Akron at Kent State Breakdown: Week 8, Oct. 24, 2026

The story

Akron and Kent State meet at Dix Stadium on Oct. 24 in a MAC game between two teams looking for a turnaround. Akron is 1-6 and has lost five straight, most recently falling 34-14 at Miami (OH) on Oct. 17. Kent State is 2-5 and has lost three in a row. For fantasy, the interest sits mostly on the Akron side, where one back's workload has grown fast.

The angle

Both defenses give up points, Akron 32.4 a game and Kent State 32, so there is room for ceilings even though neither offense has scored much this season. Akron runs its offense through Jordan Gant, who has 53 percent of the carries over the last three games, and Kent State's run defense grades below average on a per-play basis. Akron is the fourth-worst defense against running backs, but Kent State splits its carries and scores 12 points a game, so that soft spot is not one to chase.

Start 'em

Jordan Gant has taken over Akron's backfield. He has 18 carries a game over his last three games, up from 11 a game before that, and that adds up to 53 percent of the team's carries in that span. Kent State is below average against running backs, in the bottom 30 percent of FBS, so the volume runs into a defense that tends to give ground. He has been a steady producer, averaging 16.7 points over his last three games and 12.8 this season, with a high of 20.1. Marquese Williams has two carries a game over that same stretch, which makes Gant the Akron back to roster. Start Gant, because a workload this large against a soft run defense is the safest bet in this game.

Risky plays

Marcel Williams has been a real part of Akron's passing game when he plays, holding 24 percent of the team's catches in his games. He has averaged 15.9 points over his last three games, with a high of 25.9. Kent State is the 24th-worst defense against wide receivers, a spot worth attacking. What holds him back is the sample: he has played in three of Akron's seven games, so the role has a short track record. Miles Burris (Akron) shares the catches with him, but Williams has been the more productive of the two in that stretch. He's risky, since three games is a thin base to lean on even in a friendly matchup.

Sit 'em

Da'Realyst Clark (Kent State) has caught 8 percent of the team's catches over his last two games, down from 25 percent, and his scoring has dropped with it. Akron is the 14th-worst defense against wide receivers, which is his upside. However, the role may be starting to shift toward Wayne Harris (Kent State) over two straight games. Clark has been the top target, and nothing is settled yet. Fade him, because his piece of the passing game has shrunk too much to trust right now.

Injuries and timeshares

Akron's Cibastian Broughton, Sean Patrick and Luke Sivon are questionable. Broughton has played in four of Akron's seven games. If he sits, Brayden Roggow takes the quarterback work, and Roggow has thrown for 214 passing yards a game over his last three games. Marcel Williams and Miles Burris split the catches, 24 percent to 20 percent over the last three games.

Kent State's Mason King and Terik Mulder are questionable. King shares the backfield with Brandon White, with 30 percent of the carries over the last three games to White's 26 percent. White is the one who gains if King sits.

TL;DR

Start Gant for his growing workload, treat Marcel Williams as a soft-matchup gamble, and fade Clark while his share stays down.