AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Kato Nelson was 22-of-38 passing for 322 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and added 45 yards rushing to help Akron beat Ohio 37-34 on Tuesday night.
Kwad Smith had touchdown catches of 71 and 54 yards and Manny Morgan had 55 yards rushing with one score for Akron (6-5, 5-2 Mid-American Conference). The Zips are bowl eligible for the second time in three years.
Brendan Cope hit Nathan Rourke on a trick play for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:32 left in the first quarter and, after Akron went three-and-out on its ensuing drive, Dylan Wears blocked, and then recovered, a punt. On Ohio’s next play from scrimmage, Dorian Brown scored on a 5-yard run to give the Bobcats a 21-10 lead with 14:54 remaining in the first half. Smith’s 71-yard touchdown trimmed Akron’s deficit to 21-17 about three minutes later and was the first of three touchdowns in five offensive plays for the Zips.
Nelson hit Austin Wolf for a 23-yard touchdown with 10:56 left in the second quarter and, after Ohio’s Louie Zervos made a 19-yard field goal, Smith scored on a 54-yard catch-and-run to make it 30-24 at halftime.
Ohio (8-3, 5-2) failed to convert a fourth-and-4 from midfield and Akron bled the final two minutes, 41 seconds to seal it.

Ohio U. Stats
Ohio    14    10    3    7    —    34
Akron    10    20    0    7    —    37
First Quarter
OHI—Rourke 68 run (Zervos kick), 12:56
AKR—FG Gasser 19, 5:45
AKR—Coney 16 pass from Ka.Nelson (Gasser kick), 4:13
OHI—Rourke 3 pass from Cope (Zervos kick), 1:32
Second Quarter
OHI—D.Brown 5 run (Zervos kick), 14:54
AKR—K.Smith 71 pass from Ka.Nelson (Gasser kick), 11:12
AKR—Wolf 23 pass from Ka.Nelson (Gasser kick), 10:56
OHI—FG Zervos 19, 6:14
AKR—K.Smith 54 pass from Ka.Nelson (kick failed), 5:01
Third Quarter
OHI—FG Zervos 46, 3:17
Fourth Quarter
AKR—Man.Morgan 8 run (Gasser kick), 11:31
OHI—Rourke 13 run (Zervos kick), 5:58
———
OHI    AKR
First downs    23    19
Rushes-yards    43-282    32-122
Passing    113    322
Comp-Att-Int    10-23-2    22-38-0
Return Yards    126    92
Punts-Avg.    4-38.0    7-31.62
Fumbles-Lost    1-1    1-0
Penalties-Yards    2-19    16-167
Time of Possession    29:47    30:13
———
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Ohio, Rourke 15-165, Ouellette 24-74, White 2-38, D.Brown 2-5. Akron, Man.Morgan 14-55, Ka.Nelson 14-46, V.Edwards 4-21.
PASSING—Ohio, Cope 1-1-0-3, Rourke 9-22-2-110. Akron, Ka.Nelson 22-38-0-322.
RECEIVING—Ohio, White 6-68, Cope 2-23, Meyer 1-19, Rourke 1-3. Akron, Chapman 8-65, Wolf 5-57, Gladney 3-31, K.Smith 2-125, Man.Morgan 2-8, A.Williams 1-20, Coney 1-16.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.