We’re in the portion of the college football season where it’s clear which teams are very good and have a shot at the College Football Playoff. Eastern Michigan and Akron are not some of the top teams in the country, but Mid-American Conference football deserves a spotlight, too, and they get it on Tuesday nights on ESPN.
This week’s MACtion featured the Zips hosting the Eagles, with the 0-9 kangaroos hoping to pull off an upset over EMU. And as you can see, there was a full house on hand to witness the action.
2 minutes from kick on ESPNews pic.twitter.com/30P1h4qvKn
— Stuckey (@Stuckey2) November 12, 2019
What those empty seats and a wide ESPN viewing audience saw, however, was one of the worst punts you’ll ever find in a college football game. We’ve showcased some incredibly good punts this season, but Akron’s Kato Nelson gave us what’s definitely the worst one.
0 yard QB punt! Spectacular theater only the MAC can provide. #MACtion pic.twitter.com/D3NEWwcQSk
— Texas Sports Unfiltered (@TSUnfiltered) November 12, 2019
The setup to the play was extremely MACtion as well — Akron was facing a 4th and 17 at the Eastern Michigan 37 when Nelson booted it straight up into the air. The camera did what it usually does on a punt, moving with what’s usually the flight of the ball toward the end zone, but then it froze when the operator realized that ball was going absolutely nowhere.
“This might be one of the worst punts you’ll see all season,” the ESPN broadcaster correctly stated during the punt that went zero yards.
It’s not a surprise that Akron did not allow Nelson to get another chance at a punt after that, with Jonah Wieland stepping in to kick it further than none yards. But not before we were given the MACtion highlight of the season.
