SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 7, 2013
Akron 35, James Madison 33: Kyle Pohl and Nick Hirschman each threw two touchdown passes as the Zips rallied past the visiting Dukes.
Hirschman, who replaced Pohl after James Madison jumped to a 13-0 lead, went 6-of-10 for 144 yards for Akron (1-1). Pohl, who threw two second-half touchdowns, went 11-of 18 for 117 yards.
Michael Birdsong led James Madison (1-1) with 310 passing yards and three touchdowns. Dae'Quan Scott rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown and led all receivers with six catches for 18 yards and a score.
Scott's two touchdowns came in the game's opening minutes on a 3-yard pass and after Akron failed to cover the ensuing short kickoff, a 1-yard rush. Hirschman had a touchdown pass and a running score after replacing Pohl.
Birdsong's 5-yard pass to Daniel Brown was sandwiched between touchdown passes by Hirschman and Pohl as Akron built a 28-24 in the third quarter. The Dukes answered Pohl's 24-yard touchdown pass to Jerrod Dillard in the fourth quarter with Birdsong's 5-yard pass to Dominick Richards but the two-point try failed.