Two Teams, One Wheel: Flashes Host Akron Friday
11/23/2014 9:35:00 PM | Football
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Arch rivals collide Friday at Dix Stadium as Kent State hosts Akron in the battle for the Wagon Wheel. Following an unimaginable four-day trip to Buffalo, the Golden Flashes have an opportunity to deny the Zips of bowl eligibility. Prior to its 2014 season finale, Kent State will recognize its 12 seniors. Nine seniors who are in their fifth year with the program, look to end their careers with a 4-1 mark against Akron.
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Facts In A Flash
• Twenty two different Flashes (12 offense, 10 defense) have gotten their first career start this season.
• Sophomore QB Colin Reardon is in 5th place in career completions (386), sixth in career passing yards (4,125) and 7th in career TD passes (24) at Kent State.
• Kent State's offensive line has allowed only one sack of Reardon in its last six games.
• Senior tight end Casey Pierce has made 31 catches in four games for 301 yards and four TDs.
• Junior Nate Terhune recorded 2.5 of Kent State's 3.0 sacks at BG, the team's most this season.
• Senior receiver Chris Humphrey moved into fifth place in career receptions at KSU with 119.
• Sophomore safety Nate Holley ranks third in the nation in total tackles (12.7) and fourth in solo tackles (7.1) per game.
• Junior Anthony Melchiori ranks 18th in the nation with a 44.2 yard punting average. He's placed nine of his last 13 punts inside the 20.
• Sophomore Nick Holley has a combined 602 yards rushing/receiving over his last nine games.
• Junior safety Jordan Italiano was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week, following a forced a fumble, an INT and 16 tackles at BGSU.
• Sophomore Elcee Refuge forced a fumble and had a career-high 12 tackles against the Falcons.
• The Golden Flashes are wearing number 54 on the right side of their helmets throughout the year, paying tribute to Jason Bitsko.
The All-time Series
Akron leads the overall all-time series 31-23-2. The Golden Flashes did not pick up a win in the series until 13th game in 1942 (Akron was 11-0-1). After that stretch, Kent State won 10 straight from 1942 - 1954. In 1974 the all-time series was tied 11-11-2.Since then Akron has won 18-of-30 meetings and 11 of the last 16. Prior to last year, the Golden Flashes had won three straight. Last season, Akron topped Kent State 16-7 at InfoCision Stadium with the help of five turnovers. The last time the teams met at Dix Stadium, the Golden Flashes battled back from a 21-7 deficit to defeat the Zips 35-24 in 2012.
The Wagon Wheel
Friday marks the 57th time the rivals face off on the gridiron in a series that dates back to 1923. Since 1946, the Wagon Wheel has been the prize to the winner, with the Golden Flashes leading the series 22-20-1. The wheel itself dates back to the middle of the 19th century.
• Legendary stories abound as to the roots of the Wagon Wheel...Perhaps the foremost is the one that includes John R. Buchtel, the founder of Buchtel College, which eventually became the University of Akron...It was said that Buchtel in the spring of 1870, began a horse wagon search for a site for a proposed college around Kent...Legend has it that Buchtel's wagon became stuck in a pool of mud somewhere on the present site of Kent State University...The wheel remained embedded in the ground and was just a piece of wood when it was found in 1902.
The wheel was eventually in the possession of Dr. Raymond Manchester, who was the dean of men at Kent State in the 1940s...He suggested the wheel as a reward to the winner of the Kent State-Akron game in 1946. Manchester had the wheel painted in the school colors (of both schools) blue and gold. Â
• The two campuses are just 11.6 miles apart, the sixth closest distance among two FBS schools. Rice and Houston is the closest at 6.1 miles.
• Arguably, the most famous Kent State Wagon Wheel victory came in 2003, when Josh Cribbs led a late comeback in a 41-38 win at the Rubber Bowl.
• In addition to the wheel itself being on the line, one point is also at stake in the fourth year of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. The competition includes 15 varsity sports, with each sport adding one point to the challenge standings. Last year, Kent State won 8.5-6.5 for its third straight challenge victory. This season, the Flashes are off to a 3-1 lead in fall sports
Akron Connections
• Ten players on Kent State's roster had a high school teammate that now plays at Akron.
Solid on 4th Down
At Bowling Green, the Flashes improved to 9-of-13 on fourth down attempts which ranks eighth in the nation. In each of the last three games, Nick Holley has converted on fourth down attempts on a pair of runs and a catch. On the other side, the Kent State defense has held opponents to a 38 percent (5-of-13) conversion rate which ranks 25th in the nation.
Previewing Akron
• The Zips began the season 4-2, highlighted by a 21-10 victory at Pittsburgh. During that run, Akron was also 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play, before dropping four straight.
• Akron is coming off a convincing 30-6 victory over UMass on Nov. 18 and began preparing for Kent State, while the Golden Flashes were still focused on Buffalo.
• The Minutemen were held to just 67 yards rushing on 30 attempts, while the Akron defense intercepted three passes.
• The Zips dominated the Minutemen in first downs 27-11 and held nearly a 10-minute advantage in time of possession. Â
• Akron leads the MAC in third down defense and scoring defense, allowing 22.7 points per game.
• The Zips rank 22nd in the nation in turnovers gained with 23.Â
Key Players To Watch
• Junior running back Conor Hundley is averaging 5.3 yards per carry with four touchdowns.Â
• Junior quarterback Kyle Pohl completed 26 passes for 277 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against UMass. Pohl missed two games this season with an injury.
• Junior wideout Zach D'Orazio made 10 catches for 121 yards against UMass. He leads the Zips with 57 catches for 617 yards.
• Senior defensive lineman Nordly Capi leads the Zips with 5.0 sacks and has made 10.5 tackles for loss.
• Senior defensive back Jatavis Brown leads the team in tackles for loss (11.5) and total tackles (89). He has forced a team-high three fumbles and has made 4.0 sacks.
• Sophomore cornerback DeAndre Scott has intercepted two passes, returning one 37 yards for a touchdown.
Youth on O-Line
Sophomore guard Tad France's first career start at Bowling Green marked Kent State's seventh different starting offensive line combination. Five of Kent State's 12 first-time starters on offense this season have been on the offensive line. True freshman Nathan Puthoff has made four starts on the line, while redshirt freshman Brock Macaulay has made six. The only two starters to enter game four with more than three career games played were sophomores Reno Reda and Wayne Scott.
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Critical First Half
Kent State's win over Army came with what has become a critical component, a halftime lead. Since the beginning of 2012, Kent State is 14-0 when leading at halftime and 1-19 when trailing at the break.
