Akron Beware

Like Gary Hahn said, Happy Appy was the first #1 team State has beaten at Carter-Finley, although we got within six touchdowns a few times against FSU in the early to mid 90s.  Hahn was just as serious with that comment as he was the night we won the Hispanic College Fund Classic by beating The Citadel and one of the Loyolas and he said “It never gets old hoisting championship trophies, does it Tony?”

So I have to think this is the perfect letdown game for us.  Beat #1 and then fall to the defending MAC champion.  We’ve seen it before (Baylor 1998).

Three reasons Akron will win:

[1] The Zips held JoPa’s rushing attack to 76 yards and allowed only 282 yards altogether against a much superior offensive team.  If they shut down Brown and Baker, do we play for the pick-six? 

[2] QB Luke Getsy, a fifth-year senior (notice, when you’re a senior you lose the “redshirt” prefix), passed 42 times and completed 22 of those for 160 yards.  Unimpressive, right?  Well, it’s a 7.3 YPC average and indicates that he’s skilled at the short passing game and managing the clock with it; i.e., not many three-and-outs.  Must be nice.

[3] A.J. Davis is out.  Anyone remember the 2003 Texas Tech game where B.J. Symons threw for about 900 yards?  Getsy had about a half-dozen games like that last year.

Three reasons State will win:

[1] Penn State’s pass rush had a fun day against the Akron O-line.  Ours should, too.     

[2] Marcus Stone was impressive against App, completing all of his 36 yards off his back foot.  For those of you that think that isn’t impressive, Peyton Manning throws off his back foot a lot, too.

[3] We’re the Red & White from State and we know we are the best.  We have a Walk of damn Champions to prove it. 

Prediction: Akron 49 – 35