Game Preview #12: The Akron Game Top Ten

The Game Preview Top Ten.

5 Real Reasons and 5 Joke, but also real, Reasons Buffalo will win.

10) MAC Pressure:

• In November Akron will play a tough schedule, at Temple, at Ball state before hosting Miami (OH) and then hosting Buffalo in the final game.  Temple is a top contender for the MAC East, Miami looks to be improved, with 3 division games, November will make or break Akron's Conference chances.
  
• Buffalo on the other hand travels to Ohio, then gets two easy weeks hosting bottom teams of the MAC West (Ball state and E. Michigan) and will be adequately prepared for the Akron game.

9) Empire State of Mind

• In 2009, Buffalo beat Akron for the third straight time, the next week Syracuse beat Akron continuing a 4 game losing streak versus teams from the Empire State. Akron begins their season against Syracuse in 2010, if they lose that game, the Empire Curse will continue in 2010 and Buffalo will easily extend Akron's winless vs NY streak to 6 games. 

8) No Home Field Advantage

• Last year, Akron's attendance in the final game was 35% of the attendance of their first game. Nothing hurts a road team more than an intimidating stadium, but nothing energizes a road team than seeing empty seats.

7) Akron will Still be Mourning the Loss of the King

• Akron put 8500 in Infocision field for the LeBron James appreciation day, only 1,462 less fans than in Akron's final game in 2009.  And we all saw how ineffective that Akron crowd is.
• November will be the beginning of basketball season, reopening that deep wound Lebron made with yesterdays announcement.  The city of Akron will be in no mood to play or watch football.

 

6) Spread Offense vs Weak DB's

• Cincinnati had 92.3 more pass yards per game then the 2nd best passing team in the Big East last year.
• After 11 games running Jeff Quinn's high octane passing game, we get to play Akron's weak secondary.
• For the last two years Akron had no answer for Naaman.  With Roosevelt gone, we'll need the next Bull in at WR to exploit the weaknesses that still exist in Akron's secondary.

5) All the Other Akron Fans Will Be In Columbus

• We all know Ohio State owns the entire state of Ohio, and Akron fans are only Akron fans if Ohio State is not playing.  Unfortunately for Akron, Ohio State is playing Michigan, in Columbus.  I went to Columbus for the Michigan game in '06 and I've been to Akron twice, Columbus wins hands down.

4) Akron Quarterback Patrick "Nice4us" Nicely

• Last year Patrick Nicely was "nice" enough to throw two interceptions.  The game was still close because Zach "Turnover Attack" Maynard returned the favor.  This year with Jerry Davis under center, the turnovers on our end should be controlled, allowing us to build a large lead from Akron's nice little mistakes.

3)  InfoCision Stadium

• InfoCision is the worst name for a stadium, and the fact that this is coming from someone who calls the supremely uninspired UB Stadium home, that says something. 
• Free advice go 90's retro and change the logo to 411Cision.

2)  The Three Running Bulls in Winter

• Our 3 running bulls: Brandon Thermilus, Ike Nduka and Jeffvon Gill are made for this game.  Three hard nosed running backs are perfect for grinding out a victory in the cold and snow that is likely in late November.

 1) The Curse of the Rubber Bowl

• In 2008 we shut down the Rubber Bowl en route to our first MAC East Championship.
• As a result we now own Akron's football soul, and were not giving it back anytime soon.