Triumphant Falcons to face balanced KSU offense
BOWLING GREEN STATE FALCONS vs. KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
Saturday October 2 -- 3:30 p.m. ET
Dix Stadium – Kent, Ohio
ESPN+
By EVAN MEYER
THE SERIES: Saturday’s game marks the 89th lifetime meeting between the two schools with the Falcons holding a 60-27-6 advantage. However, the Golden Flashes have won three straight and three of the last four meetings in the series, including last season’s encounter at Doyt L. Perry Stadium, 62-24.
BOWLING GREEN STATE FALCONS (2-2, 0-0 MAC):
>> BGSU completed the non-conference portion of its schedule last Saturday as the Falcons defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers 14-10 one of the biggest upsets Week Four of the Football Bowl Subdivision.
>> Despite managing just 192 yards of total offense, the Falcons garnered the victory thanks to two short touchdowns by senior QB Matt McDonald. The last was a three-yard scamper at the end of the third quarter, which proved to be the winning score.
>> Freshman RB Jaison Patterson led the ground attack with eight carries for 20 yards. McDonald was 19-of-35 passing for 170 yards, while Junior RE Christian Sims had six receptions for 51 yards.
>> The defense came up big against the Golden Gophers with four sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two pass breakups.
>> Sophomore LB Brock Horne had nine total tackles (six solo).
>> BGSU swept the MAC Eastern Division awards with McDonald the offensive star, Horne the defensive standout, and P Matt Naranjo shining on special teams.
>> In their first four games, the Falcons offensive averaged 16.3 points and 266.8 yards.
>> Freshman RB Nick Mosley led the BGSU ground attack with 74 yards on 17 carries.
>> Mc Donald is completing 67 percent of his passes (89-of-133) for 886 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The 886 yards is second in the MAC, while his 214.3 yards of total offense is fourth.
>> Junior WR Austin Osborne leads the receivers with 25 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown.
>> On the defense, BGSU is yielding 20 points and 321 yards in four games.
>> Junior LB Derek Anders leads in tackles with 36 (13 solo) -- second in the MAC.
>> CB Devin Taylor is tied for third in passes defended with five (four breakups).
>> BGSU started the season with losses at Tennessee, and at home to South Alabama before getting its first win over Murray State (FCS-Ohio Valley).
>> The Falcons' two-game winning streak is the first for the Falcons since 2018 (at Central Michigan and Akron). Last week's victory was the ninth in school history against Big Ten competition. They snagged two against Purdue and Maryland.
>> In the win over UM, the 192 total offensive yards gained marked the third time this season that an FBS school won a game with under 200 yards of total offense (Rutgers over Syracuse & Iowa over Iowa State the others).
>> The victory was the MAC’s second over a Power Five conference in 2021 (Western Michigan over Pittsburgh the other).
>> BGSU is 4-6 in its last 10 MAC openers and has lost the last five. The last win came in 2015 at Buffalo, 28-22.
UP NEXT: The Falcons return home to next Saturday when they entertain the Akron Zips. UA is 1-3 coming into this week’s action as they are home to face the Ohio Bobcats.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (1-3, 0-0 MAC)
>> Last Saturday, the Flashes gave undefeated Maryland Terrapins all they could handle before losing 37-26. KSU opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 35-yard field goal by PK Andrew Glass. The freshman eventually hit three field goals on the afternoon.
>> The game was decided in the second quarter when the Terps scored 17 points, opening a 24-9 lead at halftime, and never looked back. KSU did score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter when senior QB Dustin Crum connected with sophomore WR Dante Cephas from 15 yards out.
>> RB Marquez Cooper led the rushers with 48 yards on 13 carries. Crum was 19-of-31 for 308 yards and the touchdown pass to Cephas who had a career game with 10 catches for 161 yards. KSU's offense totaled 458 yards.
>> The defense had its problems, allowing 526 yards. However, the Flashes did get their ninth interception of the season (LB Keith Sherald in the first quarter, setting up a field goal). DB Dane Clark registered eight total tackles (all of them solo).
>> Over the non-conference schedule, KSU averaged 28.3 points and 439 yards of total offense.
>> Cooper leads the ground game with 263 yards on 43 carries and a score. He is part of a KSU rushing attack that is averaging 237.3 yards, leading the MAC and 14th in the FBS
>. Crum is completing 59.6 percent of his passes (53-of-99) for 762 yards and three touchdowns.
>> Crum’s 308 yards passing against Maryland was the second 300-yard game of his career. His only two interceptions came in the season opener at Texas A&M.
>> Since week two of 2019, Crum has 35 touchdown passes with six interceptions (only eight INT in his KSU career).
>. Cephas leads the receivers with 17 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown. He had 11 catches for 136 yards in the pandemic season of 2020.
>> The Golden Flashes defense is allowing 29.5 points and 455.8 yards through their four non-conference games
>> Clark leads with 28 total tackles (20 of them solo – third in the MAC)
>> The defense has nine total interceptions, leading the MAC and the FBS. DB Elvis Hines,and DB Montre Miller have three apiece.
>> Hines is tied for the lead in passes defended with six (three INT & three breakups).
>> Senior Nykeim Johnson is third in kickoff returns at 19.7 yards.
>> In their history, KSU is 24-44-1 in MAC openers (14-18-2 at home) has lost four of its last five.
UP NEXT: KSU travels to Buffalo next Saturday to face the Bulls. UB is 2-2 so far this season and opens MAC play at Western Michigan. The two teams played last season in Amherst, with the Bulls picking up a decisive 70-41 victory to end a Flashes six-game winning streak dating back to the end of the 2019 season.
Saturday October 2 -- 3:30 p.m. ET
Dix Stadium – Kent, Ohio
ESPN+
By EVAN MEYER
THE SERIES: Saturday’s game marks the 89th lifetime meeting between the two schools with the Falcons holding a 60-27-6 advantage. However, the Golden Flashes have won three straight and three of the last four meetings in the series, including last season’s encounter at Doyt L. Perry Stadium, 62-24.
BOWLING GREEN STATE FALCONS (2-2, 0-0 MAC):
>> BGSU completed the non-conference portion of its schedule last Saturday as the Falcons defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers 14-10 one of the biggest upsets Week Four of the Football Bowl Subdivision.
>> Despite managing just 192 yards of total offense, the Falcons garnered the victory thanks to two short touchdowns by senior QB Matt McDonald. The last was a three-yard scamper at the end of the third quarter, which proved to be the winning score.
>> Freshman RB Jaison Patterson led the ground attack with eight carries for 20 yards. McDonald was 19-of-35 passing for 170 yards, while Junior RE Christian Sims had six receptions for 51 yards.
>> The defense came up big against the Golden Gophers with four sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two pass breakups.
>> Sophomore LB Brock Horne had nine total tackles (six solo).
>> BGSU swept the MAC Eastern Division awards with McDonald the offensive star, Horne the defensive standout, and P Matt Naranjo shining on special teams.
>> In their first four games, the Falcons offensive averaged 16.3 points and 266.8 yards.
>> Freshman RB Nick Mosley led the BGSU ground attack with 74 yards on 17 carries.
>> Mc Donald is completing 67 percent of his passes (89-of-133) for 886 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The 886 yards is second in the MAC, while his 214.3 yards of total offense is fourth.
>> Junior WR Austin Osborne leads the receivers with 25 catches for 181 yards and a touchdown.
>> On the defense, BGSU is yielding 20 points and 321 yards in four games.
>> Junior LB Derek Anders leads in tackles with 36 (13 solo) -- second in the MAC.
>> CB Devin Taylor is tied for third in passes defended with five (four breakups).
>> BGSU started the season with losses at Tennessee, and at home to South Alabama before getting its first win over Murray State (FCS-Ohio Valley).
>> The Falcons' two-game winning streak is the first for the Falcons since 2018 (at Central Michigan and Akron). Last week's victory was the ninth in school history against Big Ten competition. They snagged two against Purdue and Maryland.
>> In the win over UM, the 192 total offensive yards gained marked the third time this season that an FBS school won a game with under 200 yards of total offense (Rutgers over Syracuse & Iowa over Iowa State the others).
>> The victory was the MAC’s second over a Power Five conference in 2021 (Western Michigan over Pittsburgh the other).
>> BGSU is 4-6 in its last 10 MAC openers and has lost the last five. The last win came in 2015 at Buffalo, 28-22.
UP NEXT: The Falcons return home to next Saturday when they entertain the Akron Zips. UA is 1-3 coming into this week’s action as they are home to face the Ohio Bobcats.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (1-3, 0-0 MAC)
>> Last Saturday, the Flashes gave undefeated Maryland Terrapins all they could handle before losing 37-26. KSU opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 35-yard field goal by PK Andrew Glass. The freshman eventually hit three field goals on the afternoon.
>> The game was decided in the second quarter when the Terps scored 17 points, opening a 24-9 lead at halftime, and never looked back. KSU did score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter when senior QB Dustin Crum connected with sophomore WR Dante Cephas from 15 yards out.
>> RB Marquez Cooper led the rushers with 48 yards on 13 carries. Crum was 19-of-31 for 308 yards and the touchdown pass to Cephas who had a career game with 10 catches for 161 yards. KSU's offense totaled 458 yards.
>> The defense had its problems, allowing 526 yards. However, the Flashes did get their ninth interception of the season (LB Keith Sherald in the first quarter, setting up a field goal). DB Dane Clark registered eight total tackles (all of them solo).
>> Over the non-conference schedule, KSU averaged 28.3 points and 439 yards of total offense.
>> Cooper leads the ground game with 263 yards on 43 carries and a score. He is part of a KSU rushing attack that is averaging 237.3 yards, leading the MAC and 14th in the FBS
>. Crum is completing 59.6 percent of his passes (53-of-99) for 762 yards and three touchdowns.
>> Crum’s 308 yards passing against Maryland was the second 300-yard game of his career. His only two interceptions came in the season opener at Texas A&M.
>> Since week two of 2019, Crum has 35 touchdown passes with six interceptions (only eight INT in his KSU career).
>. Cephas leads the receivers with 17 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown. He had 11 catches for 136 yards in the pandemic season of 2020.
>> The Golden Flashes defense is allowing 29.5 points and 455.8 yards through their four non-conference games
>> Clark leads with 28 total tackles (20 of them solo – third in the MAC)
>> The defense has nine total interceptions, leading the MAC and the FBS. DB Elvis Hines,and DB Montre Miller have three apiece.
>> Hines is tied for the lead in passes defended with six (three INT & three breakups).
>> Senior Nykeim Johnson is third in kickoff returns at 19.7 yards.
>> In their history, KSU is 24-44-1 in MAC openers (14-18-2 at home) has lost four of its last five.
UP NEXT: KSU travels to Buffalo next Saturday to face the Bulls. UB is 2-2 so far this season and opens MAC play at Western Michigan. The two teams played last season in Amherst, with the Bulls picking up a decisive 70-41 victory to end a Flashes six-game winning streak dating back to the end of the 2019 season.
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