Hell2DaNaw.com

At Hell2DaNaw, we strongly believe in equality in college football. Upsets are what make the game great, so we like to pay tribute to the little guys. It can’t all be about traditional powerhouses like Notre Dame, Miami, Oklahoma, and Duke. As a result, our 2007 previews will go beyond the BCS conferences to include the rest of D-1A. And not just popular ones like Boise State and Rutgers. All of them. Every last shitty school.

On that note, this post will profile those Titans from Tiretown, the Akron Zips. It is a very difficult existence for the handful of MAC schools that operate in the shadow of Ohio State. Still, some manage to collect the leftovers and put together a somewhat competitive team. Usually one will crack the “other votes” section of the Top 25 polls or pull off a big upset like almost beating Michigan. Akron isn’t there yet, but I went undefeated with them in NCAA 07, so that’s enough reason for me to be optimistic about their prospects for this season.

Fear the Roo, Bitches!

Team: University of Akron Zips

Location: Akron, Ohio

Stadium: Rubber Bowl - Capacity: 31,000 (Largest in the MAC!)

Coach: J.D. Brookhart

2006 Record/Finish: 5-7, 3rd in MAC East

2007 H2DN Prediction: 8-4, 2nd in MAC East - International Bowl, here we come!

Top Returner: RB Dennis Kennedy (in NCAA 07, run the HB Counter with this guy and you will gain at least 50 yards every time. I guarantee it)

Biggest Loss: QB Luke Getsy, RG Andy Alleman

ESPN Incessant Talking Point: Akron has a football team?

Key Offseason Event: Akron was selected to participate in the inaugural First Merit Patriot Bowl versus Army on September 1 at Cleveland Browns Stadium!

Additional Notes: The Akron mascot was originally the “Zippers” as determined by a fan contest. It was shortened to Zips in 1950. The kangaroo mascot Zippy was added several years later … Number of Ohio residents who will currently be able to watch the OSU/Akron matchup on the Big Ten Network: 0 … The opening spread of that game is currently set at 100 … Kent State is a bunch of faggots … Coach Brookhart is “Fuckin’ stoked” to be playing Temple and Buffalo on opposite ends of Akron’s bye week. “Shit, I may not even bother coming into the office then. I’ll probably head down to Florida and work on my golf game.” Brookhart also left open the possibility of skipping the Bowling Green game as well … Writing a preview for a mid-major is much more difficult than it looks.

Fun Fact: The most famous defensive player to come out of the Akron football program is Miami Dolphins DE Jason Taylor, the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Unfun Fact: The most famous offensive player to come out of the Akron football program is Cleveland Browns QB Charlie Frye (pictured below), the 2006 NFL “Who can make Shooter cry the most each Sunday” Player of the Year.

Sup ladies