Flashes Postseason Hopes Live on With Win Over Cardinals

Saturday, November 23

Kent, Ohio

NOON

Kent State University

5-6 , 4-3

Ball State

4-7 , 3-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

BALL

KENTST

Photo by: Scott R. Galvin/Galvin Photo, LL

Flashes Postseason Hopes Live on With Win Over Cardinals

11/23/2019 4:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State football team (5-6, 4-3 MAC) defeated Ball State (4-7, 3-4 MAC), 41-38, on Matthew Trickett's third game-winning field goal of the season to keep its bowl hopes alive.

"I'm proud of the way the kids fought and competed, and I loved the effort today," said Head Coach Sean Lewis. "All too often these come down to one possession and you never know what one play is going to be the difference. We did enough in all three phases of the game. At the end of the day we found a way to win, did enough to get the job done and keep our postseason hopes alive."

The Golden Flashes trailed 17-7 midway through the second quarter but battled back to within a field goal, 24-21, at the half. Isaiah McKoy led the Flashes with two touchdowns in the first half.

After a Trickett field goal on the opening drive of the second half, Kent State struck again on a Dustin Crum two-yard touchdown. Crum recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of his career.

Ball State tied the game, 31-31, on a Drew Plitt one-yard touchdown with 8:55 to play.

Jamal Parker returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield to spark the Flashes. The offense grabbed the momentum and constructed a four-play, 50-yard drive in just 49 seconds. Crum found McKoy for his third touchdown of the game to pull Kent State ahead, 38-31. Crum finished with a career-high 369 yards passing and three touchdowns. McKoy finished with six receptions, a career-high 159 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.

Crum's 470 total yards is the most by a Kent State player since Jose Davis' 474 yards against the school down the road on Nov. 8, 1997.

After Ball State tied it at 38, the Flashes got the ball back with 4:14 on the clock. Crum faced pressure on a 3^rd and 11 inside the Flashes' 30-yard line, and he heaved a deep ball for Mike Carrigan that was reeled in for a 38-yard reception. Carrigan finished with a career-high eight receptions and a career-high 178 yards.

The play jolted the Flashes' offense and they milked the rest of the clock before Trickett cashed a 22-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the game to squeak past the Cardinals.

Mandela Lawrence-Burke led the Flashes with 14 total tackles. Kesean Gamble set a career-high with 10 tackles, while Jeremiah Salaam recorded a career-high nine tackles.

Will Matthews rushed for 85 yards, and Xavier Williams added a career-high 84 yards on the ground with a score.

Kent State wraps up its regular season with bowl eligibility on the line in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Black Friday against Eastern Michigan at noon. For more information on the Flashes, follow @KentStFootball on Twitter and visit kentstatesports.com for more information.