AKRON, Ohio — In a thrilling game on Saturday, Ben Finley connected with Adrian Norton for a 21-yard touchdown pass with just four minutes left on the clock, securing Akron’s first Mid-American Conference victory of the season with a score of 25-21 against Eastern Michigan.

After Akron’s touchdown, Eastern Michigan’s Elijah Jackson-Anderson made a strong effort on the next drive, rushing for 40 yards. However, his momentum was halted when he was stripped of the ball by Justin Anderson, and Paul Lewis quickly scooped it up for the Zips at Akron’s 16-yard line. With under a minute to go, Eastern Michigan had another chance, but their desperate Hail Mary was unsuccessful.

Prior to that, the Eagles had taken a 21-18 lead when Delbert Mimms executed a crucial fourth-down run midway through the fourth quarter. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Akron at the 5-yard line allowed Eastern Michigan to secure a new set of downs, which set up Mimms’ touchdown.

For Akron, Jordon Simmons had a standout performance, rushing for 109 yards on 16 carries. Finley ended the day with 122 passing yards before leaving the game after throwing the decisive touchdown.

On the other side, Eastern Michigan’s Cole Snyder had a productive day through the air, completing 28 of his 47 passes for a total of 346 yards and throwing two touchdown passes. Oran Singleton was Snyder’s primary target, finishing the game with 102 yards on ten receptions.