The University of Akron Zips are set to jump into a challenging 2025 football season with a 12-game schedule under fourth-year head coach Joe Moorhead.
Unfortunately, Zips are ineligible for postseason play due to a substandard Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 914 for the 2023-24 academic year, their second consecutive year below the NCAA’s 930 threshold. This marks Akron as the first FBS team in a decade to face a bowl ban for academic reasons.
2025 Akron Football Schedule
Akron opens on August 28 against Wyoming at home which seems to be a manageable matchup and could help boost their confidence. However, the stakes rise sharply on September 6 with a road trip to Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers’ superior form may make a win very hard to bag.
On September 13, the Zips visit UAB, a Conference USA team fresh off a 4-8 season. The non-conference slate concludes on September 20 with Duquesne. Akron’s 1-3 non-conference record in 2024 suggests a 1-3 or 2-2 start is plausible.
Schedule:
- Thu, Aug 28: vs. Wyoming
- Sat, Sep 6: at Nebraska
- Sat, Sep 13: at UAB
- Sat, Sep 20: vs. Duquesne
- Sat, Sep 27: at Toledo
- Sat, Oct 4: vs. Central Michigan
- Sat, Oct 11: vs. Miami (OH)
- Sat, Oct 18: at Ball State
- Sat, Oct 25: at Buffalo
- Tue, Nov 4: vs. Massachusetts
- Tue, Nov 11: vs. Kent State
- Tue, Nov 18: at Bowling Green
Mid-American Conference (MAC) play begins September 27 at Toledo, whose offense averaging 33.7 points per game in 2024, can prove to be a nightmare for Akron’s defenses. Home games against Central Michigan (October 4) and Miami (OH) (October 11) could leverage home-field advantage, especially after Akron’s 24-17 upset of Miami in 2023. Road games at Ball State (October 18) and Buffalo (October 25) are also significant, with Akron splitting these matchups last year.
The season’s final month features midweek “MACtion” clashes. On November 4, Akron hosts UMass, a new MAC member coming off a 2-10 season, in a winnable game. The November 11 rivalry showdown with Kent State, where Akron has claimed the Wagon Wheel in 2023 and 2024 (including a 25-22 nail-biter), can be another momentum builder for the Zips.
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The Zips close at Bowling Green on November 18, facing a likely MAC title contender after their 9-4 campaign. Akron’s 21-14 overtime stunner over Toledo to end 2024 offers hope, but repeating that magic on the road will be tough.
With five home games and a balanced MAC schedule, Akron could target a 5-7 or 6-6 record if the offense hit there mark and the defense holds steady (78th in FBS scoring defense in 2024). The APR penalty hurts, as a bowl bid would have been a milestone for a program with one bowl appearance (2005 Motor City Bowl) since joining FBS in 1987.
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