Kent State University
Bowling Green
Flashes Grind Out Homecoming Win Over Bowling Green
10/2/2021 8:38:00 PM | Football
KENT, OHIO- Dustin Crum eluded defenders on an 11-yard touchdown run and the Golden Flashes held off a valiant Bowling Green team in a 27-20 homecoming victory at Dix Stadium.
The senior quarterback's touchdown run was the fourth time on what proved to be a 13-play, 74-yard, game-winning drive. His elusiveness was one of the overarching themes of the day as he finished with 12 rushes for 93 yards and that touchdown.
"That's how he's always been," head coach Sean Lewis said after the game. "He's wiry, slippery and knows what angels to take to fool defenders."
The Golden Flashes relied on the running game of Crum and the running back duo of Marquez Cooper and Xavier Williams on Saturday. The Flashes pounded the ball 56 times for 262 yards and all three touchdowns. Cooper led the way with a career-high 120 yards on 31 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
Defensively, the Flashes once again forced timely turnovers. A.J. Musolino picked off Bowling Green quarterback Matt McDonald deep in Kent State territory and the unit forced three fumbles, recovered one and forced a turnover on downs on another.
"That is just a product of our system," Musolino said post-game about the interception. "I am able to drop back and make a play because I know there's 10 other guys who are doing their job."
Musolino had five tackles and a sack to go along with that interception, one of five sacks on the day for the Golden Flashes. The defense held the Falcons to just 55 net rushing yards on 26 carries while McDonald averaged just over five yards per pass in his 263-yard day.
However, the Falcons forced the Flashes to grind out the homecoming game win. Bowling Green's defense stalled three-of-four Kent State red zone drives in the first half and limited the Flashes to a 13-6 halftime lead. Bowling Green then scored twice in the third quarter, taking advantage of a long kick return to start the second half and putting together a 75-yard drive to lead 20-13.
But the home crowd of 20,537 rallied behind the Flashes, who quickly answered Bowling Green's go-ahead touchdown with a 13-play, 75-yard drive capped by a Cooper four-yard scoring run. The Flashes' defense then forced two fourth quarter fumbles and held the Falcons to minus-one yard rushing in the final frame, shutting them out over the final 24 minutes of play.
The win puts the Flashes at 2-3 on the season, 1-0 in the Mid-American Conference and runs their win streak in the Anniversary Award game to four straight. Bowling Green drops to 2-3 on the season and 0-1 in conference. Kent State hosts Buffalo next Saturday in a game that has been flexed to ESPN U. Kick-off is now set for 7 p.m. from Dix Stadium.
