Akron football entered 2026 with something the program hadn’t had in years: momentum.
The Zips finished 5-7 last season, their best record since 2017, and closed the year winning three of their final four games. With 59 players and 16 starters returning, there was reason to believe Joe Moorhead’s program was ready to take another step forward.
Five games into 2026, Akron appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
https://x.com/zipsfb/status/2106517631876616228?s=46
The Zips are 1-4, with their only victory coming against FCS opponent Robert Morris, 45-10. Akron lost 38-16 to Wake Forest before dropping three straight against Minnesota (41-7), UNLV (38-10) and Central Michigan (41-17).
Across those four losses, Akron has been outscored 158-50. During its current three-game losing streak, the margin is 120-34.
The concern isn’t just that Akron is losing. It’s how it’s happening.
Turnovers Are Killing the Zips
Akron is averaging just 19 points and 338 yards per game, while opponents are putting up 33.6 points and 424.4 yards.
Turnovers have been one of the biggest problems.
The Zips have thrown six interceptions and lost four fumbles, giving them 10 turnovers through five games. Defensively, Akron has generated only four takeaways.
That’s a difficult formula for any team to overcome.
It’s also surprising considering the talent Akron brought back. Senior running back Jordan Gant rushed for 1,032 yards last season, becoming Akron’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2008. Marcel Williams returned after leading the Zips with 641 receiving yards. Both entered 2026 as Phil Steele preseason First-Team All-MAC selections.
Gant finally broke the 100-yard mark against Central Michigan, rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown, but the Zips still fell 41-17.
Defensive Struggles Raise Questions
Akron’s problems aren’t limited to the offense.
Opponents are averaging 424.4 yards per game, including 188.6 yards on the ground. Central Michigan exposed those issues by rushing for 332 yards in Akron’s latest loss.
That naturally brings personnel and rotation decisions into the conversation.
Senior defensive tackle Vaughn Highland, a 6-foot-1, 315-pound transfer from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, recorded 38 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss last season before transferring to Akron.
So far, Highland hasn’t seen the type of playing time some may have expected, and his experience raises the question of whether Akron could utilize him more as the defense searches for answers.
Highland isn’t the reason Akron is 1-4, and one player isn’t going to fix everything. But when a defense is struggling, the coaching staff has to evaluate every option available on its roster.
Pressure Is Building Around Joe Moorhead
Moorhead deserves credit for the progress Akron showed last season.
Five wins mattered for a program that hadn’t reached that number since 2017. It created expectations that Akron could take another step in 2026.
Instead, the Zips are 1-4 and have been beaten by at least 22 points in every loss.
Moorhead is now in his fifth season at Akron, and at some point progress has to turn into consistent results.
There are still seven games remaining, so Akron has time to change the direction of its season. But the Zips have to protect the football, create more turnovers defensively, establish consistency on offense and make sure they’re getting everything possible out of the talent on their roster.
Last season gave Akron momentum and something to build on.
Five games into 2026, that momentum is quickly disappearing.
The question now isn’t whether Akron has talent. It’s whether the Zips and their coaching staff can figure out how to use it before another season slips away.
