Holley's Two Touchdowns Not Enough in Loss at Miami

Saturday, October 15

Oxford, OH

2:30 p.m.

Kent State University

2-5 , 1-2

Miami University

1-6 , 1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Kent State

Miami

Holley's Two Touchdowns Not Enough in Loss at Miami

10/15/2016 6:13:00 PM | Football

Box Score

OXFORD, Ohio – Nick Holley scored two rushing touchdowns, but the rash of injuries continued to spread through the Golden Flashes roster as Miami came from behind in the second half for an 18-14 victory at Yager Stadium.

With Holley sidelined by an injury on the final two drives, Kent State's offense turned to running back Myles Washington to play quarterback on the game's penultimate drive, then to sophomore George Bollas on the final drive. In between those last two possessions, Miami eclipsed the Flashes' 14-12 lead on a a 55-yard touchdown pass from Gus Ragland to Kenny Young with 1:34 to play.

"It was an all-out blitz, and give (Young) credit, he made a play," said Kent State coach Paul Haynes, whose Flashes fell to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in Mid-American Conference play. "They made a play and we missed a tackle…It's a disappointing loss in a game we had chances to put away and win, but we didn't."

Holley ran for 84 yards on 24 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown run to put KSU up 7-0 at the 4:22 mark of the second quarter and a 21-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 14-3 with 8:45 to play in the third. He also added 91 yards on 7-for-11 passing before becoming the third Kent State starting quarterback to be forced out of a game this season.

With starting running back Justin Rankin missing the game to injury, Will Matthews ran for 47 yards on 11 carries. His 17-yard run set the stage for Holley's first score. Matthews also led the Flashes in receiving yards with one catch for 48 yards.

Miami closed with 15 consecutive points in the final 21 minutes. A 15-yard touchdown pass from Ragland to Alonzo Smith gave the RedHawks momentum with 5:59 to play, answering the Holley run that put the Flashes up 14-3.

The RedHawks (1-6) trimmed the gap to 14-12 on a safety when the Flashes watched a snap sail out of the back of the end zone with 1:45 remaining in the third quarter after KSU's starting center left the game with an injury.

"We didn't finish the game very well," said Haynes. "We have to get that killer instinct to put teams away and we haven't gotten that yet."

Kent State returns home next week to face Ohio University in a 1 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 22 at Dix Stadium.

Postgame Notes
Kent State did not allow a touchdown in the first half for the fourth time this season.
The Flashes' defense held an opponent to under 100 yards rushing (79) for the second time this season.
Junior Nick Holley has scored six rushing touchdowns in his last two games and seven rushing TDs in his last three contests.
Redshirt freshman Will Matthews had a career-long 48-yard catch.
Senior safety Nate Holley raised his career tackle total to 407.