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KENT STATE 28, OHIO U 6

“Words can’t explain it,” running back Eugene Jarvis said. “Coach Martin gave us all a chance to play Division I-A football. Our main thing was to send him out on a winning note.”

The Ohio loss meant the Miami RedHawks reign as MAC Eastern Division champs for the first time since 2004. They will play Western Division champion Northern Illinois in the 2010 Marathon MAC Football Championship Friday December 3 (7 P.M., ET) at Ford Field in Detroit.

Kent State (5-7, 4-4 MAC) ended a three-game losing streak as it defeated the Bobcats for the second consecutive year and third in the last four, garnering its first home victory over the Cats since 2004.

Assistant Head Coach Jerry McManus read a statement from Martin after the game, explaining he announced his resignation earlier in the week to “make sure the game was about the players” and to “take pressure off the players.” Martin had been unavailable for comment since the announcement of his decision.

Ohio (8-4, 6-2 MAC) saw its seven-game winning streak, their longest since 2006, come to an end as it finished the regular season with a 4-2 record away from Athens.

“We weren’t able to get anything going offensively.” Ohio Head Coach Frank Solich said afterward. “We hung in there defensively but couldn’t force any turnovers (and) could not make any difference in the game.”

What kind of day would it be for the Bobcats? Their first offensive possession was a tell-tale sign. Taking the opening kickoff on their own 32-yard line, and going into a 17-mile per hour wind, Ohio’s quarterback duo of fourth-year junior Phil Bates and fifth-year senior Boo Jackson moved OU to the KSU 20, where the drive stalled. Placekicker Matt Weller came on to attempt a 37-yard field, but it was blocked.

Kent State could not move the ball on its first possession, so sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith employed a quick-kick on fourth down, pinning the Cats on their own one-yard line.

The kick would lead to the game’s first score. On the second play after the punt, Jackson went back to pass in the end zone and was hit by senior linebacker Cobrani Mixon. The ball popped up in the air and sophomore linebacker Luke Batton snatched the pigskin for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

There was no further scoring until early in the second quarter when the KSU defense forced the Cats into a three-and-out. On fourth down from the Ohio 20, punter Paul Hershey tried to run for a first down and failed, coming three yards short.

KSU took over and marched to its second touchdown as Keith engineered an eight-play drive, capping it with a one-yard quarterback option into the end zone to make the score 14-0.

Ohio finally got on the scoreboard on its next possession following the kickoff. Jackson moved the offense from his own 31 to the Kent State 29 before the defense stiffened. Weller came on and connected on a line drive, 51-yard field goal with the wind at his back to make the score 14-3 at halftime.

It was a game of defense in the first 30 minutes, with both teams combining for just 194 total yards. But Kent State took advantage of its opportunities to carry that 11-point advantage going into the third quarter, when the Bobcats had a golden chance to get back into the game. After stopping KSU on a three-and-out, punter Matt Rinehart kicked into the teeth of the wind. Returner Travis Currie returned the kick 34 yards to the KSU 19.

The running of Jackson, and senior running back Vince Davison, coupled with a personal foul penalty, had the Cats in business at the KSU four. However, a one-yard run by Jackson and two incomplete passes in the end zone forced Weller into action, and he converted a 21-yard field goal to make the score 14-6.

Coming into the game, the Ohio offense ranked first in the MAC, and was one of the best in the Football Bowl Subdivision in red zone offense, converting 35-of-39 opportunities inside the opponents 20 (31 one of them touchdowns.) On this day, the Cats made one of two tries and that was just a field goal.

“We had been doing a great job down in the red zone scoring touchdowns. That was kind of tough for us. It was just part of what happened to us all game long,” Solich said.

The rest of the quarter was a battle of punts and field position, with Kent State taking most of the time using the running game. At the start of the fourth quarter, the Flashes looked to extend their lead, but placekicker Freddy Cortez’s 49-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright and bounced away.

KSU, however, would soon get another opportunity to score. On the first play after the missed field goal, Jackson was pressured and then hit by senior linebacker Monte Simmons when Jackson attempted to pass. The Ball fluttered into the air, where fifth-year senior Dan Hartman intercepted at the Ohio 37.

From there, Keith and the offense turned it into six points in just three plays, with Jarvis ending the drive on a 26-yard run when he took the handoff, broke a tackle, and moved outside for a touchdown. Jarvis finished the day with 106 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown as he moved past Josh Cribbs into third place on the all-time KSU rushing list with 3,760 yards.

Jarvis, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA this past winter after a kidney injury ended his 2009 campaign, injured his groin in the season opening win over Murray State. He did not return to action until the Army game, when he had 71 yards and a touchdown. Last week in the 38-3 loss at Western Michigan, he had 72 yards on 26 carries.

With their chances of winning the East slipping away, the Cats gambled a second time on fourth down and lost when a faked punt run came up short. The Flashes failed to convert it into points, but the clock was ticking.

On the Cats next possession, pinned again deep in OU territory, Jackson fumbled after he was flushed out of the pocket on a third down from his own 14. The officials ruled that Jackson was down before the fumble. However, the play was reviewed Mixon credited with the recovery after the ruling was overturned. “I saw him (Jackson) roll over and it came out I was just trying to get on it (the ball).” Mixon said.

Two plays later, senior Andre Flowers ended the scoring with a 10-yard run up the middle to assure the Flashes fifth win of 2010, matching their total from last year.

One key to the game was the resurgence of the Kent State rush defense. After being one of the best in the entire FBS for most of the season, the unit was scorched for 492 yards over the last two games, allowing their first 100-yard rushers of the season last week when WMU’s Brian Fields and Tevin Drake each rushed for over 100 yards.

“This season has not gone the way any of us wanted to. At least we went out with the seniors and Coach Martin on a high note,” senior Brian Lainhart said.

Ohio managed just 50 yards on the ground, second lowest of the season. Davidson, the Cats leading rusher coming into the game, was held to just 19 yards on seven carries. “It was just a frustrating day offensively.” Solich said. “Our inability to move the ball and put points on the board, I think, were huge in this game” 

Kent State, meanwhile, made the most of its opportunities. Three weeks ago in a home loss to Temple, KSU registered blocked two punts, had two interceptions and held the Owls twice inside the five-yard line, only to came away with no offensive touchdowns. Against the Cats, they had two interceptions, two recovered fumbles, a blocked field goal, and stopped two fourth-down fake punts.

Ohio managed just 183 total yards, the Bobcats’ second lowest of the season, and failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season. It was the fourth time in 2010 that KSU has allowed the opposition less than 200 total yards.

While the Cats look to a possible bowl game, Kent State looks to hiring a new head coach and an opening date in 2011 at national power Alabama.

GAME BALLS:
OFFENSE: EUGENE JARVIS-KENT STATE…The senior from Pittsburgh gained 106 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown in his final game for the Blue and Gold…It was the 18th 100-yard rushing game for Jarvis, who during the game passed Josh Cribbs into third place on KSU’s all-time rushing list with 3,760 yards.

DEFENSE: LUKE BATTON & DAN HARTMAN –KENT STATE. Batton, a sophomore from Macedonia, Ohio snared Boo Jackson’s fumble in the end zone in the first quarter for the Flashes first touchdown. It was his second of the season and fourth by the defense in 2010…Hartman, a fifth-year senior from Leavittsburg, Ohio had two interceptions - one leading to a KSU touchdown

SPECIAL TEAMS: SPENCER KEITH-KENT STATE…The sophomore quarterback from Little Rock, Arkansas had two quick-kicks averaging 32 yards, but both were crucial in the battle for field position, pinning the Bobcats deep inside their 10-yard line.

SPECIAL GAME BALL; DOUG MARTIN-KENT STATE…Martin announced his resignation on Sunday, completing seven seasons at KSU head coach compiling a 29-53 record. He led the Flashes to their first ever win over a BCS school in 2007 defeating Iowa State…The 28-17 win over Akron this year regained the Wagon Wheel Trophy for the first time since 1006.

NOTES: This was the 63rd meeting between the two schools ( second longest in KSU history to Bowling Green’s 78)…Ohio leads the all-time series 38-23-3…32nd game at Kent (21-10-1 Ohio)….It was the final game for 16 Kent State seniors..RB Jacquise Terry-KSU did not play in the game but earlier in the week was named to the ESPN/COSIDA First-Team All-Academic squad with a 3.66 GPA in aeronautics…The touchdown by Luke Batton was Kent State’s fourth defensive touchdown of the season and second by Batton (the others were Luke Wollet INT against Akron and Dorian Wood INT against Ball State)…Ohio has scored 336 points this season (fifth most in school history)…KSU Head Coach Doug Martin finishes his career with a 29-53 record going 4-3 lifetime against Ohio and 4-2 against Frank Solich…The game was nationally televised (ESPNU) the first-ever nationally televised game at Dix Stadium…This is the second consecutive year KSU has played a home game on the Friday after Thanksgiving (last year was a 9-6 loss to Buffalo)…Tyshon Goode & Sam Kirkland-KSU are the first pair of wide receivers in school history to have over 50 receptions in the same season (Goode 59 & Kirkland 56)…The crowd of 8,340 pushed Kent State over the 90,000 mark on home attendance this season.