 KENT STATE 35, AKRON 3 Kent State (4-6, 3-3 MAC) picked up its third consecutive victory for the first time since 2009, defeated the Zips in Akron for the first time since 2003 at the Rubber Bowl, and defeated the Zips in consecutive games for the first time since 1987-88
“I love this football team.” First-year head coach Darrell Hazell said after the game. “We had our backs against the wall a few weeks ago; we just keep scrapping. I love their work ethic and determination.”
Today we had a tremendous performance in all three phases (of the game)” Hazell said. “We played great defense, holding them to a field goal. We made some big plays on offense and had some plays on special teams.”
Akron (1-9, 0-6 MAC) suffered its sixth consecutive loss. The Zips have lost 20 of their last 22 games overall and 13 of their last 14 Mid-American Conference games.
CLOSE GAME THROUGH INTERMISSION
“It was a very competitive game at the half.” UA Head Coach Rob Ianello said afterward. “Coming out for the second half, I thought we were in for a heck of a game -- a four-quarter game. The momentum swings in the second half, and we clearly did not handle it.”
Freshman running back Trayion Durham rushed for a career best 107 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Golden Flashes offense came up with its third consecutive solid performance gaining, 380 total yards while scoring a season high in points.
The defense limited UA to just 223 total yards, holding running back Jawon Chisholm to just 26 yards on nine carries. Coming into the game, the freshman had 819 yards on the season , putting him among the top five running backs in the MAC.
“We played great today,” fifth-year senior Lee Stalker said. “We got a lot of pressure on Moore. He is one of the toughest quarterbacks to play in the MAC. The secondary did great giving us time to get to him. We got a handful of sacks and pressure on him.”
FLASHES HAVE NIX FACTOR
Sophomore tackle Roosevelt Nix created havoc for the UA offense the entire game. The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year had just six tackles in the contest, but batted down two passes on consecutive plays and was constantly in the backfield.
“Rosie always seems to be in the right place at the right time.” Stalker said. “It was one of his best games I have seen him play. He had a great game last year against Akron. He is outstanding.”
It was a beautiful November day for football, complete with sunshine and a temperature in the 50’s. However, there was a 15-mile per hour wind coming from the south, and it would play a significant role in the game.
KSU took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards in just five plays to take the lead. Facing a third down from the UA 30, junior quarterback Spencer Keith used a play-action fake with the UA defense in tight and found a wide open Chris Gilbert over the middle. The senior took it into the end zone and the Flashes had just a 6-0 lead after junior place kicker Freddy Cortez pulled his extra point attempt wide to the left.
AKRON CUTS DEFICIT
UA got its first -- and only -- points of the contest midway through the opening quarter. Taking possession on the KSU 46 after a short punt against the wind, the Zips offense moved to the KSU 25, where the defense stiffened. Freshman place kicker A.J. Fox connected on a 42-yard field goal to narrow the Golden Flashes lead to 6-3.
That would, in fact, be the deepest penetration the Zips offense would get for the remainder of the game as the Flashes defense put the clamps on UA’s offense.
KSU added a score midway through the second quarter. After the UA field goal, the game turned into a battle for field position. KSU, with the wind at its back, took possession on its own 34. Keith engineered a drive that took them to the Zips 28, where the drive stalled. Cortez came on and kicked a 46-yard field goal to give KSU a 9-3 lead at halftime.
At the start of the third quarter, Kent State began to take control of the game. After holding the Zips to a three-and-out deep in their own territory, a short Zach Campbell punt gave KSU the ball on the UA 44.
GOAL LINE PLAY IS HUGE
From there, Keith engineered a seven-play drive, all on the ground. Durham capped the drive, launching himself toward the goal line on a fourth down play. UA safety Devonte Morgan met Durham head on and apparently stopped him short of the goal line. However, the officials ruled that Durham had broken the plane of the goal line. The call on the field was confirmed by the replay official in the press box, and KSU extended their lead to 16-3.
“I thought that was a big momentum play for us.” Hazell said. I wasn’t sure (he had scored) when they were reviewing the play because he landed in the field of play and I did not know he had broken the plane (of the goal line). That was a big play for us.”
Durham came into the game as Golden Flashes leading rusher. He has increased his rushing totals over the last five games since he was held to just 18 yards against Ohio back on October 1st. Over the last two games, especially, he has run for 197 yards and has scored three touchdowns.
Later in the quarter, a punt by Campbell that went off the side of his foot traveled only 10 yards, giving the Flashes the ball on the UA 32. They quickly capitalized as three plays later they scored their another touchdown when Keith rolled out and found sophomore fullback Tim Erjavec in the end zone from six-yards out to increase the KSU lead to 23-3.
The Zips finally moved the ball for the first time in the period, advancing from their own 20 to the KSU 40 where they faced a fourth down and three. Sophomore quarterback Clayton Moore, under heavy pressure, threw an incomplete pass. The ball was turned over on downs, and KSU then put the game away.
KEITH SHOWS SOME WHEELS
As Keith went back to pass on a second down play, he was flushed out of the pocket. He rolled to his right and turned upfield. By the time he was pushed out of bounds, he gained 59 yards, putting the ball on the one. Durham then capped the drive with his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard touchdown plunge. It was a 29-3 contest as Cortez missed a second PAT; this one was blocked.
“I saw an opening after I pulled the ball down.” Keith said. “I got a little winded about the 20 and I wanted to take it in, but we scored on the next play.”
During the current three-game winning streak, Keith has taken control of the offense and is playing his best football of the season. He only threw the ball 16 times Saturday against UA, but he completed 11 for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Earlier in the season, he was constantly under pressure, making critical mistakes and struggling overall. However, during this stretch Keith has completed 44-of-70 passes for 575 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. His only turnover was a fumble going back to pass early in the game against Bowling Green.
FLASHES HOLD THE LINE
KSU ended the scoring early in the fourth quarter, when the defense stopped UA on fourth down -- a second consecutive time turning the ball over on downs -- at the Flashes 42. From there it took eight plays, seven on the ground, to find the Zips end zone. Terry finished the drive with an 11-yard run. Cortez missed his third PAT of the game (another block), but the Flashes had the game truly in hand.
“I thought at halftime, if he would get another major score, that would be the nail in the coffin. We took the wind in the third quarter and it snowballed from there.” Hazell said. “The third quarter was big for us.”
KSU scored 20 points and gained 140 total yards while holding UA to three straight three-and-outs.
For UA, Moore completed 18-of-33 passes for 155 yards before being relieved by junior quarterback Patrick Nicely for the second consecutive game and third in the last four. Junior linebacker Brian Wagner had 12 tackles, along with a half a sack and a tackle for loss. Sophomore cornerback Anthony Holmes had 11 stops.
However, the Zips have scored just six points over the last two games and have not scored a touchdown since the final play of the Central Michigan.game.
KSU looks for its first four-game winning streak since 2006 next Saturday in its final home game against Eastern Michigan. UA ends the season with two straight on the road, the first coming at Buffalo.
GAMERS
OFFENSE: TRAYION DURHAM-KENT STATE: The freshman FROM Cincinnati had a career high 107 yards on 24 carries with two touchdowns. It was his first 100-yard rushing game and first career multi-touchdown game. He became the first KSU running back to gain 100 yards since Jacquise Terry in 2009 at Ohio.
DEFENSE: ROOSEVELT NIX-KENT STATE: The sophomore from Reynoldsburg, Ohio had just six tackles on the day, but he constantly fought off tackles and was literally in the UA backfield the entire game. On a drive late in the game, he batted down two passes all by himself.
SPECIAL TEAMS: THE AKRON SPECIAL TEAMS: They blocked two Kent State point after touchdowns -- their first since 2008.
NOTES
The game was the 54th in the series, with Akron leading 30-22-2…The 34th in Akron, with the Zips leading 22-9-2 and the second in InfoCision Stadium (Akron won the previous meeting there, 28-20)…It was the 41st game for ‘The Wagon Wheel’ …The 32-point margin of victory was the fourth biggest by KSU in the series…Brian Wagner-AKR had 12 tackles in the game; it marked the ninth time this season and the 24th time in 35 career games that he has registered 10 or more tackles in a game… This was the first meeting between Darrell Hazell-KSU and Rob Ianello-AKR as head coaches…The game was televised on Sportstime Ohio the fifth consecutive year the game was televised…The announced crowd of 19,889 was UA’s largest of the season.
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