Kent State University
2-7 , 1-4
Bowling Green
1-8 , 0-5
FlashFAST Era Takes Big Step Forward with MAC Road Win
10/31/2018 12:52:00 AM | Football
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Kent State earned its first Mid-American Conference victory of the FlashFAST era Tuesday night by finishing strong in a 35-28 win over Bowling Green at Doyt Perry Stadium. It was the Golden Flashes' first win in their last six tries against the Falcons.
The Flashes dominated the ground game, including two big runs late in the fourth quarter with the score tied 28-28. On a pivotal third down, sophomore Woody Barrett scrambled 34 yards to the left side. On the very next play, junior Jo-El Shaw darted 18 yards for his third touchdown of the game.
With the clock winding down, Bowling Green took the ball to its 46 yard line, before linebacker Kesean Gamble made a diving interception to seal the win. It was Gamble's first career pick.
"It feels good to get a win," Head Coach Sean Lewis said. "The guys fought hard. That was a big time play by Kesean at the end to ice that thing with a pick and end it the right way. Great job by the offense to go down and score late in the game and to punch that thing in. I'm really proud of the way the kids prepared and the effort that they put forth tonight."
In his first career start, Shaw got to work in a hurry. After runs of 13 and 19 yards in the first two series, Shaw caught a swing pass from Barrett and took it 24 yards to the end zone for his first score. Shaw finished with a career-high 128 rushing yards.
Bowling Green field goals late in the first and early in the second cut the lead to 7-6. The Falcons then took advantage of a 10-yard punt and a short field to grab a 13-7 advantage on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jarret Doege to Dorian Hendrix.
Late in the half, the Flashes' defense forced a three-and-out and gave its offense an opportunity with 1:21 left. Kent State faced a 3rd-and-5 with 23 seconds remaining when Barrett called his own number and went 10 yards up the middle to give the Flashes the lead back (14-13) heading into halftime.
After a missed Falcon field goal attempt to start the third, the Flashes put together a solid drive that looked like it would end in a field goal attempt. However, holder Dustin Crum faked a pitch to his left and ran right 10 yards for a first down. On the very next play Shaw rushed over the right side of the line for a seven-yard touchdown.
The Falcons tied the game early in the fourth with a touchdown and successful two-point conversion.
Kent State responded in a hurry with a six-play, 75-yard drive, ending in a two-yard TD pass from Barrett to Antwan Dixon.
The Falcons knotted the score again (28-28) with 5:34 to play. A fumble recovery gave Bowling Green the ball on Kent State's 26-yard line and a fourth down conversion set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from Doege to Noah Massey.
Bowling Green's final drive was slowed by a pair of sacks from junior defensive lineman Theo Majette.
Defensively, the Flashes were led by linebacker Dalton Hicks, who made a career-high 14 tackles in just his second start of the season
Barrett has rushed for a touchdown and thrown a touchdown pass in the same game four times this season. He has had a hand in three touchdowns twice this season.
Dixon, who led Kent State receivers with six catches for 73 yards, has made three or more catches in each of the eight games he's played in this season.
Behind 225 total rushing yards, the Flashes improved to 2-0 with 50 or more rushing attempts in a game. Kent State's 35 points were the most against an FBS opponent since 2016. It was also the program's first road win since 2016.
The Flashes will be back on ESPNU Tuesday, Nov. 6, at Buffalo, concluding its stretch of five straight MAC East opponents.
Team Stats
KENT 7, BGSU 0
KENT - SHAW, JO-EL 24 yd pass from BARRETT, WOODY (TRICKETT, M. kick) 5 plays, 51 yards, TOP 2:12
KENT 7, BGSU 3
BGSU - NEEDHAM, Nate 30 yd field goal 12 plays, 56 yards, TOP 5:07
KENT 7, BGSU 6
BGSU - NEEDHAM, Nate 34 yd field goal 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:59
KENT 7, BGSU 13
BGSU - HENDRIX, Dorian 9 yd pass from DOEGE, Jarret (NEEDHAM, Nate kick) 5 plays, 21 yards, TOP 2:29
KENT 14, BGSU 13
KENT - BARRETT, WOODY 10 yd run (TRICKETT, M. kick), 7 plays, 47 yards, TOP 1:03
KENT 21, BGSU 13
KENT - SHAW, JO-EL 7 yd run (TRICKETT, M. kick), 11 plays, 66 yards, TOP 4:09
KENT 21, BGSU 21
BGSU - HARGROVE, R. 4 yd pass from DOEGE, Jarret (MORRIS, Quintin pass) 4 plays, 34 yards, TOP 1:43
KENT 28, BGSU 21
KENT - DIXON, ANTWAN 2 yd pass from BARRETT, WOODY (TRICKETT, M. kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:16
KENT 28, BGSU 28
BGSU - MASSEY, Noah 12 yd pass from DOEGE, Jarret (NEEDHAM, Nate kick) 7 plays, 26 yards, TOP 3:06
KENT 35, BGSU 28
KENT - SHAW, JO-EL 18 yd run (TRICKETT, M. kick), 4 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:44
