Football Starts Two Game Road Swing At Akron Saturday

Sept. 23, 2008

Game Notes | Statistics | Roster | Live Stats | Listen

PREVIEWING THE AKRON GAME

• FANS: Akron Tailgate Information
• MARKETING: Vote BEARCAT In 2008
• FOOTBALL: Weekly Press Conference Quotes
• ISP SPORTS: Dave & Buster's Road Watch Parties
• TV: Episode Four Of Bearcats Sports Weekly Airs Wednesday
• TV: UC-Akron Game Set For FSN Ohio On Sept. 27
• TICKETS: Four Game Ticket Plans On Sale Now!

  GAME 4: CINCINNATI at AKRON
  Saturday, Sept. 27 | 3:30 p.m. EST | The Rubber Bowl (31,000) | Akron, Ohio

  Series: Tied 2-2
  Television: FSN Ohio Broadcast: Jeff Phelps (PXP), Mike Pagel (ANA)
  Streaming: www.GoZips.com
  Radio: 92.5 WOFX-FM: Dan Hoard (PXP), Jim Kelly, Jr. (ANA) Tom Gelehrter (SL), & Mo Egger (Host/ENG)

  UC HEADS TO THE RUBBER BOWL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1989
  The University of Cincinnati football team starts a two-game road trip this weekend against in-state rival Akron at 3:30 p.m. EST in the Rubber Bowl. UC is 2-1 on the season, having knocked off Eastern Kentucky and Miami (Ohio) but falling to No. 4/4 Oklahoma. Akron is 2-2 on the year with victories over Syracuse (42-28) and Army (22-3)with losses to Wisconsin (38-17) and Ball State (41-24). This will mark UC's final trip to the Rubber Bowl as the Zips are scheduled to move into an on-campus stadium next year.

  THE SERIES
  Cincinnati and Akron have met only five times on the field. The all-time series is tied at two wins apiece. Saturday marks only the second meeting for the two teams in Akron. UC won the last meeting, 20-14, in 2006 at Nippert Stadium.

  THE COACHES
  Brian Kelly, the 2007 BIG EAST Coach of the Year, is in his second full season at the helm of the Cincinnati football program with an 13-4 record and a 18-year career mark of 150-55-2. Kelly led the Bearcats to a school-record-tying 10 wins in 2007 and a victory in the Papajohns.com Bowl. He won two NCAA Division II National Championships at Grand Valley State and led Central Michigan to the 2006 Mid-American Conference Championship. He is the leader in victories among active BIG EAST coaches and is the only current BIG EAST coach with 150 career wins.

  J.D. Brookhart is 24-25 in his fifth season with the Zips. He is 0-1 against UC and was the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 2004.

  STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS
  

  • Tony Pike made his first career start against Miami (OH) and tied a school record for completion percentage (.833). He was 20-of-24 for 241 yards, and three touchdowns
  • UC leads the BIG EAST in passing offense (276.0 ypg), scoring offense (37.0 ppg), net punting (43.2 ypp), kickoff returns (30.0 ypr), and passing efficiency (158.34 rtg.).
  • Head coach Brian Kelly earned career win No. 150 against Miami (OH). His 150 victories rank 11th among active NCAA FBS head coaches and he is the active leader in the BIG EAST.
  • With its 45-20 win over the RedHawks, UC holds on to the Victory Bell for the third-straight year and the fourth time in the past five seasons. UC and New Mexico State will be the last two teams to start conference play in 2008, both with games on Oct. 11.
  • Quarterback Dustin Grutza is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his right leg on Sept. 10. Grutza fractured his right fibula and suffered a high ankle sprain in UC's loss at No. 4/4 Oklahoma on Sept. 6.