Akron, 36-point Underdogs, Nearly Beat Michigan in Ann Arbor. Wolverines 28, Zips 24

Michigan survived upstart Akron, 28-24, when the Zips failed to score from the 1-yard line on the last play of the game. A week after beating Notre Dame, the Wolverines were playing a 36-point underdog at home. And not just any cupcake – one that entered Saturday with a 27-game road losing streak in Division I.

The Zips barely survived I-AA JMU last week, holding on for a 35-33 win.

Akron, which received $900,000 from Michigan for the game, drove to the Wolverines 1-yard line and had two plays and one timeout left. Inexplicably, they ran a pitch sweep on 1st down, which lost them a yard and meant they had to burn the timeout. This left :05 on the clock and one play. Michigan came with the kitchen-sink blitz, and the rushed pass by Kyle Pohl was just out of the reach of a receiver.

Michigan exhaled.

The 3-0 Wolverines travel to Connecticut next week.