Football battles Penn State in 33-13 opening loss

Saturday, September 3

University Park, Pa.

3:30 PM

Kent State University

Penn State University

Football battles Penn State in 33-13 opening loss

9/3/2016 8:42:00 PM | Football

Box Score

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Elcee Refuge's fumble return for a touchdown and a pair of Shane Hynes' field goals kept Kent State in the battle with Penn State for the better part of 60 minutes before the Golden Flashes finally fell 33-13 in Saturday's season opener at Beaver Stadium.

The Flashes and Nittany Lions were deadlocked at 13-13 with 8:02 to play in the first half after Refuge scooped a fumble forced by a Terrence Waugh sack and returned it 20 yards for a score.

A field goal late in the first half allowed Penn State to take a 16-13 lead into the break. The Nittany Lions added to their advantage with a 13-point third quarter, but couldn't put the game out of reach until a 30-yard touchdown pass from Mike Gesicki to Trace McSorley with 1:53 to play in the fourth.

Kent State took the game's first lead on a 26-yard field goal by Shane Hynes with 5:25 to play in the first quarter. Freshman quarterback Justin Agner's scramble for 16 yards to the Penn State 19 was the highlight of the 11-play, 64-yard drive that set up the opening score.

Both of the Flashes' first-year quarterbacks showed promise as Agner completed 8-of-15 passes for 65 yards and Mylik Mitchell connected on 6-of-12 for 65 yards. Fellow newcomer Justin Rankin led KSU's stable of running backs with an impressive 82 yards on 13 carries.

The Flashes out-gained Penn State 162-161 in the first half thanks to 112 yards on 22 carries. KSU won the ground battle 150-145, despite losing 54 yards on seven Penn State sacks.

Another true-freshman playmaker, Kavious Price, added to the Flashes' running total with a 28-yard reverse in the second quarter to set the stage for Hynes' 43-yard field goal.

Penn State out-gained the Flashes on the day, 354-279, closing out the win in the second half with a 30-yard interception return by Amani Oruwariye in the opening minutes of the third quarter, a 28-yard Tyler Davis field goal, and the long touchdown pass from Gesicki to McSorley in the closing minutes.

Along with the fumble return by Refuge and the sack by Waugh, Kent State's defensive effort was led by Nate Holley, who finished with 18 tackles. The Flashes spoiled two Penn State trips into the red zone, forcing the Lions to settle for a field goal and then dropping Gesicki for a loss on a fourth-down run.

Kent State hosts North Carolina A&T State at Dix Stadium Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.

Postgame Press Conference

Postgame Quotes

Paul Haynes

I was proud of how hard our guys played and our attitude on the sideline. We had opportunities to finish the game and win the game. We moved the ball and had opportunities in the redzone that we didn't finish. That could have changed the game. There are a lot of good things to build off of and a lot things to improve on.

I give Penn State a lot of credit for the pressure they put on our quarterbacks. And their running back (Saquon Barkley) is one of the best in the country.

(On Justin Rankin)

Seeing him ever since he stepped on campus in January, he runs hard, catches the ball out of the backfield, he's not afraid to block. He'll only get better.

Nate Holley (on the defense)

We came together as a unit and played well, but not well enough to win. Our standard is to be great and we weren't great today.

Postgame Notes

Senior Nate Holley led both sides with 17 tackles. He has made 15 or more tackles in four straight games.

First career starts were made by: sophomore lineman Connor Shinsky, freshman receiver Kavious Price, freshman quarterback Justin Agner, freshman running back Justin Rankin, sophomore defensive end Theo Eboigbe, junior linebacker James Alexander and sophomore cornerback Darryl Marshall.

Fifteen Flashes made collegiate debuts including: freshman Dalton Hicks, redshirt freshman quarterback Mylik Mitchell, freshman receiver Trey Harrell, redshirt freshman running back Will Matthews, freshman Manny Lawrence-Burke, freshman Akeam Peters, redshirt freshman Nick Faulkner, redshirt freshman Chalfonte Butler, freshman receiver Mike Carrigan, freshman cornerback Jamal Parker, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Dominic Hill, and freshman punter Derek Adams.