Zips Drop Close One to Troy, 22-17
By: Deontae Shahid
The Akron Zips were on the road this weekend to face off against the Troy Trojans. The Zips came into the game a 15.5-point underdog and were looking to pull off the upset. The Zips covered the spread but were unable to knock off the Trojans losing 22-17.
The Trojans fumbled on their first drive of the game which was recovered by the Zips. Akron turned the turnover into three points and looked to continue to play well in the beginning of the game.
The following drive for the Trojans would result in a touchdown after they picked up a key fourth down conversion that could have kept the pendulum swinging in favor of Akron. Troy would drive down the field again with the help from some Akron pass interference penalties to kick a field goal and put them up 10-3.
Troy would score another touchdown in the first half but miss the point after. Akron had a couple of chances to put more points on the board but would hurt themselves in two separate occasions.
Thomas Woodson threw an interception in the end zone while in Troy’s red zone. On the final drive before halftime, the Zips were in position to score again. After a holding penalty stalled their offense on the Troy seven-yard line, Tom O’Leary would miss a field goal with the time expiring to end the half causing for the Zips to go into halftime down 16-3.
The Zips continued to let red zone opportunities go to waste in the second half of the game. The Zips first possession of the second half resulted in a Woodson fumble after they drove all the way down to the Troy 19-yard line.
Akron would score a touchdown on their next drive after the Zips defense forced a turnover on downs. Woodson hit Kwadarrius Smith for a 29-yard touchdown pass putting the score at 16-10. Woodson and Smith would later connect on a 42-yard pass on a crucial third and long. Warren Ball would find the end zone on a 4-yard run on fourth down to put Akron up 17-16.
Late in the game, Troy would drive all the way from their three-yard line to score a touchdown with a minute and six seconds left to play. Troy failed to convert the two-point conversion giving the Zips a chance to win with a touchdown but sealed the game after a Woodson interception.
Akron was not able to capitalize on penalties by Troy who had 16 penalties for 159 yards in the game. The Zips had 12 penalties of their own for 100 yards continuing their penalty problems on the season.
Ball played well rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown. Woodson completed 20 of 40 passes for 268 yards, with one touchdown and 2 interceptions. Smith caught four receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown in the second half.
The Zips dropped to 1-3 on the season so far. The Zips will start their Mid-American Conference play against the Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday, September 30th at 6:00 p.m.
