AKRON, OHIO – The Kent State Golden Flashes ended a four-game losing streak to arch-rival Akron with a 26-3 victory Saturday afternoon before a homecoming crowd of 22,619 at InfoCision Stadium
With the victory, Kent State (3-3, 2-0 MAC) gained . . .
Meanwhile, Akron (0-6, 0-2) dropped its 11th consecutive game overall and sixth straight in MAC play.
The Flashes took the lead on the game’s opening possession as junior QB Dustin Crum connected with sophomore WR Isiah McKoy on a 49-yard catch and run. McKoy caught the ball on a skinny post from right to left and was all alone heading into thje end zone.
There was no further scoring in the opening stanza. However, the Zips took their opening possession from their own 26-yard line to the KSU 29 before freshman PK Crey Smigel missed a 46-yard field goal.
At the start of the second quarter, UA reached the scoreboard as Kato Nelson and the Zips moved the ball from their own 11 to the Flashes seven. When the defense stiffened. Smigel connected on a 24-yard field goal to make the score 7-3.
KSU countered with a field goal of its own, moving the ball from the Flashes own 23 to the Zips 19. Sophomore Matthew Trickett then hig the first of four field goals -- this one a career high, 36-yarder -- increasing the margin to 10-3.
Just before halftime, the Flashes took control of the contest. Following a UA punt to the 17-yard line. The KSU offense moved 83 yards in11 plays.
The key plays in the drive were three running plays that gained 33 yards. Crum gained 19 and Will Matthews added 14. The fifth year senior ended the drive with a five-yard blast up the middle to make the score 17-3 at halftime.
Matthews, a fifth year senior, led the ground attack with 126 yards on 35 carries and the touchdown.
The home team had a chance to get back into the game early in the third quarter as Akron reached the KSU two. However, facing a fourth down, Nelson was sacked by LB Kesean Gamble.
In effect, that was UA’s final chance to get back into the game.
Nelson finished the contest completing 17-of-28 passes for 202 yards, while also leading the Zips ground attack with 64 yards on 14 carries.
Kent State ended the third quarter and began thje fourth with a trio of Trickett three-pointers (43, 45, and 43 yards).
NOTES
-- KSU outgained UA 382-297 with 233 of those yards coming on the ground. They also were effective on third down going 6-of-13
-- Defensively, junior CB Elvis Hines led the Flashes with 11 total tackles (10 solo) and a sack, while The Zips were led by sophomore LB Bubba Arslanian with 15 total stops (six solo)
Kent State returns to the road net Saturday when it heads to Ohio. The Bobcats lost to Northern Illinois 39-36.
Akron faces Buffalo at home. The Bulls had the week off after losing to the Bobcats at home by one point 21-20 last week.