Kent State University
Akron
Flashes Look to Defend The Wagon Wheel on ESPN
11/16/2020 2:40:00 PM | Football
Kent State Notes | MAC Football Notes and Stats | Akron Notes
KENT, OHIO- The Golden Flashes welcome in their long-standing rival Akron Zips in the annual Battle for the Wagon Wheel on Tuesday night with an 8 p.m. kick off on ESPN.
LAST TIME OUT
For the second-straight year, Kent State dropped 62 on Bowling Green, winning 62-24 last Tuesday night. The Golden Flashes rolled up over 660 yards of total offense and used a 28-0 burst in the second quarter to blow the game open.
WAGON WHEEL HISTORY
According to legend, the "Wagon Wheel" trophy traces its beginnings to the spring of 1870 when Akron industrialist John R. Buchtel set out for the town of Kent in search of a site to establish a college. In the muddy Ohio fields, however, his wagon became bogged down in the area where Kent State University is currently located. When horses pulled the wagon, a wheel came loose and became buried until it was discovered in 1902 during the construction of a pipeline along the Western Reserve Trail. The wheel eventually fell into the possession of Dr. Raymond Manchester, who as the Kent State Dean of Men in 1945, suggested the local historic artifact be offered as the trophy to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game.
The rivalry goes beyond just the football game. While the winner of the game gets to keep the Wagon Wheel for the season, there is a second Wagon Wheel that is a year-long contest across all sports. The year is scored in a Ryder Cup style format with teams either winning one point if it is the only time the teams meet that season (ie soccer/volleyball) or a half point if the teams play more than once (basketball). Visit wagonwheelchallenge.com for the complete details.
Heading into 2020, the rivalry game could not be closer, standing at 24-24-1.
GROUND AND POUND
Kent State rolled up 339 rushing yards against the Falcons last week, marking the fifth-straight game that the Flashes have rushed for at least 200 yards. The Flashes are 5-0 in those games. The last time Kent State had such a streak was the 2012 season when the Flashes closed the regular season with five-straight 200-yard games.
The Flashes shared the wealth against the Falcons and have done so through two games in 2020. Five players had at least five rushing attempts against BG and through two games, five people are averaging at least 30 yards per game on the ground. The end result has Kent State atop the Mid-American Conference averaging over 250 yards per game on the ground.
AIRING IT OUT
Kent State also leads the MAC in passing yards per game at 295.5 per game and touchdown passes with seven. That's thanks in part to Dustin Crum, who is averaging nearly 250 yards through the air per game and is tied for the MAC lead with six touchdown passes. Crum tied a career best with four touchdown passes last week against Bowling Green.
NO FLY ZONE
While the Golden Flashes are airing it out on offense, the same can't be said about the opposition. Through two games, teams are completing only 49 percent of their passes against the Flashes' secondary for an average of 173 yards per game. Kent State also is tied atop the conference lead with two interceptions and two touchdown passes allowed. Kent State has four players in the top-10 of the MAC in passes defended, tops in the conference.
UNDER PRESSURE
A good pass defense often starts with a strong pass rush and the Flashes have been in the opponent's backfield a lot this season. The Flashes lead the MAC with seven sacks through two games this season. Mandela Lawrence-Burke, Kesean Gamble and Brandon Coleman all have two sacks this season, putting them in the top-10 in the MAC and in a three-way tie for the team lead. Akron has allowed six sacks through two games this season.
ABOUT THE ZIPS
Akron comes into the week three rivalry game at 0-2 on the season. They are coming off a hard-fought setback against the Ohio Bobcats, falling 24-10 in Athens last week.
The offense is led by a talented running game headlined by Teon Dollard. The Zips are in the middle of the conference pack in team rushing, averaging 173 yards per game. Dollard is second in the MAC, rolling up 116 yards per game on his own so far this season.
In the passing game, one of the more familiar names in this rivalry as of late is Kato Nelson. However, Nelson has not seen the field yet this season and the quarterbacking reigns have been given to redshirt freshman Zach Gibson. Gibson is completing 60 percent of his passes with a pair of touchdowns against a trio of interceptions.
Defensively, redshirt junior Bubba Arslanian leads the Zips defense. Through two games, Arslanian is averaging nearly 10 stops a game and leads Akron with a pair of sacks.
FOLLOW ALONG
Tuesday's game can be seen on ESPN with an 8:05 p.m. kick with Courtney Lyle and Dustin Fox on the call. Fans can also listen to Rob Polinsky call the game on the Kent State Radio Network, the Go Flashes App as well as Tune In Radio. Live stats and in-game highlights and updates are also available through KentStateSports.com and @KentStFootball on Twitter. Check out the Flashes Game Day Live page on KentStateSports.com for all your links for Tuesday's game.
LOOKING AHEAD
The final three weeks of the Flashes' schedule flip to Saturdays. First up is a trek up I-90 to Buffalo to take on the Bulls on Saturday, November 28th. Kick-off has been set for noon and can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
