchdown to Kavoius Price to bring the game to 15-13 with 1:46 left to go in the game. The two-point conversion failed, forcing Kent State to go for the onsides kick. The Flashes managed to recover it and drove into the redzone in no-huddle fashion, as Akron couldn’t stop them with a timeout. Shane Hynes would walk on with two seconds left to go to win the game for Kent State.
It was a shocker, but the numbers really confirm just how amazing of a victory it was. Kent State converted on only two of nine third down attempts and had one trip into the endzone, which resulted in a touchdown. That redzone trip, along with the team’s lone fourth down conversion, all came in the final drive.
The Flashes were outgained in the air 213 yards to 171 and on the ground as well by a margin of 50 to 34. George Bollas also managed three interceptions on the day, which accounted for three of his five incompletions (16-21, 171 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions.) KSU’s leading rusher Wil Matthews, who was the only positive gainer rushing for the Flashes, with 40 yards on 17 carries.
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The Flashes offense was a little better, but not much.
Kato Nelson struggled, going 24-of-36 passing for 213 yards and an interception. He was also tyhe team’s leading rusher in carries with 17 yards on 18 carries. Manny Morgan Jr. finished with 33 yards.
Austin Wolf led the game with 95 receiving yards on six receptions, while Van Edwards Jr. hauled in a game-high seven receptions, gaining 32 yards. Tra’Von Chapman was limited to just three catches for 37 yards.
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Akron collected six sacks on the day, while Kent State nabbed eight. Bruce Boxen (five tackles, five tackles for loss, five sacks) was the defensive player of the game for the Zips, while Jon Cunningham (three tackles, three tackles for loss,
Another week, another simulation to run to see if art can imitate life! If you’re unfamiliar with NCAAFPTF, here’s a brief explainer on how we make it all work.
Last week was a bit of a mess. We ran a simulation in the wrong location, which had Ohio winning big. Then, an intrepid Twitter user noticed the mistake and we decided to re-run the simulation on our Twitter page live before the start of the real-life game. In that re-run, Akron won in overtime at home after a really questionable coaching decision by Ohio.
Then, there was ANOTHER problem discovered after the real-life game started: kato Nelson was the starter. The sim assumed Thomas Woodson would be back from his vaguely-worded “suspension of team rules,” which still hasn’t really been clarified.
Obviously, only one game could be played IRL, and it was Akron who seized the day thanks to Kato Nelson’s coming-out party, sneaking past the Bobcats by a final score of 37-34 in a wild, MACtion-y fashion.
We decided to take the second sim as our “real” sim (if that makes sense) for the win-loss record. The Akron win puts us at 2-7 on the season, ending a long losing streak. The O/U was fairly close too, as the IRL game actually outpaced the simulation by only 14 points, helping shore our number up to -226.
We decided to put up the only two teams to not be featured thus far in the season up for vote and overwhelmingly, you went with Kent State vs. Akron, marking the Zips’ second-straight week on NCAAPTF. This leaves Ball State as the only team to not make an appearance.
The game went down to the wire at InfoCision Stadium, as the upstart Kent State Golden Flashes shocked the homestanding Akron Zips to take back the Wagon Wheel by a final score of 16-15 on a Shane Hynes game-winning field goal from 24 yards out as time expired.
The result was just as gritty as the game’s final play suggested; both teams combined for four interceptions (including a return touchdown,) fourteen sacks and six field goals on the day in what was a mudslinging, defensive slog.
A Nick Gasser 32-yard attempt at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter was the only score of the first half for either team.
It would take until the third quarter for either squad to score again, as the Zips picked up six more points on two more Nick Gasser field goals from 38 and 44 yards out, respectively. It placed him at 3-of-5 on the day after two attempts from 55 and 53 yards missed earlier in the game.
The Golden Flashes were finally able to spark a comeback rally thanks to the first touchdown of the day for either squad at the 6:47 mark thanks to a Demetrius Monday 40-yard touchdown return to put the score at 9-7.
The Kent State defense recovered quickly and held Akron to two straight field goals after comitting two turnovers in a row to place the score at 15-7. That left just two minutes to go in the game, and they made the most of it.
George Bollas connected with Mike Carrigan for a 40 yard pass and then threw a 27-yard touchdown to Kavoius Price to bring the game to 15-13 with 1:46 left to go in the game. The two-point conversion failed, forcing Kent State to go for the onsides kick. The Flashes managed to recover it and drove into the redzone in no-huddle fashion, as Akron couldn’t stop them with a timeout. Shane Hynes would walk on with two seconds left to go to win the game for Kent State.
It was a shocker, but the numbers really confirm just how amazing of a victory it was. Kent State converted on only two of nine third down attempts and had one trip into the endzone, which resulted in a touchdown. That redzone trip, along with the team’s lone fourth down conversion, all came in the final drive.
The Flashes were outgained in the air 213 yards to 171 and on the ground as well by a margin of 50 to 34. George Bollas also managed three interceptions on the day, which accounted for three of his five incompletions (16-21, 171 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions.) KSU’s leading rusher Wil Matthews, who was the only positive gainer rushing for the Flashes, with 40 yards on 17 carries.
The Flashes offense was a little better, but not much.
Kato Nelson struggled, going 24-of-36 passing for 213 yards and an interception. He was also tyhe team’s leading rusher in carries with 17 yards on 18 carries. Manny Morgan Jr. finished with 33 yards.
Austin Wolf led the game with 95 receiving yards on six receptions, while Van Edwards Jr. hauled in a game-high seven receptions, gaining 32 yards. Tra’Von Chapman was limited to just three catches for 37 yards.
Akron collected six sacks on the day, while Kent State nabbed eight. Bruce Boxen (five tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks) was the defensive player of the game for the Zips, while Jon Cunningham (five tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks) took the same honor for Kent State.
There were also four interceptions between both teams. KSU had one, thanks to Demetrius Monday, while Darius Dailey (two interceptions, 40 return yards) and Alvin Davis (one interception) gave Akron three.
Nick Gasser was Akron’s sole point-scorer, going 5-of-7, with his only misses being from beyond 55. HIs counterpart Shane Hynes was 1-of-2, missing a 58-yarder to end the first half.