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Kent State (2-3, 1-1 MAC) forced five turnovers, recorded seven sacks, scored two defensive touchdowns and held Akron (0-6, 0-2 MAC) to just 195 yards in total offense.  In defeating their local rival for the first  time since 2006 KSU regained possession of ‘”he Wagon Wheel” trophy that has gone to the winner of the game since 1946.

“I am really proud of our team, our administration, and our fans” KSU head coach Doug Martin said after the game. “Getting that (wagon) wheel back for the first time in three years was huge.”

The Zips are now winless this late in the season for the first time since 2002 and the fourth time in their history.

“It was two teams slugging it out. Our players played with the kind of effort and heart that I had hoped for. They just made a few more plays than we did,” UA head coach Rob Ianello said afterward.

UA started the game as if it was going to finally break out of an early season offensive malaise. Utilizing a “wildcat” offense with running back Nate Burney taking the snap, the Zips fashioned a 12-play, 89-yard drive. The key play of the drive was Burney handing the ball to wide receiver Jalil Carter who ran  38 yards down to the Kent State two. From there, senior running back Alex Allen went in for the game’s first score.

“I felt like the wildcat was a good complement in our offense today,” Ianello said. “We got some things out of it.”
 
The Golden Flashes defense tied the score at  7-7 after a punt by Nate Rinehart pushed the Zips at their two-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Nicely, under tremendous pressure, threw an off-balance pass that was intercepted by Luke Wollet. The freshman went 12-yards for a touchdown with his first career interception.

“I was just trying to do my job, not trying to do too much. I read his (Nicely’s) eyes, and he made the mistake,” Wollet said

It would then be a long afternoon offensively for Akron has they managed just 195 yards in total offense. It was the third time this season the offense failed to gain at least 200 yards. The Zips added to their offensive struggles with turnovers. After entering the contest with just four turnovers in four games, UA had five against Kent State. Two resulted in a pair of  defensive touchdowns, (making it three in the last two games).

Kent State put a stamp on the contest in the second quarter, as it put together a nine-play, 63-yard drive. Quarterback Spencer Keith found sophomore wide receiver Tyshon Goode in the back right corner of the end zone on a fade route to give the Golden Flashes a 14-7 lead.

KSU would extend the lead later in the period. Taking possession on its own 10-yard line after an Akron punt, the Flashes marched 90-yards in 12-plays. Keith had two key pass completions on the drive, as well as a 13-yard run on a keeper. The drive was also aided by a 15-yard personal four penalty on UA. Junior running back Jacquise Terry took the ball the final six yards into the end zone to make the score 21-7.

Keith, the sophomore from Little Rock, Arkansas, completed 17-of-34 passes for 186 yards with no interceptions and the touchdown strike to Goode. “Spencer put in a lot of work last week,” wide receiver Sam Kirkland said “He had a couple of rough games, but he had an  outstanding game today.”

 “He played excellent. He played really, really well.” Martin said of Keith.
 
Akron’s sputtering offense showed some life after the KSU touchdown. Using the no-huddle offense, Nicely moved the offense from his own 40-yard line to the Kent State 18. Two key receptions by freshman tight end Richard Hall were the catalyst to the drive. A sack by freshman defensive tackle Roosevelt Nix ended any hope for a touchdown, but on the final play of the first half, UA got three-points as senior place kicker Igor Iveljic connected on a 41-yard field goal to narrow Kent State’s lead to 21-10 at halftime.

Akron’s defense, a unit that gave up a total of 132 points and 1,492 yards over the last three games, started to show some mettle of their own in the third quarter.

After the Zips held KSU to just one first down on their opening possession and forced a punt, UA marched 75-yards in 12 plays to get right back into the game with a touchdown.  The drive was aided by a roughing the passer penalty on third down-and-27. UA then had a fourth-down from the KSU 10 and lined up for a short Iveljic field goal attempt. Instead of kicking, however, they went deep into the playbook. With wide receiver Jeremy LaFrance serving as holder instead of punter Zach Campbell (who usually holds on place kicks), LaFrance took the snap, saw an opening on the left side of the line, and ran the ball for a touchdown to make the score 21-17

When asked about the fake field goal, Ianello said “We have had that play in for a couple of weeks and we felt we had a good look to run at, so we went with it.”

The rest of the quarter was a battle of punts and field position. KSU did have a chance to match the Akron score with one of their own on the possession after the touchdown. The Flashes moved the ball from their 22 to the Akron 29. However, Martin decided it was too long for a field goal attempt so the offense went for it on fourth down and one. That gamble failed, though, when running back Dri Archer was hit in the backfield.

The UA defense statistically played its best game of the season as it held KSU to just 261 yards. They also forced the Golden Flashes into four three-and-outs where they had just two in the last four games.

Kent State sealed the game late in the fourth quarter with its second defensive touchdown of the contest. Pinned inside their five-yard line on another punt by Rinehart, Nicely went back to pass from his end zone on third down when he was hit by Nix. The QB’s fumble was recovered by sophomore linebacker Luke Batton recovered for a touchdown to make the score 28-17.

Defensive backs Norman Wolfe, and Calvin Taylor added some exclamation points with interceptions to assure the Golden Flashes first MAC win of the season and a 2-0 record at home. “We needed something to bring us together.” Martin said. “

Both teams are one the road next week with Kent State heading to Toledo to take on the Rockets, while Akron heads to Athens to battle the Ohio Bobcats.

GAME BALLS:
OFFENSE: SAM KIRKLAND-KENT STATE. The junior wide receiever from Chesapeake, Virginia caught nine passes for 109 yards including a 40-yard catch in the third quarter. It was the second time this season Kirkland has gone over 100 yards.

DEFENSE: ROOSEVELT NIX & LUKE WOLLET-KENT STATE. Nix, a freshman from Reynoldsburg, Ohio had 3 ½ sacks on the afternoon and the forced fumble in the fourth quarter in the end zone that Luke Batton recovered for a touchdown. Wollet a fellow freshman from Poland, Ohio got the Golden Flashes going with his first quarter interception return for a touchdown.

 SPECIAL TEAMS: MATT RINEHART.-KENT STATE. The junior punter from Dover, Ohio averaged 41.2 yards on nine kicks during the afternoon but six of them were inside the 20 with three inside the 10 (two coming in the fourth quarter)

NOTES: The game was 53rd lifetime meeting between the two schools with Akron holding a 30-21-2 advantage…The two schools are separated by 11.6 miles of Ohio Route 59…Kent State’s win ended a four-game MAC losing streak dating back to last season (last win was October 30,2009 vs Western Michigan)…Akron now has an 11-game MAC road losing streak (last road win October 18,2008 at Eastern Michigan)…The game featured a combined 23 penalties and 190 penalty yards (125 for KSU)…Luke Wollet-KSU scored the Golden Flashes first defensive touchdown since 2006…KSU head Coach Doug Martin is 2-5 lifetime against Akron (1-0 vs Rob Ianello)…The game was homecoming at Dix Stadium…The game was televised by Sportstime Ohio as part of their new television agreement with the MAC…Kent State defensive coach Jim Fleming was on Akron’s coaching staff from 2004-09 (J.D. Brookhart’s staff)…MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher attended the game