Two Mid-American Conference teams still clinging to bowl hopes battle Saturday at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio.
Both the Kent State Golden Flashes and the Ball State Cardinals own four victories and need to win their final two games to reach bowl eligibility.
Kent State is coming back from . . .
Ball State, meanwhile, has lost its last lat three games, including last Saturday heartbreaking one-point loss to Central Michigan
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KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (4-6, 3-3)
Saturday November 23 -- Noon ET
Dix Stadium – Kent, Ohio
ESPN+
Kent State claimed the last meeting at Dix Stadium in 2012, 45-43
Here is more on the two teams . . .
BALL STATE CARDINALS (4-6, 3-3)
>> BSU was in action last Saturday at home, where it lost a heartbreaker to the surprise team of the MAC in Central Michigan, 45-44. The Chippewas came back from a 41-24 third quarter deficit to score two touchdowns in the final quarter -- the second coming with 1:01 remaining.
>> It was BSU’s third consecutive loss. The others were to Ohio and Western Division leading Western Michigan by a total of 18 points. The Cards previously jumped into the Western Division race thanks to a three-game winning streak (over Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, and Toledo) after starting the season 1-3
>> Head Coach Mike Neu is completing his fourth season as head coach of his alma mater. He has a 14-32 overall record and 7-2 mark in MAC play
>> Offensively, the Cards are averaging 33.9 points and 444 yard of total offense. They are led by QB Drew Plitt has completed 64.1 percent of his passes (196-of-306) for 2,393 yards with20 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
>> RB Caleb Huntley has rushed for 949 yards and seven touchdowns . WR Justin Hall leads the receivers with 52 catches for 608 yards and five scores.
>> The defense has allowed 30.9 points and 418 total yards over 10 games. The Cardinals defense is led by MLB Jacob White, who has 106 total tackles (57 solo) CB Antonio Phillips is tied for first in the MAC with four interceptions and LB Jordan Williams is tied for first with three fumble recoveries
>> BSU will end the regular season on Friday November 29 with a home game against Eastern Division champion Miami
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (4-6, 3-3)
>> The Golden Flashes were last in Action on Thursday November 14 as they defeated the Buffalo Bulls, coming back from a 24-6 deficit late in the third quarter for a 27-24 victory. PK Matthew Trickett connected on a 44-yard field goal as time expired
>> KSU scored 24 points in the final 7:39 of the game. That is the largest fourth quarter comeback in the Mid-American Conference since 1995 when Miami won at Northwestern (the week after NU won at Notre Dame). The Wildcats went on to win the Big Ten title and play USC in the Rose Bowl.
>> In addition, KSU became just the second team to erase a 21-point deficit with under eight minutes remaining. The other was Houston over Pittsburgh in the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl
>> RB Xavier Williams scored two of the fourth quarter touchdowns (a seven-yard run and a 41-yard reception) in a span of 27 seconds -- the fastest in the football Bowl Subdivision this year. He was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week
>> QB Dustin Crum has been the top offensive man for the Blue and Gold. He has completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 1,770 yards and 15 touchdowns with only two interceptions (throwing number two against the Bulls)
>> Through 10 games, Crum owns 10 passes of 25 yards or longer and five plays of 50 yards or longer.
>> Crum is also the Flashes leading rusher with 408 yards and a pair of scores
>> Sophomore WR Isiah McKoy leads the receivers with 39 receptions for 527 yards and four touchdowns
>> PK Matthew Trickett leads all MAC place kickers in scoring and is 3rd overall with 86 total points
>> P Derek Adams is second in punting averaging 42.6 yards per kick
LB Mandela Lawrence-Burke leads the defense with 72 total tackles (40 solo)
>> DB Jamal Parker is fourth in kick return averaging 24.2 yarde per return while on defense is tied for second in passes defended with 12
>> KSU is 3-1 at home so far this season with wins over Kennesaw State (OT) and Bowling Green as well as Buffalo
>> Flashes end their 2019 season next Saturday at Eastern Michigan