Week 4 Preview: Scouting the Akron Zips

South Carolina’s first bye week of the 2024 season is on the horizon. But it has one more game to play before it gets a 13-day break from game action.

The Gamecocks will play in their second non-conference matchup of the year on Saturday when it faces off against Akron on Saturday.

Before the game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU, here’s what the Zips bring to the table.

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How they got here

Akron has garnered a far from ideal track record over the last five years, going a combined 7-47 across conference and non-conference play. After winning just two games last season, the Zips are already halfway to equaling that mark through three weeks.

Akron, which plays in the Mid-American Conference, kicked off the 2024 season with back-to-back games against Big Ten programs. The Zips lost both games, and neither was close. Akron lost 52-6 to No. 3 Ohio State during the opening week of the season and then suffered a 49-17 defeat to Rutgers the following week.

But the team returned to winning ways last Saturday against Colgate, a member of the Patriot League in the FCS. The Zips earned a 31-20 victory over the Patriots, marking their first win since Nov. 1 of last yaer.

Last time out

South Carolina and Akron have met once in the two teams’ all-time series, and that lone matchup came during the 2018 season. The game between the Gamecocks and the Zips was scheduled earlier in the season but was pushed back to Dec. 1 due to Hurricane Florence.

South Carolina was dominant in its regular season finale, capping off a 7-5 year with a 28-3 victory. Former Gamecock wide receiver Deebo Samuel shined in what would be his last regular season game as a college football player, scoring two touchdowns and catching four passes for 33 yards.

Samuel was not the team’s leading receiver on the day, though. That designation belonged to Bryan Edwards, who logged 109 yards and an additional score on five receptions.

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Where they sit in the rankings

Akron is not ranked in either the AP or USA Today Coaches polls. There is currently just one Group of Five team ranked in the top 25 of either poll – Northern Illinois, which is ranked No. 23 in the AP poll.

In ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI), the Zips are ranked No. 124 with a -15.8 FPI. Their projected record is 3.9-8.1. The team has a 13.9 percent chance of winning six games this season.

In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, Akron checks in at No. 128.

The Zips sit 130th in the Massey Ratings. It ranks 130th in offense and 131st in defense.

ESPN gives Akron a 5.7 percent chance to win this weekend. The Zips head into the contest as 27.5-point underdogs, according to ESPN BET.

Players to watch

CJ Nunnally (Senior, defensive lineman) – Nunnally was a bright spot for an Akron defense that allowed 28.0 points per game last season. He impressed in his first season with the Zips after transferring from Independence Community College, leading the team in tackles for loss (15.5), sacks (seven) and quarterback hits (eight) on his way to earning All-MAC First-Team honors. Through three games in 2024, Nunnally has logged 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

Adrian Norton (Sophomore, wide receiver) – Just two years in his collegiate career, Norton has become a key part of the Zips’ air attack. He is currently the team’s leading wide receiver, having totaled 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Last season, Norton appeared in 11 of Akron’s 12 games, catching six passes for 56 receiving yards.

Ben Finley (Redshirt junior, quarterback) – Finley spent the first four seasons of his career at NC State (2020 to 2022) and California (2023) before transferring to Akron ahead of the 2024 campaign. Operating as the team’s starting quarterback, he has completed 50 of his 88 pass attempts (56.8%) for 549 yards, 358 of which came in the Zips’ win over Colgate last week. Finley has also thrown five touchdowns and three interceptions.

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Path to victory

Even though South Carolina enters this game as double-digit favorites, it has gotten off to slow starts against Group of Five and FCS opponents in the past. And Shane Beamer knows that, despite Akron’s lack of recent success, that it is still not a team to be overlooked.

MAC teams have already come up with two big upsets this upcoming season. Last week, Toledo headed to Starkville and beat Mississippi State 41-17, despite the Bulldogs being 10.5-point favorites, according to ESPN BET. The more notable MAC-over-Power Five win came the week before, as Northern Illinois upset then-No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend in a 16-14 win.

To prevent an upset victory, South Carolina’s defense should be aware of the Zips’ two playmakers in the pocket. Akron plays with dual-quarterback sets on offense, with Finley seeing the greater share of snaps. But backup signal caller Tahj Bullock has been given opportunities in games – and the former Virginia Tech transfer is a threat on the ground, having scored five rushing touchdowns last season. Minimizing Finley’s contributions in the air and Bullock’s on the ground will keep the Zips from keeping the score close.

One the other side of the ball, Akron has struggled to stop opposing teams’ rushing attacks. The Zips currently possess the conference’s seventh-best rush defense, which allows 179.7 rushing yards per game. One week after Rocket Sanders‘ strong showing against LSU last week, Akron provides an opportunity for running backs up and down the roster to put together a second-consecutive positive performance.

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