In the NIL era, college football is more of a business than ever before. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban recently met with President Donald Trump so he could try and sign an executive order to regulate that business.
Still, the sport is supposed to be about college academics. One program did so poorly in academics that the NCAA is barring them from appearing in a bowl game until players post better grades.
College football program lost bowl eligibility in 2025
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Per Reddit CFP, Akron’s Academic Progress Rate plummeted to 914, and the school is no longer eligible to play in the postseason in 2024. The minimum number that the Zips had to post to stay bowl-eligible was 930.
“Akron Football’s multi-year Academic Progress Rate has fallen to 914, and is eliminated from bowl eligibility before the season even starts,” Reddit CFP posted on X. “They are the first FBS team to become ineligible for a bowl due to academic reasons since 2014 Idaho.”
Akron Football's multi-year Academic Progress Rate has fallen to 914, and is eliminated from bowl eligibility before the season even starts. They are the first FBS team to become ineligible for a bowl due to academic reasons since 2014 Idaho. pic.twitter.com/gGrpDIwmpV
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) May 6, 2025
Akron has struggled with academics recently. They fell under 930 in 2024 and had a practice reduction. In the CFP era, only five teams have fallen under 930.
“Only a handful of FBS teams have fallen below the required academic threshold of 930 for postseason eligibility since the start of the CFP era: • 2025 Akron • 2024 Akron (practice reduction) • 2023 NMSU (COVID waiver) • 2023 LSU (COVID waiver) • 2014-17 Idaho,” Reddit CFP wrote.
Only a handful of FBS teams have fallen below the required academic threshold of 930 for postseason eligibility since the start of the CFP era:
• 2025 Akron
• 2024 Akron (practice reduction)
• 2023 NMSU (COVID waiver)
• 2023 LSU (COVID waiver)
• 2014-17 Idaho— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) May 6, 2025
The Akron Zips are not winning in school or on the field
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Akron has participated in three bowl games in its program history. Their last appearance was in the 2017 Boca Raton Bowl game, which they lost 50-3 to Lane Kiffin’s Florida Atlantic team. The Zips finished 7-7 that season and have not had a winning year since 2015.
Akron has had three consecutive 2-10 seasons, so their odds of making a bowl game weren’t great before their players struggled in the classroom.
The gridiron and classroom are not winning places for Akron students at the present moment.
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