The University of Akron and new football coach Terry Bowden announced the team's complete schedule for 2012.

The Zips will be facing a 12-game regular-season slate, including six home games at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.

November 3 they will be facing archrival Kent State at Dix Stadium to try to avenge last season's loss.

A nationally-televised regular-season finale will take place againstToledo on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Press Release:

New University of Akron head football coach Terry Bowden announced on Thursday, in conjunction with the Mid-American Conference, the Zips' complete schedule for 2012.

UA will face a 12-game regular-season slate that includes four opponents coming off a bowl appearance and last season’s MAC East and West Division winners.

Schedule highlights include:
• The return of head coach Terry Bowden to the Football Bowl Subdivision sideline in the season and home opener on Thursday, Aug. 30 versus UCF at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.

• Six home games (five on a Saturday), including Bowling Green on Oct. 6 for Homecoming, and reigning MAC West Division champion and GoDaddy.com Bowl winner Northern Illinois on Oct. 20.

• Additional home contests against non-league foe Morgan State (Sept. 15), MAC opponent Miami (Ohio) (Sept. 29) and conference newcomer Massachusetts (Nov. 10).

• PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge matchup against nearby Kent State at Dix Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 3. Akron leads the all-time series with its neighborhood rival, 30-22-2.

• Non-conference road trips to Sun Belt Conference champ and Beef O’Brady’s Bowl participant FIU on Sept. 8, and SEC member Tennessee on Sept. 22. UA head coach Terry Bowden compiled a 30-14-1 SEC record as head coach at Auburn from 1993-98.

• A visit to MAC East Division champion and Famous Idaho Potato Bowl victor Ohio on Oct. 13 as well as Central Michigan on Oct. 27.

• A nationally-televised regular-season finale at MAC West member and Military Bowl winner Toledo on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

“Overall, I’m pleased with our schedule,” Bowden said. “We end up with a Tuesday TV game at Toledo and that’s exciting. We have four non-conference games and by that fifth game we better know how to play football.”

The Zips are in their second week of spring camp, which concludes with the annual Spring Game presented by Penn Station on East Exchange Street near campus on Saturday, April 21 at 3 p.m. ET at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.

2012 Akron Football Schedule:
Thu., Aug. 30 – UCF
Sat., Sept. 8 – at FIU
Sat., Sept. 15 – Morgan State
Sat., Sept. 22 – at Tennessee
Sat., Sept. 29 – Miami (Ohio)*
Sat., Oct. 6 – Bowling Green* (Homecoming)
Sat., Oct. 13 – at Ohio*
Sat., Oct. 20 – Northern Illinois*
Sat., Oct. 27 – at Central Michigan*
Sat., Nov. 3 – at Kent State*
Sat. Nov. 10 – Massachusetts*
Sat., Nov. 17 – OPEN
Tues., Nov. 20 – at Toledo, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

* - Mid-American Conference game
Game times and additional television assignments .
 

University of Akron junior linebacker Brian Wagner was named to Phil Steele's All-Mid-American Conference First Team, the publication announced on Wednesday.

Wagner, who earned All-MAC First-Team recognition from the league office in November (voted on by the coaches), was a member of this year's Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List (given to the nation's top defender) and ranks second nationally and first in the league in tackles (13.4 tpg) this season. He's one of two MAC players to average double digits in that category this season (Ball State's Travis Freeman, 11.2 tpg).

A team captain and member of the program's 12-player leadership council, Wagner posted a team-high 147 tackles this season (56 solo, 91 assists) in 11 games (was sidelined due to a knee injury for the last game of the year at Western Michigan on Nov. 25).

He recorded a career-best 22 tackles versus FIU on Oct. 8, which is the most by a MAC player in a game this season and is tied for fourth best by a player nationally in 2011 (Mike Taylor, Wisconsin, Oct. 29 at Ohio State). Wagner posted 10 or more tackles nine times this season and 15 or more on five occasions.

The Springfield, Ohio (Springfield Catholic Central HS) native led Akron in tackles during the 2009 and 2010 seasons as well (130 in 2010, 132 in 2009) and was an All-American in 2009 in addition to earning all-conference recognition that year as well.

Wagner has recorded 409 career tackles in 35 starts. Those 409 stops rank him sixth on the NCAA's active career leader's list.