Cincinnati Bearcats vs Akron Zips Football Preview

After taking its customary lumps in the opening weeks against BCS opponents, Akron will hit the road for yet another test against BCS opponent, this time Big East foe Cincinnati. After suffering a 42-0 loss at Ohio State and a 41-3 at home to Temple, the Zips won’t get must rest against a Cincinnati team smarting from a humbling 41-23 loss on the road at Tennessee last Saturday. It’s unlikely that the game will be competitive beyond the first quarter, but if it is, the Bearcats might be in for another long season in year two under head coach Butch Jones.

You can’t blame the Bearcats’ offense for the team’s struggles so far under Butch Jones. Even in defeat last week, Cincinnati gained nearly 400 yards of total offense and maintained sufficient balance. Isaiah Pead showed why many consider him one of the best running backs in the country, gaining 155 yards on just 14 carries. If there is one concern for an otherwise potent offense, it’s the inability to convert 3 rd  and 4 th  down and short yardage plays. The Bearcats were stopped on multiple attempts against Tennessee, on that stopped a scoring drive in the red zone and one that gave Tennessee the ball at midfield. The Bearcats bigger problem remains on the defensive side of the ball. Cincinnati was never able to pressure Tennessee’s Tyler Bray. Bray finished the day with an eye-popping 401 yards and four touchdowns passing. Despite 11 starters returning from a year ago, Cincinnati has now allowed 27 points or more in 13 straight games against teams from BCS Conferences.

With the Cincinnati defense struggling, facing the Akron offense might be just what the doctor ordered. The Zips have scored just three points in their first two games. They gained just 90 yards of total offense against Ohio State and just 269 yards against Temple. The Zips are last or near the bottom nationally in almost every offensive category. Their biggest challenge has been in establishing a consistent ground game. So far the Zips have rushed for just 77 yards in two games. They’ll need much more than that to be competitive with Cincinnati.

This is the perfect game for the Bearcats to lick their wounds from a week ago and try to gather some momentum for the upcoming Big East schedule. The offense should continue to score points and the defense will have a chance to boost its confidence by shutting down one of the nation’s worst offenses.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer