The 2016 Akron Zips football team represented the University of Akron in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Terry Bowden and played their home games at InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field. They were members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 5–7, 3–5 in MAC play to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division. 
  Schedule
 | Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | 
|---|
| September 3 | 6:30 p.m. | VMI* |  | ESPN3 | W 47–24 | 11,061 | 
 | September 10 | 3:30 pm | at No. 10 Wisconsin* |  | BTN | L 10–54 | 77,331 | 
 | September 17 | Noon | at Marshall* |  | CBSSN | W 65–38 | 24,258 | 
 | September 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Appalachian State* | InfoCision StadiumAkron, OH
 | ASN | L 38–45 | 15,381 | 
 | October 1 | 3:30 p.m. | at Kent State |  | ESPN3 | W 31–27 | 20,167 | 
 | October 8 | 3:00 p.m. | Miami (OH)  | InfoCision StadiumAkron, OH
 | ESPN3 | W 35–13 | 11,094 | 
 | October 15 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 24 Western Michigan | InfoCision StadiumAkron, OH
 | CBSSN | L 0–41 | 11,321 | 
 | October 22 | 3:00 p.m. | at Ball State |  | ESPN3 | W 35–25 | 10,739 | 
 |  | 7:30 p.m. | at Buffalo |  | BCSN | L 20–41 | 15,012 | 
 |  | 7:30 p.m. | Toledo | InfoCision StadiumAkron, OH
 | ESPN2 | L 17–48 | 6,559 | 
 |  | 8:00 p.m. | Bowling Green | InfoCision StadiumAkron, OH
 | ESPNU | L 28–38 | 6,605 | 
 |  | 7:00 p.m. | at Ohio |  | ESPNU | L 3–9 | 18,025 | 
 | *Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time
 | 
 [1] 
 Game summaries
 VMI
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Keydets | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 | 
  | Zips | 12 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 47 | 
   At Wisconsin
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Zips | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 
  | #10 Badgers | 9 | 21 | 10 | 14 | 54 | 
   At Marshall
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Zips | 7 | 34 | 7 | 17 | 65 | 
  | Thundering Herd | 21 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 38 | 
   Appalachian State
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Mountaineers | 10 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 45 | 
  | Zips | 0 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 38 | 
   At Kent State
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Zips | 3 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 31 | 
  | Golden Flashes | 7 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 27 | 
   Miami (OH)
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | RedHawks | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 
  | Zips | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 | 
   Western Michigan
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | #24 Broncos | 14 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 41 | 
  | Zips | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 
   At Ball State
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Zips | 0 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 35 | 
  | Cardinals | 7 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 
   At Buffalo
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Zips | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 
  | Bulls | 3 | 17 | 0 | 21 | 41 | 
   Toledo
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Rockets | 3 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 48 | 
  | Zips | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 
   Bowling Green
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Falcons | 7 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 38 | 
  | Zips | 0 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 28 | 
   At Ohio
    |  |  |  |  |  | Total | 
  | Zips | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 
  | Bobcats | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 
   Roster
  References
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| Venues |  | 
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| Bowls & rivalries |  | 
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| Culture & lore |  Zippy"Akron Blue and Gold"Zips Marching Band
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| People |  | 
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| Seasons |  | 
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