1986 Akron Zips football team

The 1986 Akron Zips football team represented Akron University in the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Gerry Faust.^[1] The Zips played their home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. They finished the season with a record of 7–4 overall and 4–3 in OVC play to tie for third place.

1986 Akron Zips football
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Record	7–4 (4–3 OVC)
Head coach	Gerry Faust (1st season)
Home stadium	Rubber Bowl
Seasons ← 1985 1987 →

1986 Ohio Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 10 Eastern Kentucky ^	6	–	1	–	0			10	–	3	–	1
No. 18 Murray State $^	6	–	1	–	0			7	–	4	–	1
Akron	4	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Middle Tennessee	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Morehead State	3	–	4	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Austin Peay	3	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Youngstown State	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
Tennessee Tech	0	–	7	–	0			0	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 6	Salem*	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 35–0	35,202	[2]
September 13	at Kent State*	Dix Stadium Kent, OH (Wagon Wheel)	W 17–7	19,000	[3]
September 20	at Eastern Michigan*	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	L 21–24	14,716	[4]
September 27	UCF*	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 20–17	12,186	[5]
October 11	at Middle Tennessee	Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN	L 12–24	10,500	[6]
October 18	Murray State	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 24–13		[7]
October 25	No. 2 Morehead State	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 30–7	9,532	[8]
November 1	at Tennessee Tech	Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 38–13	10,229	[9]
November 8	Austin Peay	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 31–16		[10]
November 15	No. 14 Eastern Kentucky	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 24–27		[11]
November 22	at Youngstown State	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH (Steel Tire)	L 39–40	8,143	[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

^[13]

References

1. Alfano, Peter (April 4, 1986). "Gerry Faust Starts Over with Akron". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
2. "Faust Zips to easy win in first game at Akron". The Wichita Eagle-Beacon. September 7, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Zips win their 2nd for Faust". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 14, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Surprising EMU tips Akron, 24–21". Lansing State Journal. September 21, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Second-half blues in Ohio". Florida Today. September 28, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Middle Tennessee overcomemes Akron". The Plain Dealer. October 12, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Akron rallies to bounce Murray State team 24–13". The Marion Star. October 17, 1986. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Akron zaps Morehead back to earth with 30–7 triumph". The Courier-Journal. October 26, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Akron tumbles testy Tech, 38–13". The Tennessean. November 2, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Akron's easy victory suits Faust just fine". The Plain Dealer. November 9, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Eastern Kentucky edges Akron". The Newark Advocate. November 16, 1986. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Penguins edge Zips". Dayton Daily News. November 22, 1986. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "2019 Akron Zips Football Media Guide: Records" (PDF). University of Akron. p. 170. Retrieved May 5, 2020.