What a Way for the Akron Zips to End the Rubber Bowl

In the last game ever at the Rubber Bowl, the fans and the teams never wanted to leave. The game was sent into four OTs before Buffalo defeated Akron 43-40 on a A.J. Principe 40-yard field goal after Buffalo recovered an Akron fumble.

Buffalo got off to an early 10-0 lead on a Drew Willy 24 yard pass and a Principe 28 yard field goal. Akron answered with a Dennis Kennedy 57-yard touchdown reception.

Buffalo then gave James Starks the ball, and he scored from three yards out before Akron capped off the first half with a 49-yard field goal.

In the first half, Akron missed 27- and 50-yard field goals and only punted once. Buffalo went 4-4 on fourth down, held the ball for 22:39 and also only punted once.

In the second half, Akron tied the game with a 24-yard Kennedy run. Buffalo then turned to Starks once again, and this time he took it in from five yards out. Kennedy then tied the game with a one-yard run with 23 seconds to go to send the game into overtime.

From, there chaos ensued. Here are the scoring plays in each overtime.

OT1: Buffalo scores on Willy one yard sneak on fourth down.

        Akron scores on a Mike Newton tipped ball that was caught by Dashan Miller.

OT2: Akron kicks 42 yard field goal.

        Buffalo kicks 24 yard field goal.

OT3: Buffalo scores on Starks one yard run. Buffalo tries a fade to Naaman Roosevelt for 2 but fails.

        Akron scores on Kennedy one yard run. Akron tries to throw a curl route but ball was forced to be thrown into ground.

OT4: Akron fumbles exchange on play action pass and Buffalo recovers.

        Buffalo runs the ball three times and kicks 40 yard field goal to win.

In the end Starks had 241 yards of total offense, including 151 rushing yards on 37 carries.

Kennedy has 142 yards on 25 carries and caught five passes for 121 yards. Willy went 27-of-39 for 252 yards while his counterpart Chris Jacquemain went 20/38 for 295 yards.

Buffalo improves to 6-4 (4-2) and has gained sole possession of first place in the MAC East, become bowl eligible for the first time as a Division 1-A program and will win the division with a win next week against Bowling Green.

Akron falls to 5-5 (3-3) and has to hope Buffalo loses to both Bowling Green and Kent State (and Bowling Green loses to Toledo) in order for them to have a shot at going to the MAC Championship game in Detroit.

In order for that to occur, Akron would also have to beat Ohio and Temple in their last two games.