Akron football's crazy comeback: Four fascinating tales about win vs. rival Kent State

As University of Akron football coach Joe Moorhead watched his players grab the Wagon Wheel for the first time, he felt as if he were witnessing his own children celebrate a great life achievement.

Moorhead entered Wednesday night with just three victories in his first 20 games at the helm of the Zips.

Reversing the fortunes of the program hasn't been easy since the former Akron offensive coordinator returned to the Zips to become their head coach in December 2021.

This season alone, UA has used three quarterbacks and three placekickers. It lost its top player, senior quarterback and captain DJ Irons, to a season-ending injury in the fifth game. And it suffered two defeats in overtime.

All of the heartbreak and agony, however, vanished when Akron rallied from a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit to capture a thrilling 31-27 victory over rival Kent State at InfoCision Stadium.

“We needed a moment like this,” Moorhead said.

Akron (2-7, 1-4 in the Mid-American Conference) snapped a four-game losing streak in its series with Kent State (1-8, 0-5), securing the Wagon Wheel trophy for the first time since 2018.

“I put it in my mind I have to get this Wheel back for this program. I have to get this Wheel back for the community. I need to get this Wheel back for the students and for everybody who believes in Akron football,” Zips running back Lorenzo Lingard said.

Here are four tales related to UA improving to 36-28-2 in its series against KSU.

1. Quarterback Jeff Undercuffler Jr. leads Akron football to dramatic win over Kent State

Although Akron quarterback Jeff Undercuffler Jr. has played throughout this season, he didn't start until Oct. 21 against Bowling Green. Moorhead turned to Tahj Bullock as the starting QB on the heels of the brutal injury to Irons.

Undercuffler stayed ready, though, and went 23-of-39 passing for 298 yards and two touchdowns without an interception against KSU.

On second-and-goal, Undercuffler rushed for the game-winning, 5-yard touchdown on a triple-option play with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Undercuffler's options were to hand off to Lingard, throw to tight end TJ Banks in the flat or run the ball. A Kent State defensive end crashed inside, and Banks was covered, influencing Undercuffler to take off for his first collegiate rushing TD.

“I saw a hole, I stuck my foot in the ground and I tried to run as fast as I can,” Undercuffler said with a laugh.

There is humor in Undercuffler being a traditional pocket passer instead of a dual-threat quarterback like Irons and Bullock. Of the three UA quarterbacks who have logged snaps this season, Undercuffler is by far the least likely to run for a touchdown.

“That is the Alanis Morissette-ironic-level stuff right there,” Moorhead quipped.

Undercuffler was fired up about reaching the end zone. He spiked the ball afterward, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Then a ESPNU TV camera captured a sound bite containing an expletive as Undercuffler touted the Zips from the sideline.

Asked about his wait to start this season, Undercuffler acknowledged leading the comeback win was gratifying.

“It definitely feels good, man,” Undercuffler said. “I've kind of been through a lot in my career. ... I just try to be a good teammate to all my teammates and just show them that I'm a leader and that we can ultimately do this.”

UA trailed 20-10 at halftime and 27-10 entering the fourth quarter.

“I looked every one of my teammates in their eyes, and I told them that we can do this and let's do something to tell our kids about,” Undercuffler said.

2. Akron Zips wide receiver Jasaiah Gathings helped spark rally with touchdown catch vs. Kent State Golden Flashes

Undercuffler's touchdown passes of 14 and 22 yards went to wide receivers Daniel George and Jasaiah Gathings in the first and fourth quarters, respectively.

Akron players pointed to a 16-play, 87-yard drive capped by Gathings' touchdown reception with 9:12 left as the game's turning point. They also praised Gathings without even being asked about him.

“Throughout the week, he was just focused,” Lingard said. “He wasn't talking to nobody. It was kind of weird. I'm like, 'Yo, what's up with you?' He wouldn't say nothing. But then I can see why, because this game, he showed up.”

Gathings caught nine passes on 14 targets for 103 yards, and George grabbed nine passes on 15 targets for 104 yards.

“He broke his leg last year [in the second game] against Michigan State, and that was really tough for him,” George said of Gathings. “So he was out the whole year. That dude has one of the hardest work ethics I've seen ever.

“He's really a workhorse. The stats show it. His game is showing it. And I'm positive that dude's only going to keep going up and up.”

3. University of Akron running back Lorenzo Lingard drew inspiration from memory of his late grandmother

Lingard rushed for a 37-yard touchdown with 3:32 left, allowing Akron to cut Kent State's lead to 27-24.

“I was just praying for my grandmother to cover me,” Lingard said. “She passed away in May, and then yesterday was her birthday. So I came into this game with extra energy, and I just had faith in my teammates.”

Center Tyhler Williams rewarded the faith, Lingard said, with a key block to spring him for the crucial touchdown run.

Lingard rushed 22 times for 106 yards (4.8 average) and the TD.

“He had been bottled up for most parts of the year as we were struggling to kind of get our O-line situated,” Moorhead said. “The thing I told him just before we left the locker room, I said, 'I need you to run angry tonight.' And it looked like he ran angry.”

Moorhead said he could feel the momentum shift after Lingard scored and the UA defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession. Undercuffler's rushing touchdown occurred during the next series, and Zips defensive ends LaJoshua Jackson and CJ Nunnally IV registered consecutive sacks to end the game.

4. Akron Zips football coach Joe Moorhead received a timely gift in the form of the elusive Wagon Wheel

Someone Moorhead doesn't know approached him while he studied film in the buildup to the game in a conference room at the team hotel. The stranger informed Moorhead UA versus KSU was “the Super Bowl.” Dating to his first stint at Akron from 2004-08, Moorhead is aware of the weight the rivalry carries in Northeast Ohio.

No active Zips player had ever defeated the Golden Flashes until Wednesday night.

“A lot of us came here on faith,” Moorhead said. “The definition of faith is belief in what you cannot see. And I had won here in the past as an assistant, and not saying it was a leap of faith to take this job, but there were certainly other opportunities, bigger schools, for a lot more money, and there's just something about this place that I knew we could win here.

“It didn't happen right away. We went from being non-competitive to pretty damn competitive, and now you're looking for that breakthrough moment. And I guess [to beat Kent State is] very validating in a lot of ways to everything that we're building here, my personal decision and obviously the kids who've decided to join us here in the past two years.”

The Wagon Wheel might not be the Lombardi Trophy, but the Zips still desperately wanted it.

Well, they earned it on the eve of Moorhead's 50th birthday.

More on Akron vs. Kent State football: Zips snap four-game losing streak to Golden Flashes in Wagon Wheel rivalry series

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Inside Akron Zips football's wild win over rival Kent State