AKRON 44, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 12
MRO STAFF
BUFFALO, NY -- Visiting Kent State rallied from a 24-10 deficit after three quarters to force overtime, and then scored the game winner when Tommy Ulatowski hit Devontez Walker with a 7-yard TD pass to pull out a 30-27 victory Saturday at UB Stadium.
Kent State finishes the season at 5-7 overall, 4-4 MAC. Buffalo moved its record to 5-6, 4-3 MAC). The Bulls will face Akron Friday to make up last week's blizzard postponent. Buffalo still needs one win for bowl eligibility. Akron got its second win of the season Saturday, blitzing Northern Illinois 44-12.
Ulatowski, a freshman, was not even on this week's two-deep. However, he was one of multiple quarterbacks used by the Flashes on a sunny, but windy, day. Individually, he completed 6-of-11 attempts, good for 102 yards and the winning score. As a group, they connected on 14-of-34 passes totaling 150 yards with 1 TD and 1 interception. Devontez Walker led KSU receivers with five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.
Most of Kent State's yardage came via the ground game. Marquez Cooper led the way with 30 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Seven players combined for 45 carries, 214 yards and three TDs.
The teams reached intermission deadlocked at 10-all. Buffalo then broke in front with two Matt Myer TD runs (16 and 1 yards). Kent State was able to match that with a pair of fourth quarter scores. Ja'Shon Poke provided the first on a 10-yard run. However, a two-point try failed.
After a Buffalo punt, Kent State drove 76 yards for another score. Cooper covered the last two yards. Ulatowski, given a second chance due to a Bulls penalty, connected with Poke on a two-point conversion to tie things at 24-all.
Buffalo got the ball first in overtime and settled for Alex McNulty's 30-yard field goal. Kent State took over and scored a game-winning TD five plays later when Ulatowski hit Walker on a 7-yard strike.
Kent State registered a slight edge in total yardage, 364-346. However, UB recorded 23 first downs to 19 by the visitors. Buffalo also held the ball for 41:05, compated to just 18:55 by KSU.
Cole Snyder completed 20-of-28 pass attempts, good for 165 yards. Nine UB players caught passes, led by Quian Williams (4 catches, 63 yards).
Matt Myers led Buffalo's ground game with 21 carries, totaling 109 yards, with all three UB touchdowns.
Shaun Dolac (14) and James Patterson (10) combined for 24 tackles to lead the Bulls defense. JoJo Evans (11), Nico Bolden (11) and Khali Saunders (10) led the Flashes defense.
DEKALB, Ill. – The Akron Zips scored 27 unanswered points en route to a 44-12 win over Northern Illinois behind a career performance by junior QB Jeff Undercuffler, Jr. at Huskie Stadium on Saturday.
The victory marked the first win for the Zips versus the Huskies since a 48-42 triumph in the Mid-American Conference title game and the initial road win in Dekalb, Ill., since a 34-17 decision in 1996.
The Zips (2-9, 1-6 MAC) generated 512 yards of total offense as Undercuffler threw for a career-best 312 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes on 21-of-32 passing with one Interception. Undercuffler found sophomore WR Alex Adams for two touchdowns, including a 61-yard strike for six points. Adams led the receiving corps with 150 yards on seven snags and gained 83 after the catch. Redshirt junior WR Daniel George hauled in seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown with a 43-yard long reception.
On the ground, redshirt sophomore RB Cam Wiley averaged 5.3 yards per carry and gained 128 yards on 24 attempts with a 29-yard long run. The Zips registered a total of 200 yards on the ground as redshirt sophomore RB Clyde Price III followed with 45 yards on seven carries with a touchdown, while freshman RB Charles Kellom had two carries for 27 yards.
The Akron defense denied the Huskies a touchdown, but scored one of their own as sophomore CB Tyson Durant recorded the pick-6, scampering 76 yards for a touchdown. Akron forced the home team to settle for four field goals. Redshirt junior DB Nate Thompson and redshirt senior LB Bubba Arslanian led the defense with nine tackles apiece as Thompson had six solo stops with three assisted takedowns and Arslanian posted five solo, four assisted and one tackle for a loss. Victor Jones recorded both of the Zips sacks for 16 yards of loss as part of his five tackles on the day. Collectively, the Zips posted nine pass break-ups and five quarterback hurries on the afternoon.
After the Huskies (3-9, 2-6 MAC) established a 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals, Undercuffler marched the Zips down the field with a seven-play, 59-yard drive that ended on the foot of senior PK Cory Smigel connecting on a field goal from 33 yards out. The Zips followed two touchdown drives as Undercuffler found George for the Zips first touchdown catch and Adams for the second. Smigel connected with a 31-yard field goal and Adams posted a 61-yard touchdown reception for the Zips 27-6 advantage by the 10:45 mark in the third quarter.
Following a 34-yard field goal, Akron added 17 more points on the scoreboard as Price found pay dirt on an eight-yard run, Durant returned an interception for 76 yards and Smigel launched a 31-yard field goal attempt through the uprights.
Akron closes out its season with a 1 p.m. rescheduled contest at Buffalo on Friday, Dec. 2.