Flashes Visit Bobcats Tuesday Night on ESPNU
11/8/2015 11:03:00 AM | Football
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With its back against the wall for bowl eligibility, Kent State visits MAC East rival Ohio Tuesday night at Peden Stadium on ESPNU. Coming off a heartbreaking 18-17 loss to Buffalo, the Golden Flashes four-day pause between games is the shortest turnaround in program history.
Facts In A Flash
• Kent State and Ohio are tied for third place in the MAC East standings.
• The Flashes lead the MAC in sacks (19th in the nation) and are second in turnovers gained.
• Kent State is second in the MAC in total defense, tackles for loss and rushing defense, which ranks 22nd in the nation.  Â
• Junior safety Nate Holley is third in the MAC and 14th in the nation in tackles per game (10.6). He's led the Flashes in tackles 5 times in 6 games.
• Sophomore cornerback Demetrius Monday is fifth in the nation in total interceptions (6) and has a pair of defensive touchdowns.
• Junior Terence Waugh ranks fourth in the nation and leads the MAC with 9.0 sacks. Waugh is also third in the MAC in tackles for loss (11.0).
• Senior safety Jordan Italiano was one of nine FBS players named as a finalist for the Campbell Trophy. The pre-med/biochemistry major carries a 3.98 grade point average.
• Italiano and safety Nick Cuthbert were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team Thursday. Each have just one B in their college career.
• Kent State returned six Academic All-MAC selections and five MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes.
• Junior receiver Ernest Calhoun caught his third touchdown of the year against Buffalo.
• Kent State's defense ranks 18th in the FBS with 12 interceptions among seven different players.
• Senior running back Trayion Durham is one of five players in Kent State history to reach 3,000 career rushing yards (3,058).
• Senior Anthony Melchiori has had a punt of 54 or more yards in 6-of-9 games.
The All-Time Series
Ohio leads the all-time series with Kent State 40-25-2. Kent State is 5-5 against the the Bobcats during the Frank Solich era, having won five of the last eight. Last season, Josiah Yazdani kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give Ohio a 17-14 victory. Nate Holley made 18 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble. Ernest Calhoun made a career-high 11 catches. The last time the teams met in Athens, the Golden Flashes scored 34 unanswered points in a 44-13 win. Colin Readron completed 18-of-29 passes for 213 yards and Nate Terhune ran 61 yards for a score on a fake punt.Â
Close Calls
Three of the Flashes losses have come down to the game's final moments this season. It took two overtimes for Marshall to outlast Kent State, despite the Flashes outgaining Marshall in total yards 408-237 in regulation. Four of the Flashes' losses last season came down to the game's final minutes, beginning with a last second field goal by Ohio.
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Weekday MACtion
All four of Kent State's November games are on a weekday. From Oct. 29 through November, MACtion can be seen on a Tuesday through Friday for 20 different conference games.
Kent State-Ohio Ties
• Thirteen players on Kent State's roster, including four Florida natives, had a high school teammate that now plays at Ohio.
• Flashes defensive coordinator Brian George and running backs coach Mark Spencer were teammates in Ohio's backfield from 1991-93.
Last Time on the Road
Kent State's 15-10 win at UMass was its first road win since 2013, snapping an eight-game road losing skid. It was the first program victory over UMass. The win also gave the Flashes their first three-game winning streak against the East Division since 2012.
The Golden Flashes' defense held UMass to 171 yards passing, under half of the Minutemen's average on the season (358.2) heading into the game. UMass was also held 202 yards under its total yard average prior to the game.
Fourth Quarter Troubles
Although the Flashes have outscored opponents 39-31 in the third quarter, the final period has been a much different story as opponents have outscored Kent State 62-8. The Flashes have not scored a fourth quarter touchdown in nine games.
Controlling the Clock
The Flashes held an opponent to under 100 yards rushing (86) for the third time this season at UMass. By more than doubling the Minutemen's output on the ground (192 yds), Kent State was able to hold a 13-minute edge in time of possession.
• When holding a 10-6 halftime lead against Buffalo, the Flashes held a 5:16 advantage in time of possession. But the Bulls' comeback included a 12:58 edge in time of possession during the second half.
Take Advantage of Turnovers
At Toledo, Ryan Seibert scored his first career touchdown with a fumble recovery in the end zone. Along with Nate Terhune and Demetrius Monday fumble recoveries for scores, Kent State is fourth in the FBS with four defensive touchdowns, following a 69-yard interception return by Monday.
