The Ohio State football schedule 2021: Meet the Akron Zips

© Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal Akron Zips running back Teon Dollard (7) is brought down by Kent State Golden Flashes linebacker Brandon Coleman (35) during the second half of an NCAA football game, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, in Kent, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]

If Ohio State's 2021 football schedule was a Bingo card, the Akron Zips would be the free square.

Over the past two seasons, the woeful Zips have won a single game. In 2019, the first season under head coach Tom Arth, Akron lost all 12 of its games. The team's lone 2020 win was against Bowling Green.

Things have not been pretty for the Zips, and it's been even uglier against Ohio State. The last time Akron and Ohio State played was a 42-0 Buckeyes win in 2011.

Since 2011, Akron has gone 37-80. Ohio State, meanwhile, is 112-18 in that span. The Zips and Buckeyes may only be separated by 128 miles, but the two teams couldn't be any further apart.

The Zips and Buckeyes have played eight times, with the Buckeyes holding a 7-1 all-time record. 

That's right, Akron has actually beaten Ohio State at football. Sort of. In 1894, the University of Akron was known as Buchtel College. Guided by head coach John Heisman, Buchtel College topped Ohio State 12-6. It was the only game Buchtel played that season. Akron didn't beat another Big Ten team until 2018.

Alas for Akron, plenty has changed since 1894. Here's what we know about the Zips:

What Akron football did in 2020

As mentioned above, Akron has been in a rough stretch. In a truncated 2020 season, Akron snapped a 21-game losing streak by beating Bowling Green 31-3 on Sept, 5.

Some of the losses were pretty bad.

Akron opened the season with a 58-13 loss to Western Michigan. That was followed by a 24-10 loss to Ohio and a 69-35 not-so-nice loss to Kent State. Akron also lost to Miami of Ohio 38-7 and Buffalo 56-7, with the Bowling Green game sandwiched between them.

This era of Zips football is teetering on being as bad as the three-season stretch between 2010 and 2012 when the team was a combined 3-33.

What the Zips are expected to do in 2021

Despite their recent history, there is some room for optimism with the Zips.

The team is getting quarterback Kato Nelson back after he missed all of the 2020 season with a shoulder injury. Nelson and 2020 starter Zach Gibson will vie for the starting job. Last season Gibson threw for 784 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.

University of Akron football: Kato Nelson is back, healthy and looking good, so far

While Akron settles on who will be the quarterback, the team can rely on junior running back Teon Dollard. In 112 attempts last season, Dollard ran for 666 yards and six touchdowns. That included 202 yards and four touchdowns against heated rival Kent State on Nov. 17.  This, of course, assumes Dollard's legal troubles are behind him.

Akron also returns its five starting offensive linemen from a season ago.

Arguably the best player on the Zips is linebacker Bubba Arslanian. Akron’s team captain led the NCAA in solo tackles per game with 7.8 and in total tackles per game with 12.3. Arslanian finished the six-game season ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in total tackles with 74. In Akron’s only win of the season, Arslanian paced the team with 16 tackles against Bowling Green. For his efforts, he’s been named to numerous all-conference preseason teams.

Keep an eye on linebacker Jeslord Boateng. The Michigan State transfer played 18 games for the Spartans, mostly on special teams.

Who is Akron coach Tom Arth?

© Mike Cardew, Akron Beacon Journal University of Akron quarterbacks Zach Gibson, Ryan Jankowski and Joey Marousek join head coach Tom Arth as they watch the UA football scrimmage at InfoCiision Stadium on Saturday March 27, 2021 in Akron.

It is somewhat surprising Arth is back with the Zips, and not because of his record.

Prior to coming to Akron, Arth was the head coach at John Carroll from 2013-16 and Chattanooga 2017-18. While at John Carroll, Arth had new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley on his staff. There was some suspicion that Arth would make the jump to the NFL as one of Staley's assistants, but he decided to stay with Akron.

Arth replaced Terry Bowden as Akron’s head coach. Under Bowden, the Zips made two bowl games in seven seasons, which is successful relative to Akron’s normal postseason opportunities.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: The Ohio State football schedule 2021: Meet the Akron Zips