How to Watch Nebraska Football vs. Akron: Breakdown, Preview, TV Channel

While it didn’t live up to some of the big expectations set upon the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2025, the Huskers’ 20-17 season-opening win over Cincinnati gave reason for hope in head coach Matt Rhule’s third season in Lincoln.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola showed restraint and discipline in a 33-for-42, 243-yard performance that saw him connect with new receivers Nyziah Hunter and Dane Key for one touchdown each. Plus, Emmett Johnson exploded for 135 all-purpose yards in a workhorse outing. The Blackshirts slowed down dynamic dual-threat quarterback Brendan Sorsby to only 69 yards passing, but Nebraska’s rushing defense became something to watch going forward as the Bearcats were able to average 6.7 yards per rush with 202 yards on 30 carries.

All in all, while it could’ve been a cleaner win over Cincinnati, a one possession win for NU provides a great foundation to build on for the rest of nonconference play, which continues under the Saturday night lights.

Here’s all you need to know as the Huskers open up their home slate with a visit from Akron Saturday night in Lincoln.

How to Follow Along

Matchup: Nebraska (1-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. Akron (0-1, 0-0 MAC)
Line: Nebraska (-34.5), 47.5 O/U (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
When: 6:30 p.m. CDT Saturday, Sept. 6
TV: Big Ten Network
Broadcast Crew: Mark Followill (PxP), Anthony Herron (Analyst) & Dannie Rogers (Sideline)
Radio: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Akron Scout

Head Coach

Joe Moorhead | 4th season at Akron; 10th as HC | 8-29 (.216) Record at Akron; 60-54 (.526) Career Record | Patriot League Coach OTY (2013) | Patriot League Championship (2014) | Previous HC at Mississippi State & Fordham| Previous assistant stops at Oregon, Penn State, UConn, Akron, Georgetown & Pittsburgh.

2024 Finish

Did not qualify for a bowl game.
0-3 record against Power Four opponents; won three of their final five games.

2024 Record & Awards

4-8 (3-5 MAC, 8th) | 2x All-MAC First Team, 2x Second Team, 1x Third Team.

All-Time Series

Nebraska Leads 1-0
The first and only matchup previously was a 59-14 Husker win in 1997.
Infamously, NU was supposed to play the Zips for the 2018 season opener to kick off the Scott Frost era, but the game was canceled due to bad weather.

Returning Production

Passing: 94%
Rushing: 5%
Receiving: 22%
Tackles: 23%
TFLs: 19%
Sacks: 17%
Turnovers: 40%
Punts: 0%
Field Goals: 0%
Punt/Kick Returns: 0.004%

Akron defensive lineman CJ Nunnally IV transferred to Purdue after leading the Zips in TFLs and sacks in 2024. — Akron defensive lineman CJ Nunnally IV transferred to Purdue after leading the Zips in TFLs, sacks, QB hurries and fumble recoveries in 2024. | Phil Masturzo/ Beacon Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Key Departures

CJ Nunnally IV | DL | Transfer (Purdue) | 2024 team leader in TFLs (11.0), sacks (6.0), QB hurries (5), and fumble recoveries (2); All-MAC First Team last season.
Avery Book | P | Graduated | Named to 2024 All-MAC First Team after a conference-leading 43.3 yards per punt average.
Adrian Norton | WR | Transfer (Marshall) | Led the Zips with 831 yards and seven touchdowns in a breakout sophomore campaign last season.
Bryan McCoy Jr. | LB | Transfer (Oklahoma State) | Team high and fourth in the MAC with 120 total tackles in 2024.
Paul Lewis III | DB | Graduated | Named to All-MAC Third Team Defense following a season with 77 tackles and seven TFLs – both second on Akron.
Jordon Simmons | RB | Transfer (Georgia State) | Led the Zips with 664 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 2024.
Charles Kellom | RB | Transfer (Eastern Illinois) | Second on Akron with 352 yards on the ground last season.
Tahj Bullock | QB | Transfer (Colorado State) | Situational quarterback that ran for eight scores last year for the Zips.
Bobby Golden | WR | Transfer (Louisville) | Second on Akron with 446 receiving yards and one score.
Darrian Lewis | DB | Transfer (West Virginia) | Collected 74 tackles, six pass breakups, three TFLs, and one interception in all 12 games last season.
Antavious Fish | LB | Transfer (Sam Houston State) | Finished fourth on Akron with 68 tackles, plus two TFLs, one sack, and one interception.
Nathan Kapongo | DL | Graduated | Third on the Zips with six TFLs and forced two fumbles.
Bennett Adler | DL | Graduated | Racked up seven TFLs and three sacks, which were both second on the team. Plus, a team-leading five quarterback hurries.
Kabbash Richards | DL | Graduated | Piled up 5.5 TFLs and two sacks in only nine games.
Devonte Golden-Nelson | DB | Transfer (West Virginia) | Led the Zips with seven pass breakups and added 33 tackles.
Garrison Smith | K | Transfer (FAU) | Akron’s placekicker in 2024; Went 13-for-16 in field goals with a long of 49 yards.
Tyler Williams | OL | Transfer (Georgia State) | 12-game offensive line starter for Akron in 2024.
Josh Blanchard | OL | Graduated | The transfer from South Florida started in 11 of the 12 games for the Zips last year.

Akron quarterback Ben Finley returns after throwing for over 2,600 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. | Andrew Dolph / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Top Returners

Ben Finley | QB | R-Jr. | A two-time transfer from Cal and NC State, Finley returns after throwing for over 2,600 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024.
Jake Newell | TE | R-Soph. | Started eight of 12 games at tight end with 35 catches, 254 yards, and two touchdowns.
Keylen Davis | OL | R-Jr. | Named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-MAC Third Team & Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.
Delvin Morris | OL | R-Soph. | The Texas native started the final seven games of the 2024 season for Akron.
Israel Polk | WR | R-Soph. | A transfer from Pittsburgh after the 2023 season, Polk started eight of the 11 games in 2024 with 24 catches and 201 yards as a redshirt freshman.
Myles Walker | WR | R-Sr. | Given the prestigious No. 1 jersey as one of the team’s top leaders in 2025.
Alex Adams | WR | R-Sr. | The 2022 First Team All-MAC wideout looks to bounce back after a medical redshirt in 2024.
Colin Lyons | OL | R-Sr. | Has appeared in 16 games for Akron, entering his final season with the Zips.
Gage Summers | LB | R-Sr. | Phi Steele Preseason All-MAC Third team after producing 35 tackles in six games last season.

Redshirt freshman Sean Patrick in action vs. Wyoming, 2025 — Redshirt freshman Sean Patrick steps in as the starting running back for Akron in 2025. | Akron Athletics

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Sean Patrick | RB | R-Fr. | The three-star Ohio native will lead a three-man backfield for the Zips.
Jordan Grant | RB | R-Jr. | Named a Freshman All-American at Tennessee State in 2023 before transferring to Akron after struggling in 2024.
Marcel Williams | WR | R-Fr. | Appeared in only one game before redshirting in his only year at Marshall.
Jayme Motley-Simmons | OL | R-Sr. | Three-time transfer (North Alabama, Samford, UAB) who will battle for the left tackle job in 2025.
Darrell Johnson Jr. | OL | R-Sr. | The former JUCO product appeared in only one game over two seasons at Western Kentucky before transferring to Akron for his final season of college football.
Kenneth McManus IV | OG | Fr. | The three-star, D.C. native will battle for playing time at left guard.
Amarie Archer | OG | Sr. | Another former JUCO player (Dodge City CC), Archer played in one game at East Carolina before joining the Zips.
Allen Jones Jr. | OG | R-Jr. | Saw playing time in 21 games over three seasons for West Alabama.
Javirea Moore | OT | R-Sr. | In a battle at right tackle, played in all 12 games for East Texas A&M last season.
Maasai King | OT | R-Jr. | Spent the previous two seasons at Lackawanna College before transferring to Akron.
Cyrus Durham | DE | R-Soph. | Akron’s starting defensive end after using his redshirt at Arizona in 2024.
Julien Laventure | DT | R-Jr. | Played his first three seasons at Penn West-California.
Alex Branch | DB | R-Sr. | Akron’s starting nickel after appearing in 17 games over four years at Kent State.
Brayden Johnson | P | Gr. | Averaged 41.6 yards per punt in 22 games for Bethel College in 2023 and 2024.

Alex Branch (1) will be a factor in the Zips' secondary as he comes over from four years with fellow MAC school Kent State. — Alex Branch will be a factor in the Zips' secondary as he comes over from four years with fellow MAC school Kent State. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Outlook

For the second-straight week, Nebraska will face a program under pressure to perform in 2025 – otherwise, a change in leadership may be in store come December. Under head coach Joe Moorhead, Akron hasn’t looked much different than his predecessor in terms of record. With season records of 2-10, 2-10, and 4-8 in three seasons, little progress has been made under Moorhead, who created explosive offenses in his previous stops at Oregon and Penn State as the OC.

The Zips were 11th out of the 12 schools in the MAC in scoring (20.4), but have some hope in the fact that starter quarterback Ben Finley returns for another season after throwing for over 2,600 yards and 16 touchdowns as Akron finished fifth in the conference in passing. Finley will have to rely upon a new crop of running backs after the team’s three leading rushers from 2024 all transferred. Stepping in are redshirt freshman Sean Patrick, Tennessee State transfer Jordan Grant, and second-year Zip Marquese Williams, who once transferred from Minnesota.

Leading receiver Adrian Norton was named All-MAC Second Team after racking up 831 yards and seven touchdowns, but he took his talents to Marshall. The additional departures of Bobby Golden (Louisville), Ahmarian Granger, and Charles Kellom (Eastern Illinois) mark that four of the team’s leading pass catches from 2024 are gone. However, Akron carries plenty of experience at tight end with its top three players back, including Jake Newell, who had 254 yards and two scores last season.

Nebraska's Dane Key and the Husker offense should get more opportunities to throw downfield against Akron Saturday night. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Keylen Davis, Delvin Morris, and Colin Lyons return on the offensive line, but that group has been a rotating cast with seven transfers and newcomers also battling for playing time. Of those seven, only two have previous experience at a Group of Five school.

Like most MAC schools, Akron was pillaged in the portal with its standouts, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive linemen CJ Nunnally IV broke out for his best season in college with team highs in TFLs (11.0), sacks (6.0), quarterback hurries (5), and fumble recoveries en route to being named to the All-MAC First Team. Barry Odom and Purdue pulled him in the transfer portal away for his final season. The same can be said for the Zips’ 2024 tackling leader, Bryan McCoy Jr. (120 total), who transferred to Stillwater to help Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State for a bounce-back season in 2025.

Akron lost three more players up front to graduation, including Bennett Adler, who was second on the team in both TFLs (7.0) and sacks (3.0) while also having a team-high five quarterback hurries. The secondary was also cleaned out with All-MAC Third Team member Paul Lewis III graduating after collecting 77 tackles and seven TFLs. Darrian Lewis piled up 74 tackles, six pass breakups, three TFLs, and one interception in 12 games while Devonte Golden-Nelson led the Zips with seven pass breakups – both transferred to join Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia.

Moorhead will lean upon the program’s development to replace most defensive starters, but his staff dipped into the portal to grab defensive end Cyrus Durham (Arizona), DT Julien Laventure (Penn West-California), and former Kent State DB Alex Branch.

Akron revamped its special teams unit after losing All-MAC First Team punter Avery Book to graduation and kicker Garrison Smith transferring to FAU. Brayden Johnson joins the Zips for his graduate student season after averaging 41.6 yards per punt in two seasons at Bethel College. Owen Wiley utilized his redshirt last season and now steps in as the starting kicker.

Voted to finish 11th in the MAC’s preseason coaches poll, the 2025 season looks to be another tough one for Moorhead and Akron, who were blanked by Wyoming 10-0 at home in last week’s season opener. The Zips were outgained 426-228 by the Cowboys while only going 3-for-15 on third down conversions.

After facing a Cincinnati defense that limited Nebraska’s downfield throwing opportunities, expect to see Raiola and his receiving group ball out with a big game through the air in what should be a blowout win in NU’s first home game of the season.

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