This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/usffan on 2026-04-24 15:28:15+00:00.

The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here

Akron (high = 127, low = 128) checks in next in the countdown, and let’s start out with the best news for the Zips – they obtained a waiver and are eligible for the postseason after playing the 2025 season ineligible because of their low APR score that also limited the number of hours they were allowed to practice in any week. Despite those limitations, head coach Joe Moorhead led them to their best season since their 2017 squad made the MAC Championship game. Honestly, that Akron and then athletic director Larry Williams fired then head coach Terry Bowden a year later suggests that the Zips received some well-earned time in purgatory (a lesson that too many schools to count seems hell bent to relearn), and maybe 2026 is the season when Moorhead’s rebuilding (he’s improved from 2-10 his first 2 years to 4-8 to 5-7 in his 4 year run) finally pays dividends.

Roster Outlook

Not unlike many of the schools in the MAC, any Akron resurgence is going to have to come from some unexpected places. The Zips return the 115th most production in all of FBS, ranking 103rd on offense and 119th on defense. While that sounds brutal on first blush, it actually ranks 5th in the MAC for this season! Which is probably a good thing, because 247’s high school recruiting rankings have Akron as dead last in the conference (134th nationally), mirroring their overall incoming class (132nd in the country). Their portal class ranks 119th, which is the 6th best in the MAC. Starting QB Ben Finley graduated, and if I told you they brought in a North Texas QB in the portal you’d have gotten all excited until you realize it’s Reese Poffenbarger and not Drew Mestemaker. They do return 1,000 yard rusher Jordan Gant and his backup Sean Patrick along with #1 WR Marcel Williams, though Israel Polk is taking his 8 TD receptions with him to Oklahoma State. So wait, you’re thinking, that sounds way higher than the 103rd most offensive production! Well, they lost 4 OL to P4 programs (Auburn, Kansas State, Iowa State and Pitt), not to mention 4 more defensive starters (Texas, Texas Tech, Utah and C. Florida). With only 4 total P4 players coming in via the portal (and one of those is a WVU punter), it’s not clear how they’re going to fill the voids left behind.

Schedule and outlook

9/3 at Wake Forest

9/12 ROBERT MORRIS

9/19 at Minnesota

9/26 UNLV

10/3 at Central Michigan

10/10 EASTERN MICHIGAN

10/17 at Miami (OH)

10/24 at Kent State

10/31 BYE

11/3 OHIO

11/10 WESTERN MICHIGAN

11/18 at UMass

11/27 BUFFALO

A MAC team with 3 OOC games where they’ll be prohibitive underdogs? It’s like déjà vu all over again! Seriously, that home and home with UNLV probably seemed like a great idea when it got scheduled (and Akron actually is undefeated against the Rebels, having won their only prior meeting in 1976), but now looks like a tall order. The Zips also draw the two most highly rated MAC teams, so their path to a potential bowl bid is kind of narrow, but if they can manage to get to the Halloween bye within striking distance of 6 wins, their only road trip is at UMass and so they could legitimately get there.