In 2015, the Zips finished the season at 8–5 with a 5–3 record in MAC play to finish in a tie for second place in the MAC East Division. To kick off the season, Bowden led the Zips into Norman, Oklahoma for a showdown against one of the country's all-time college football powers, No. 10 Oklahoma. The Zips would lose by a score of 41–3. Akron would then lose to Pittsburgh the following week to start the season at 0–2. Akron would pick up its first win of the 2015 campaign the following week against Savannah State. Akron beat Louisiana-Lafayette in game four by a score of 35–14. The following week, the Zips lost to Ohio, before defeating Eastern Michigan by a score of 47–21. The Zips then lost to Bowling Green and Central Michigan before finishing the season on a five-game winning streak, defeating UMass, Miami (OH), Buffalo to attain bowl eligibility, Kent State in the regular season finale, and Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.