How Kentucky and Akron football teams match up — with a game prediction
How the Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) and the Akron Zips (1-1) match up at each position — with a game prediction:
Quarterbacks
▪ Repeating his first-week pattern, Kentucky’s Devin Leary (62.7% completions, 540 passing yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions this season) was much better in the second half than the first during UK’s 28-17 victory Saturday over Eastern Kentucky. After going 14 of 25 in the first half, the North Carolina State transfer went 10 of 13 and threw three TDs in the second vs. EKU. In UK’s 44-14 season-opening victory over Ball State, Leary completed eight of 18 passes in the first half, then 10 of 11 in the second. Kentucky will obviously try to get the 6-foot-1, 217-pound super-senior out of the gate quicker vs. Akron.
▪ Akron has already played two QBs extensively in 2023. In a 24-21 season-opening loss at Temple, Zips coach Joe Moorhead went with incumbent starter DJ Irons. A 6-4, 215-pound redshirt senior, Irons completed 17 of 29 passes for 205 yards and two TDs with an interception vs. the Owls. During Akron’s 24-21 win over Morgan State in Week 2, Albany transfer Jeff Undercuffler got most of the action. A 6-foot-5, 240-pound redshirt senior, Undercuffler completed 17 of 25 passes for 201 yards and a TD but also threw three interceptions.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Running backs
▪ Kentucky’s Ray Davis (164 yards rushing, 6.3 yards a carry, two TDs) ran for 54 yards on 12 carries vs. EKU and also caught three passes for 36 yards, including a 24-yard TD catch. Super-senior Ramon Jefferson, returning after tearing an ACL in the 2022 season opener, gained 23 yards on three carries vs. EKU. The 5-10, 210-pound product of Bronx, New York, looked like a guy worthy of more chances.
▪ Out of 132 FBS football teams, Akron stands 130th in rushing, averaging 41 yards a game. Drake Anderson, a 5-9, 200-pound redshirt senior, is the Zips’ leading rusher (67 yards on 13 carries). Lorenzo Lingard, a 6-foot, 205-pound redshirt senior, has run 14 times for 48 yards. A product of Orange City, Florida, Lingard caught a 77-yard TD pass at Temple.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Wide receivers
▪ Kentucky slot receiver Tayvion Robinson (nine catches, 174 receiving yards, two TDs) ignited the Wildcats in the victory over EKU. The 5-11, 194-pound super senior from Virginia Beach, Virginia, caught six passes for 136 yards and 2 TDs. Sophomore Barion Brown was also a difference-maker vs. Eastern. The 6-1, 174-pound Nashville product caught six passes for 51 yards and a TD and ran twice from scrimmage for 34 yards.
▪ Akron’s Alex Adams, a transfer from LSU, leads the Zips in receptions (nine for 86 yards with a TD). A 6-1, 190-pound product of Osyka, Mississippi, Adams was a preseason first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection by Phil Steele. Adams caught 63 passes for 850 yards and nine TDs last season for the Zips. In his second season at Akron, Penn State transfer Daniel George, a 6-2, 210-pound redshirt senior, has six catches for a team-high 100 receiving yards. Sophomore Jasaiah Gathings (eight catches, 91 yards) is also capable.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Tight ends
▪ Kentucky redshirt sophomore Jordan Dingle, a Bowling Green product, caught his first pass of the season vs. EKU for 16 yards. Sophomore Josh Kattus was called for two holding penalties that negated plus-UK runs vs. EKU. However, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said the holds were created by the runner not going where the play was designed to go.
▪ Akron’s backup tight end, 6-4, 245-pound redshirt freshman Jake Newell, has caught more passes (four for 27 yards) than has starter TJ Banks (two for 17). Banks, a 6-5, 245-pound redshirt senior who transferred from West Virginia, caught 11 passes for 125 yards in 2022 for the Zips. Ex-Kentucky Wildcat Nik Ognenovic is in his third season in the Akron program. The 6-5, 255-pound redshirt junior has caught two passes with one TD as a Zip.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Offensive line
▪ Kentucky right guard Eli Cox was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his play vs. Eastern. The 6-4, 311-pound redshirt senior from West Jessamine High School did not allow a quarterback pressure or sack last week while grading out at 86%. With right tackle Jeremy Flax sidelined for an undisclosed reason vs. EKU, Southern Cal transfer Courtland Ford got a full game of reps. “Courtland played really good,” Stoops said. The Kentucky coach said he expects Flax back this week.
▪ Akron left tackle Josh Blanchard is a former starter at South Florida. A 6-5, 300-pound product of Miami, Blanchard started six games at right tackle for the Bulls in 2020. The Zips continue to struggle with pass protection. Through two games, Akron ranks No. 117 in the country in sacks allowed, having surrendered seven. Last season, the Zips (55 sacks allowed) joined Colorado State (59) as the only two teams in the FBS to allow more sacks than did Kentucky (47).
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive line
▪ Kentucky sophomore tackle Deone Walker spent a good bit of his past Saturday in the EKU backfield. The 6-foot-6, 348 pound Detroit product finished with five tackles and a sack. Nose guard Keeshawn Silver, a 6-4, 322-pound transfer from North Carolina, had three tackles vs. EKU.
▪ Akron redshirt senior tackle Terray Jones has gotten 2023 off to an active start. Vertically challenged at 6-foot, 300 pounds, Jones has nevertheless made nine tackles, 2 1/2 tackles for loss and has both a sack and a quarterback hurry.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Linebackers
▪ After earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his play vs. Ball State, Kentucky WLB Trevin Wallace (team highs of 19 tackles, 3 1/2 TFL, 1 1/2 sacks on the season) came back with seven tackles and a sack vs. EKU.
▪ Akron OLB/rush end CJ Nunnally was named Mid-American Conference East Division Defensive Player of the Week for his play vs. Morgan State. The 6-3, 230-pound junior forced a fumble inside the final minute that was returned for the game-winning TD by WLB Bryan McCoy. Nunnally finished with four tackles, three TFL and two sacks. In addition to scoring the decisive TD, McCoy, a 6-foot, 225-pound Chicago product, had a team-high 14 tackles and a TFL vs. Morgan State.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Defensive backs
▪ Kentucky junior cornerback Andru Phillips (12 tackles for the season) tied for the team lead in tackles vs. EKU with seven. Sophomore CB Maxwell Hairston had four tackles and made his first career interception last week.
▪ Akron nickelback Darrian Lewis has made 10 tackles and two TFL. Boundary safety KJ Martin, a transfer from West Virginia, and reserve boundary cornerback Devonte Golden-Nelson, a transfer from Memphis, each have an interception this season.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Special teams
▪ A week after returning a kickoff for a touchdown vs. Ball State, Barion Brown set up a UK TD vs. EKU with a 36-yard punt return. The Nashville product is third in the FBS in kickoff returning, averaging 45.7 yards a return. After having his first punt blocked vs. Eastern, Wilson Berry averaged 51.7 yards on his ensuing three kicks and pinned EKU inside its 20 on all of them. Kickoff specialist Chance Poore has produced touchbacks on all 13 of his kicks this season.
▪ Akron place-kicker Noah Perez is 1 of 2 on field-goal tries, having made from 22 yards and missed from 50. Punter Dante Jackson is averaging 37.8 yards a kick and has pinned foes inside their 20 on 5 of 12 kicks. Blake Hester, an Ashland Blazer product, is tied for 11th in the FBS in kickoff returns, averaging 27.8 yards a return. Averaging seven yards on five punt returns, Bobby Golden is tied for 35th in the FBS.
Advantage: Kentucky.
Prediction
Kentucky 41, Akron 16.
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