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College Football Program Is Academically Ineligible For Postseason

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 6, 2025 6:01 PM ET

A certain college football program is going to be done for the year in December regardless of how well they do between September and November.

According to On3 Sports, the Akron Zips football program has been ruled academically ineligible for the postseason in 2025. The team reportedly scored below the threshold of 930 on the Academic Progress Rate (APR).

"Akron faced a reduction in practice last season as part of a Level One penalty when the APR fell to 925 – below the 930 threshold for postseason eligibility. However, that number dropped to 914 during the 2023-24 academic year, which means the program is not postseason eligible," On3 explained.

The NCAA only recently brought back its APR penalties after suspending them for a time due to the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting classes. LSU previously fell below the threshold but received a COVID-19 waiver. Now it appears the punishments are back in force.

As a result, Akron will be the first school to be ruled postseason ineligible for academic reasons in nearly a decade.

Fortunately or unfortunately for the Zips, the program is in such rough shape that they might not even notice the punishment.

Over the last three seasons under head coach Joe Moorhead, Akron have won a grand total of eight games. In fact, in nearly 40 years as a Division I-FBS program, the team has only qualified for three bowl games, with their win coming in the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Zips have had only four winning seasons since the turn of the century.

AKRON, OH - AUGUST 08: The stands were packed at the InfoCision Stadium at The University of Akron welcoming back LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Akron, Ohio on August 8, 2014 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Ty Wright/Getty Images)

College football fans were stunned by the news, though not particularly stressed over it being Akron to suffer this fate:

"This is sad but let’s be honest they weren’t qualifying for a bowl game anytime soon," one user remarked.

"We already have the first team that won't be going to the bowl. Akron is ineligible due to their Academic Progress Rate dropping below a critical 914," another joked.

"I personally think this should earn them an automatic bowl bid," joked a third.

"The Moorhead effect," a fourth said at Coach Moorhead's expense.

It sure would be ironic if the Zips suddenly had a great season in 2025.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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