Akron Downs Eastern Michigan, 65-62 In Triple Overtime
Nov. 24, 2001
AKRON, Ohio (AP) - Zac Derr kicked a 35-yard field goal in the third
overtime as Akron beat Eastern Michigan 65-62 Saturday night in the
highest-scoring game in Mid-American Conference history.
Derr also kicked a 37-yaarder with a second left in regulation - sending the
game to overtime tied at 52 - and connected from 20 yards in the second OT to
put Akron (4-7, 4-4) ahead 62-59.
Toller Starnes of Eastern Michigan (2-9, 1-6) responded with a 33-yard field
goal to tie it at 62.
The Zips' Jesse Smith ended the Eagles' third overtime possession with an
interception, and Derr added the winning kick.
Derr also kicked eight extra points to raise his career points total to 266,
breaking the Akron record of 253 set by kicker Bob Dombroski in 1986-89.
Akron's Bob Hendry ran 39 times for 154 yards and five touchdowns, including
a 7-yard scoring run in the first overtime, and Charlie Frye completed 21 of 33
passes without an interception for 313 yards and two touchdowns.
Eastern Michigan's Kainoa Akina was 27-of-50 for 392 yards with six
touchdowns and three interceptions. Ime Akpan had touchdown runs of 9 yards in
the first quarter and 1 yard in the fourth.
The total scoring broke the record of 108 set in a game involving a single
MAC club, when Ohio beat Cincinnati 60-48 in 1968, and broke the 103-point
record involving two MAC teams, when Western Michigan beat Kent State 76-27 in
1996.
The Eagles had 503 yards of total offense and the Zips had 532. They
combined for 53 first downs.
The game, originally scheduled for Sept. 15, was postponed after the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks.
