Golden Flashes Bowl Eligible for First Time Since 2012

Friday, November 29

Ypsilanti, Mich.

12:00 p.m.

Kent State University

6-6 , 5-3

Eastern Michigan

6-6 , 3-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

KENTST

Eastern Michigan

Golden Flashes Bowl Eligible for First Time Since 2012

11/29/2019 4:53:00 PM | Football

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Kent State football team (6-6, 5-3 MAC) are bowl eligible for the first time since 2012 with a 34-26 victory over Eastern Michigan (6-6, 3-5 MAC) and three straight wins to close the season.

The Golden Flashes are looking toward their fourth bowl game in program history and are eligible for just the fourth time in the last 30 years. The last time the Flashes went bowling was in 2012 when Dri Archer and company led Kent State to the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

"The kids did a tremendous job," said Head Coach Sean Lewis. "All of the things we have been preaching to them all season, being resilient and seeing it through. I am really proud of them. To be peaking and paying our best ball at the right time, that's what being an alpha is all about. They did that. They found a way to win. At the end of the day, a win is a win. We are at six and we are a pretty attractive and exciting football team. Hopefully we get another opportunity here to put our gold's on and go to work in a bowl game."

The Eagles got off to a fast start, marching down the field and taking a 7-0 lead. Xavier Williams quickly answered with an 8-yard touchdown run.

Dustin Crum rushed for two first-half touchdowns and Keith Sherald Jr. secured his second interception of the season to give the Flashes a 24-14 advantage at the break.

Jamal Parker got things cooking in the second half, taking the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. It was the first kickoff return touchdown by a Golden Flash since Dri Archer did so against Northern Illinois in 2013.

After Matthew Trickett missed a 47-yard field goal, Mike Glass drove the Eagles down the field and brought EMU within 11, 31-20. The extra point was blocked by the Flashes.

Eastern Michigan scored midway through the fourth quarter, but the Flashes stuffed the two-point conversion attempt and held a five-point lead, 31-26, with just under eight minutes to play.

Kent State ran down the clock – in large part due to Joachim Bangda's 46 rushing yards on the drive – and Trickett drilled a 24-yard field goal with 1:27 on the clock to put the Flashes up eight points. EMU had the ball and was driving, but Sherald Jr. made the game-clinching interception to vault the Flashes to their sixth win of the season and lock down bowl eligibility.

"I blacked out during that second interception," said Sherald Jr. "I just knew we were going bowling man. It was crazy."

Sherald Jr. was the defensive MVP in the game, finishing with 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a career-high two interceptions. Cepeda Phillips led the team with 13 tackles.

Crum finished 17-for-23 passing for 197 yards. He rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Williams led the Flashes with 79 rushing yards and a score. Will Matthews finished with 74 rushing yards. Kavious Price hauled in six receptions for 79 yards, while Isaiah McKoy caught five passes for a team-high 83 yards.

The Golden Flashes now await their bowl selection. Within the next week, Kent State will know where and when they are playing in a bowl game. Follow @KentStFootball on Twitter and tune in to kentstatesports.com for additional updates.