Chris Jacquemain News

Zips coach to learn his fate soon UA president, athletic director will talk about Brookhart's job next week By Tom Gaffney Beacon Journal sports writer POSTED: 09:10 p.m. EST, Nov 23, 2009 It is a question on the lips and minds of anyone even remotely interested in the football program at the University of Akron.

They are still teenagers and were in high school just six months ago. Yet they will be central figures in the circle-the-calendar game between the University of Akron and Kent State today at InfoCision Stadium as the quest for the Wagon Wheel trophy continues for the 39th time.

The University of Akron football team has no chance to win the East Division of the Mid-American Conference, but could determine who does.

Northern Illinois saved its best for last Saturday, overcoming a four-point fourth-quarter deficit to dispatch upset-minded Akron 27-10 at Huskie Stadium as Chadd Spann rushed for two touchdowns and Nathan Palmer added another in the final period.

Good for what ails them. They may be a bit banged up seven games into the season, but the Northern Illinois football team starts a three-game home stand Saturday that should be just what the doctor ordered.

It was coach Jerry Kill of Northern Illinois speaking, but it could also have been coach J.D. Brookhart of the University of Akron.

Akron 42, Syracuse 28 The last time Akron rolled into town, it was to hand Syracuse perhaps its most embarrassing loss in the last 10 years.

Syracuse, NY -- The Orange begins the second half of its season today against Akron still fighting for a bowl, motivated by some payback and hoping its starting quarterback figured out the interception crises.

A capsule look at this week's Big East games : Akron at Syracuse , 3:30 p.m. Line: Syracuse by 10.

With the season at midpoint, Syracuse hasn't given up hope of reaching six wins and being bowl-eligible. Coming off a bye week, the Orange will host Akron Saturday afternoon.

Akron's Miguel Graham defends Kent State receiver Alex Vanderink on a pass in the end zone at Dix Stadium on Oct.

The advertisement ran last Thursday in the bottom left corner of Page 5A of The Buchtelite, the student newspaper at The University of Akron.

The three primary playmakers on the University of Akron football team were offensive afterthoughts just a month ago.

Their numbers were unspectacular by Mid-American Conference standards. One of them passed for 205 yards, the other for 200, statistics short of noteworthy in a conference where experienced quarterbacks routinely amass 300 yards passing and more.

The University at Buffalo returns to UB Stadium today for the third time in as many weeks to face Akron and begin a crucial stretch of the season.

Jared Odrick's helemt pops off as he sacks Akron Zips quarterback Chris Jacquemain during a game at Beaver Stadium earlier this season.

Patrick Nicely has become the second University of Akron quarterback of the future in 2009 to abruptly become the quarterback of the present.

There's bad luck, then there is buzzard luck. Bad luck means something didn't go your way.

A season of promise has turned into a season of desperation for the University of Akron football team.

The lowdown: Matt Rodgers, a 6-2, 205-pound redshirt sophomore, has been Akron's starting QB since the third game of the season.