If playing meaningful games in late November can be called a measure, then the Kent State Golden Flashes seem to be making progress.
Friday’s game between KSU and the Eastern Michigan Eagles has plenty of meaning -- specifically regarding upcoming bowls.
The Eagles are . . .
The Flashes are riding a two-game win streak -- both in dramatic fashion -- and still have a shot to post their most wins since 2012, when they won the MAC Eastern Division Title.
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EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES (6-5, 4-3)
Friday November 29 -- Noon
Rynearson Stadium – Ypsilanti, Michigan
Saturday’s game is the 32nd overall meeting between the two schools, with the Flashes holding a 17-14 advantage. They have won four of the last five meeting in the series.
The game is the 16th to be played in Ypsilanti and first since 2012 with the Eagles holding a slim 8-7 edge. The two schools ended the 2018 season at Dix Stadium, where EMU prevailed 28-20, breaking a four-game KSU winning streak in the series.
Here is more on the two teams . . .
>> EMU was in action last Saturday at Northern Illinois, picking up a 43-17 victory to end an 11-game losing streak to the Huskies. The Eagles broke open a 14-7 halftime lead, scoring 24 points in the third quarter
>> EMU opened the season going 3-1 in its first four games, including a game-winning field goal in the final seconds at Illinois. It then opened MAC play with losses to Central Michigan and Ball State before a 34-17 win over Western Michigan. That was followed with losses at Toledo and against Buffalo before two recent wins on the road at Akron and NIU.
>> Head Coach Chris Creighton is completing his sixth season with the Eagles. He has a 29-45 record at EMU and is 167-91 overall. Creighton has now led EMU to bowl eligibility for two consecutive seasons -- a first in school history. Last season, Eastern lost to Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl.
>> The Eagles' offense is averaging 29.4 points and 393.1 yards.
>> Senior QB Mike Glass III runs the offense. Last week against NIU, he completed 20-of-24 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns while garnering MAC West Offensive Player of the Week honors
>> On the season, Glass III has passed for 2,472 yards (which leads the MAC), completing 209-of-318 passes with 19 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
>> Senior RB Shaq Vann leads the ground attack with 584 yards and seven touchdowns (10th in the MAC). He gained 101 yards and a touchdown last week against the Huskies
>> The defense is allowing 30 points and 426.3 yards per game going into the regular season finale
>> Junior LB Kobie Beltran leads with 104 total tackles (41 solo).
>> The Eagles are 10-3 in the month of November over the past four seasons.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (5-6, 3-3)
>> The Golden Flashes last Saturday defeated Ball State 41-38 for their second consecutive victory as PK Matthew Trickett kicked a 22-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining for the victory
>> It was Trickett’s third game-winning field goal this season -- the others coming at home against Kennesaw State in overtime and the week before on a 44-yarder against Buffalo as time expired.
>> The victory was KSU’s fifth of the season the most since they won the Eastern Division, played in the MAC Championship Game and faced Arkansas State in the Go Daddy Bowl. A win over EMU would be their sixth of the season and their first three-game winning streak since 2012.
>> QB Dustin Crum had a career game against BSU, passing for 369 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 101 yards and a score. Crum became the first KSU quarterback to rush for 100 yards and pass for over 300 yards in a game since Josh Cribbs in 2003.
>> Crum was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week. It was the second time he has garnered the award this season
>> On the season, Crum has completed 67.8 percent of his passes (179-of-264) for 2,139 yards with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions (one each against Buffalo and Miami and both at home). He also leads the Blue and Gold in rushing with 509 yards and three scores.
>> WR Isiah McKoy and Mike Carrigan each went over 100 yards receiving the first pair for the Flashes since 1997. McKoy had six catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns and Carrigan had 178 yards on eight receptions
>> RB Xavier Williams scored his fourth touchdown in the last three games against the Cards
>> McKoy leads the team in receptions with 45 for 686 yards and seven touchdowns
>> PK Matthew Trickett leads all place kickers in the MAC with 97 points, going 22-of-26 on field goals, and is a perfect 41-of-41 on extra points
>> DB Jamal Parker is fifth in kickoff returns averaging 24.3 yards per return
>> P Derek Adams is second in MAC punting averaging 42.3 yards per kick
>> LB Mandela Lawrence-Burke had 14 total tackles against the Cards, including a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery> He leads the KSU defense with 86 total tackles (47 solo)