Akron to honour late coach Jim Dennison before UNLV reunion game
Akron will reunite members of its 1976 team and commemorate late coach Jim Dennison when it hosts UNLV on 26 September.
The University of Akron will honour late coaching legend Jim Dennison before its home game against UNLV on 26 September, linking the fixture to one of the programme’s defining seasons.
Akron said the game at InfoCision Stadium will begin at noon and be televised on ESPN+. The tribute is being called “The Jim Dennison PMA Game”, a reference to Dennison’s coaching philosophy of “positive mental attitude”.
Members of Akron’s 1976 team will reunite for the occasion. That season, Akron defeated UNLV 27–6 in the Division II playoff quarter-final before beating Northern Michigan 29–26 in an overtime semi-final.
Akron went on to finish as the NCAA Division II national runner-up, losing 24–13 to Montana State in the championship game. The playoff victory over UNLV came nearly 50 years before the scheduled reunion.
Dennison, who died on 5 January 2026 aged 87, coached Akron for 13 years. He compiled a collegiate head-coaching record of 199–139–2 and is the winningest football coach in Akron and Walsh history.
