There’s nothing wrong with a college football program starting from the bottom and trying to their way to the top. Just ask the Akron Zips. For years, cheap Akron football tickets have been widely available, while the Zips worked their way up from the Division 2 level to the FBS level. By no means has it been an easy journey, but the Zips have had plenty of proud moments along the way. Even as the program continues to build and endure many ups and downs, it’s the perfect time to find great deals on last-minute Akron football tickets.

Brave New World

After decades of playing in the lower divisions of college football, Akron made the jump to the FCS level in 1980 under longtime coach Jim Dennison. The transition was a relatively successful one. Under Dennison, the Zips reached the FCS playoffs for the first time in 1985. That was soon followed by the jump up to the FBS level in 1987 under former Notre Dame head coach Gerry Faust.

MAC Attack

In 1992, the Zips found their permanent home when they joined the Mid-American Conference. As always, it was a struggle at first, but the Zips eventually managed to find their way. In 2005, head coach J.D. Brookhart led Akron to the MAC Championship Game and an FBS bowl game for the first time in program history. A decade later, Terry Bowden took the Zips back to a bowl game for the second time in program history. Bowden’s tenure was highlighted by another trip to the MAC title game in 2017. Despite a setback in the years following the 2017 campaign, there is proof that Akron can be a winning program in the MAC, creating optimism for the Zips in the future.