 It is sometimes amazing what just one win can do for a team. For the Kent State Golden Flashes, it means getting back into the teeth of the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division race.
Two weeks ago at Toledo, the Flashes squandered a pair of 14-point leads including 21-7 halftime advantage, as the Rockets scored 27 unanswered points while taking a 34-21 decision.
Last Saturday, they again traveled west on the Ohio Turnpike into Northwest Ohio, but this time it was against a struggling Bowling Green Falcons team. The Flashes dominated on the way to a 30-6 win.
Not only did KSU avenge a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Falcons a season ago, it also ended a three-game losing streak to BG, winning at Doyt Perry Stadium for just the fourth time since 1966.
At the heart of the victory was their defense, which held BGSU to -10 yards rushing -- the second time this season the KSU defense forced the opposition into negative yards rushing (they held Murray State to -65 yards in the season opener). In addition, the Falcons were held to just 135 yards in total offense, the second lowest of the season (Murray State had 69 total yards).
FROSH SHINE ON 'D'
Freshman defensive tackle Roosevelt Nix had another solid game with two sacks and three tackles for losses, a pass knockdown and a pair of hits on BG quarterback Matt Schilz as he continues to lead the MAC in sacks with 8 ½ (for -76 yards), quarterback hurries (seven), forced fumbles (four), and in TFL’s with 16 (11 solo) for -96 yards. Fellow freshman, DB Luke Wollet led the team with a career best 10 tackles and grabbed his second interception of the season. Senior DB Brian Lainhart also had an interception, the 16th of his career.
Offensively, sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith completed 26-of-32 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Tyshon Goode had 12 receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns - all career highs - and was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week.
Running back Jacquise Terry had 94 yards rushing on 22 carries, while placekicker Freddy Cortez made three field goals and three extra points to garner MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
The question now becomes, can Kent State sustain this level of play?
Coming off an impressive performance, KSU head coach Doug Martin challenged his squad.
“Our team is doing some things other Kent State teams have been unable to do. …The next question is, can we repeat it and get on a winning streak.” Martin said in his Monday press conference.
Kent State (3-4 , 2-2 MAC) finishes this 2010 campaign with four of its final five games at home. That stretch begins this Saturday with a visit from the Ball State Cardinals (2-6, 1-3 MAC). This is just the 25th lifetime meeting between the two schools and the first in Northeast Ohio since 2003.
BSU has won three straight in the series and 14 of the last 15 meetings, including a 41-20 victory in Muncie back in 2008. KSU’s last win (31-18) was at Schuneman Stadium in 2001. The Flashes have not defeated the Cardinals in Kent since 1985 (45-16).
The Cardinals come into the game losers of three straight and six of the last seven games. Last Saturday at Toledo, they coughed up a 17-0 lead as the Rockets scored 31 unanswered points en route to a 31-24 victory. It was the second time in as many games BSU squandered a big lead. Two weeks ago at home, the Cardinals let a 14-point lead go through their hands as Eastern Michigan picked up a 41-38 win in overtime.
EMOTION METER
BSU head coach Stan Parrish said earlier in the week that his team has been “down in the dumps” due to a string of losses since beating Central Michigan back on October 2. ‘Emotions are never high on Mondays if you lose.” Parrish said. “Our emotion meter was very low last week at this time (following the loss to EMU), very low, but by Saturday (against UT) when we got on the bus, I felt good about where we were.”
The Cardinals are led offensively by a freshman quarterback in Keith Wenning who on the season has completed only 53.9 percent of his passes (76-for-141) for 758 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions stepping in for incumbent Kelly Page who has struggled moving the ball consistently.
The key man to the offense is Eric Williams. The sophomore leads the Cards in rushing with 425 yards and three touchdowns. He is most dangerous in the return game, as he leads the MAC in kickoff returns, averaging 31.7 yards, and has scored a touchdown. In addition, he leads the MAC in all-purpose yards, averaging 148.6 per game.
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Defensively, sophomore linebacker Travis Freeman leads the team in tackles with 79 (33 solo), fourth best in the MAC. Defensive end Robert Eddins leads in sacks with six (four solo), and defensive back Sean Baker has four interceptions, tied for third in the league.
Last season, Kent State used a three-game run to get into the East race. They look for their third win in the last four games this Saturday with Temple coming to town next Saturday.
HONOR FOR CRIBBS
In addition to seeing a key MAC East game, fans attending Saturday’s matchup will also witness the retirement of former KSU star Josh Cribbs’ number nine. Cribbs was a quarterback for Kent State from 2001-04 and owns eight different school records, including touchdowns (38), passing yards (7,169) and completions (616). In addition, Cribbs was just the second player in NCAA history to record a pair of 1,000 yard rushing and passing seasons.
Cribbs, a member of the Cleveland Browns, is now one of the top kick returners in the National Football League and has a pair of Pro Bowl selections. He is one of nine Kent State players currently playing in the NFL - including Antonio Gates (San Diego), Julian Edelman (New England), and James Harrison (Pittsburgh).
Cribbs’ number will be the fourth retired by the school. Others were Jim Corrigall (79), Jack Lambert (99), and Eric Wilkerson (40). The game will be televised in the Kent area on WJW-TV8 (Fox) and will be available through the ESPN GamePlan.
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