Sun Devil Stadium – Tempe, Arizona
The Kent State Golden Flashes begin their second season under head coach Sean Lewis Thursday night when they battle Arizona State. It is KSU's first encounter with a Pac-12 Conference team.
Here is a look at the two teams as they begin their 2019 campaign under the lights.
ABOUT ARIZONA STATE
➤➤ It took a while, but the Sun Devils finally got hot last year in their first season under first-year head coach Herman Edwards. An upset home win over Michigan State put ASU at 3-4 before the Devils posted victories in four of their final five regular season outings. The run included wins over Southern Cal, UCLA and arch-rival Arizona.
➤➤ ASU finished second to Utah in the PAC-12 Southern Division before losing to nationally ranked Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl. That left the Sun Devils with a 7-6 overall mark (5-2 PAC 12 South)
➤➤ As Edwards begins his second season in the Valley of the Sun, he will have 16 returning starters (eight on offense and eight on defense).
➤➤ The offense will be led by RB Emo Benjamin, one of the top running backs not only in the PAC-12, but in the entire county. He rushed for a school record 1,642 yards while scoring 16 touchdowns.
➤➤ The receivers lost their top man from a year ago, K‘Neal Harry, to the New England Patriots, but look for Kyle Williams who had 48 receptions and two touchdowns a year ago to step up, as well as junior WR Frank Darby
➤➤ The offensive line is led by senior C Cohl Cabral one of the top offensive linemen in the country
➤➤ The big question comes at quarterback. Junior Dillon Sterling Cave and Kerry Walback have been battling it out, with Edwards giving no indication who still start against the Flashes. Even freshman Jayden Daniels to also be in the early mix.
➤➤ ASU’s defense will be built around last season’s PAC-12 defensive player of the year in LB Merlin Robertson, who had 77 total tackles a season ago (44 solo) with five sacks.
➤➤ Also in the defensive secondary fellow sophomore Aashari Crosswell will be counted on.
➤➤ Arizona State has never beaten a MAC school. It is 0-2 (0-1 each against Miami and Toledo). The last game Sun Devils game against the MAC was in 1979 against the Rockets in Tempe
➤➤ ASU opens the season with two home games (KSU & Sacramento State) before a trip to Michigan State to battle the Spartans. The Devils then open PAC-12 play at home against Colorado
ABOUT KENT STATE
➤➤ The Golden Flashes look to end a four-game losing streak as they travel to Arizona State to face the Sun Devils.
➤➤ This is the first time a Kent State team will have faced a team from the PAC-12
➤➤ KSU is 32-38-3 in season openers and 15-31-2 on road openers
➤➤ The Flashes were picked fourth in the pre-season MAC poll
➤➤ Redshirt junior quarterback Woody Barrett had a solid season -- both with his arm and with his feet -- in 2018. He completed 58.7 percent of his passes for 2,339 yards, with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also ran for 503 yards with seven additional scores.
➤➤ The Golden Flashes defense under coordinator Tom Kaufman, brings back six starters, led by senior LB Matt Bahr. He registered 91 total tackles a season ago (50 solo), with three sacks and an interception. Junior CB Keith Sherald Jr who also had 91 total stops (29 solo) with three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery
➤➤ The Flashes return home next Saturday to open their home schedule against Kennesaw State before heading back on the road to Auburn.