Kent State University
Ball State
MAC Play Opens Saturday at Ball State
9/25/2018 10:20:00 AM | Football
Game Notes ESPN+ Golden Flashes Radio Live Stats
After giving Sean Lewis his first career victory earlier this month, Kent State looks to give its new head coach his first Mid-American Conference win as the Golden Flashes open conference play Saturday at Ball State. The Flashes third consecutive road game is also Ball State's MAC opener with a 3 p.m. kickoff at Scheumann Stadium.
Facts In A Flash
• The East-West matchup between the Flashes and Cardinals is the first meeting since 2013.
• In the first half, KSU's defense has allowed just three points at Illinois, seven at Ole Miss and kept Howard scoreless.
• The Flashes' 22.8 first downs per game ranks third in the MAC.
• Senior linebacker Matt Bahr has made nine or more tackles in four of his last six games, including 12 stops at Ole Miss.
• Junior safety Jamal Parker made his second interception of the season (6th career) at Ole Miss.
• Junior Mike Carrigan has catches of 47 and 49 yards in his last two games. He has touchdown catches against Illinois and Penn State.
• Junior Justin Rankin ranks 38th in the nation in rushing yards per carry (5.8).
• Kent State is averaging 81.5 plays per game and its 84 snaps at Illinois were the most in 35 games.
• Sophomore Woody Barrett ranks 29th in the nation in completions per game (21.3). Barrett put up unprecedented numbers (387 yards total offense) for a KSU QB in a season opener at Illinois.
• The Flashes 355 rushing yards against Howard, are the most by a MAC team in a game this season and KSU's biggest rushing output since 2012.
• KSU also scored six rushing touchdowns for the first time in a decade against the Bison.
• Kent State returned 11 players who have earned Academic All-MAC honors in their career and two MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes.
All-Time Series
Ball State leads the all-time series with Kent State 20-7 and carries an 11-3 edge in Muncie. The Cardinals won the most recent meeting (27-24) in 2013, but KSU has taken two of the last three meetings. Ball State has won 15 of the last 18 matchups. The Flashes' last win at Scheumann Stadium came in 2001, the lone season that James Harrison and Josh Cribbs were teammates.
TV/Video/Radio
Saturday's game game can be seen on ESPN+ with Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and Bobby Carpenter (analyst). The game can be heard live on 640 WHLO and the free Golden Flashes Radio channel on iHeartRadio with a one-hour pregame show. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined by 10th-year color analyst Rob Polinsky. Jacob Pavilack will be on the sideline. By 2017, iHeartRadio reached over 100 million registered users.
More info on ESPN+
Supporting MD Research
Kent State and Ball State will join football staffs around the country wearing a Coach to Cure MD patch to raise awareness and funding for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research. Fans can donate online at www.CoachtoCureMD.org or donate $10 by texting CURE to 90999. Coach to Cure MD is the national game day charity project of the American Football Coaches Association. Over the last 10 years, Coach to Cure MD has raised over $1.5 million.
Previewing Ball State
• Each of the Cardinals' three wins since last season have come at home.
• The Ball State offense has lost just one fumble and ranks 27th in the nation in turnovers lost.
• The Cardinal offense ranks 31st in the nation for fewest sacks allowed and is 4-for-5 on fourth down conversions.
• In its season opener, the Ball State defense allowed only 291 yards of offense against Central Connecticut State and the only points given up came with 12 seconds left in the game. • The Cardinals rank third in the MAC in total offense (438.2) and second in rushing offense (202.2).
• Ball State ranks third in the MAC in redzone defense.
Key Players To Watch
• Sophomore outside linebacker Christian Albright has forced a pair of fumbles and has 2.0 sacks. Albright played in all 12 games as a true freshman last year, starting three.
• Junior linebacker and captain Jacob White ranks 49th in the nation with 5.5 tackles for loss. White also leads the Cardinals with 29 tackles and 19 solo tackles. He played most of the 2017 season with a cast on his right hand.
• Junior running back James Gilbert has rushed for 302 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. In 2016, Gilbert led the MAC with 12 rushing touchdowns and earned all-conference first team honors.
• Junior quarterback Riley Neal has completed 57 percent of his passes for 839 yards and four touchdowns. In 2016, he ranked third in the MAC in total offense.
• Sophomore receiver Justin Hall leads the Cardinals with 21 catches for 175 yards. In 2017, Hall led all freshmen in the nation with 78 catches for 801 yards.
