The UMass Minutemen head to Akron, Ohio, for their first-ever taste of midweek MACtion as a fully fledged member of the Mid-American Conference. Standing in the way of their first win of the year is an Akron Zips team that still has a mathematical chance of reaching the MAC Championship Game in Detroit.
Will the Zips keep those chances alive, or will the Minutemen make their first mark in the win column on Tuesday night? Our UMass vs. Akron prediction contains everything you need to know if you’re watching the game, including TV channel, head-to-head history, exclusive PFSN player grades, and a detailed analysis and score forecast as MACtion returns.
UMass vs. Akron Details
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025
- Game time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: InfoCision Stadium | Akron, OH
- Predicted weather at kick: 47 degrees, partly cloudy, 5 mph winds
- How to watch: CBS Sports Network
UMass vs. Akron Head-to-Head Record
UMass faced a challenging MAC schedule last season, but did not play Akron in 2024. However, the two programs have a brief but competitive history heading into Week 11.
Their most recent meeting came in 2019, with the Minutemen securing a 37-29 win in Foxboro. UMass also won the first matchup in 2012, sandwiched between three consecutive Akron victories from 2013 to 2015. The Zips currently hold a 3-2 edge in the all-time series.
UMass vs. Akron Grades
- UMass: 58.3 (F)
- Akron: 60.5 (D-)
- UMass: 62.3 (D-)
- Akron: 71.0 (C-)
- UMass: 61.7 (D-)
- Akron: 64.7 (D)
- AJ Hairston, UMass: 60.5 (D-)
- Ben Finley, Akron: 72.4 (C-)
- Player name, team name (grade number, grade letter)
- Jordan Gant, Akron: 71.4 (C-)
- Jacquon Gibson, UMass: 74.8 (C)
- Kyan Mason, Akron: 75.7 (C)
- Reece Adkins, UMass: 71.8 (C-)
- Conner Cravaack, Akron: 71.0 (C-)
- Marques White, UMass: 82.1 (B-)
- Bruno Dall, Akron: 75.1 (C)
- Shambre Jackson, UMass: 72.9 (C-)
- Julien Laventure, Akron: 81.6 (B-)
- Timmy Hinspeter, UMass: 78.1 (C+)
- Shammond Cooper, Akron: 65.5 (D)
- TJ Magee, UMass: 73.7 (C)
- Elijah Reed, Akron: 77.5 (C+)
- Zeraun Daniel, UMass: 75.6 (C)
- DiMarco Johnson, Akron, 76.6 (C)
UMass vs. Akron Prediction
MACtion returns with a bang on Tuesday night, bringing together two teams who have historically been at the bottom of the college football pecking order for a conference clash with some surprising consequences still at play. Can UMass get its first win of the season (both overall and in the MAC) or will Akron remain alive in the race for the MAC Championship Game?
The Minutemen entered 2025 in a new conference with a new head coach, but the same old problems dog the program entering Week 11 of the college football campaign. UMass is 8-0 and still looking for their first MAC win in four attempts, and currently ranks 136th in PFSN’s College Offense Impact metric, 129th for defense, and 131st for offensive line. Not great, Bob.
Meanwhile, Joe Moorhead has Akron just one win away from its 2024 total of four wins, a refreshing change after five successive seasons with no more than two wins. A win on Tuesday night would take the Zips to .500 in the conference for the season, and keep them mathematically in the hunt for the MAC Championship Game. The question is, can they get that win?
Despite Moorhead’s background as an offensive mastermind, Akron has struggled to put points on the board this year. They’re averaging 18.8 points per game, ranking 124th for scoring offense, while narrowly pipping UMass in the PFSN College OFFi rankings (134th). Aside from 51 points scored against Duquesne, they’ve not broken the 28-point mark this year.
That said, they boast some eye-catching playmakers who can take advantage of a UMass defense with significant flaws. Running back Jordan Gant has surpassed 90 rushing yards in three of his last four games, while Israel Polk and Ryan Mason can stretch the field in the passing game. No MAC team has allowed more receiving touchdowns than the Minutemen.
UMass isn’t particularly well-equipped to take advantage of the Akron defense, either. The Minutemen have scored less than 10 points in 50% of their games this season. There have been some quarterback inconsistencies to contend with, and although AJ Hairston has established himself as the true QB1, resulting in double-digit points the last two weeks, this is Akron’s to lose.
Prediction: UMass 14, Akron 30