Bryant faces Akron Saturday afternoon

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University football team will play and FBS opponent for the first time in program history this weekend when it travels to Akron, Ohio, to face the Zips on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3:35 p.m. 

Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN3.

The Particulars
Opponent: Akron
Location: InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field (Akron, Ohio)
Kickoff: 3:35 p.m.
Watch Live: ESPN3
Live Stats: Sidearm
Game Notes: Bryant | Akron

Series History

• Bryant and Akron will be meeting for the first time in program history this weekend. 
• Saturday will also be Bryant's first-ever game against a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).  

Bulldogs Notes and Notables

• Bryant enters the weekend with a 1-1 overall record following a 17-6 victory over Sacred Heart last weekend.
• The Bulldogs held the Pioneers without a touchdown, the first time they've held an opponent without a TD since the 2015 season. 
• Bryant has now limited 12 of their last 14 opponents to 24 points or less. They had allowed 24+ points in 13 of their previous 15 games dating back to 2018.
• Lake Ellis was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. He posted eight tackles and intercepted his first-career pass against the Pioneers.
• Ellis, Javis Hanks and Tyler Allen all posted their first-career interceptions in the game as Bryant won the turnover battle, 3-1.
• Offensively, Bryant rushed for 255 yards, it's most since the final game of the 2018 season. 
• Freshman QB Zevi Eckhaus (82 yards) and rookie RB Fabrice Mukendi (98 yards) combined for 180 of those yards.
• Eckhaus also completed 11-of-23 passes for 120 yards, finishing with 202 yards of total offense in his first-career start. 
• Bryant received touchdowns from Psaveon Reaves and Nicholas Hasselman. Both scored the first TDs of their careers.
• Joe Andreessen and Ryan Saddler enter Saturday as Bryant's leading tacklers, each with 17.

A bit about the Zips

• Akron enters Saturday at 0-2, having lost to Auburn and Temple. 
• The Zips were picked to finish fifth in the MAC East this fall. Akron appeared in bowl games as recently as 2015 and 2017.
• Bubba Arslanian leads the Akron defense with 25 tackles. He has led Akron in tackles in eight-straight games and 11 of the last 13.
• Michael Mathison registered his first-career 100-yard receiving game last week vs Temple, catching eight passes for 101 yards.

To get all the latest information and a behind-the-scenes look at Bryant Football follow the program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.