Kent State University
Ohio University
Flashes Head to Ohio in Key Road MAC Matchup
10/22/2021 10:00:00โฏAM | Football
KENT, OHIO- The Golden Flashes wrap up a two-game MAC road swing this Saturday as they head to Athens to take on the Ohio Bobcats.
FOLLOW ALONG
Kick-off is set for 1:05 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN + with Michael Reghi and Je'Rod Cherry on the call. Fans can also tune into the Kent State Radio Network with Rob Polinsky and Tom Evans on the call, pre-game starts at noon on Saturday.
ALL-TIME SERIES
This will be the 73rd meeting all-time between the two schools and is a rivalry that dates back to 1936. Ohio leads the all-time series 45-25-2 including winning the previous six meetings. The now 73 meetings between the schools is tied with the Zips for the second-longest rivalry in Kent State history, trailing only Bowling Green.
This will be the second-straight meeting between the schools at Peden Stadium with last year's contest at Dix Stadium being canceled due to the pandemic. It is the first time since 1986-87 that back-to-back games in the rivalry are at the same location.
ABOUT KENT STATE
Kent State is coming off their first conference loss of the season, a 64-31 setback at Western Michigan. The Flashes remain in a tie for the lead in the MAC East Division with Miami at 2-1, only 3-0 Northern Illinois remains unbeaten in league play.
MOVIN' ON UP
In the loss, Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum tossed a pair of touchdown passes, his seventh and eighth of the season and 42nd and 43rd of his collegiate career. Crum is now just two touchdowns behind Spencer Keith and Josh Cribbs who are tied for second on the Kent State career touchdown list with 45.
The Grafton, Ohio native is also in line to jump into third all-time at Kent State in total yards. He is 110 yards behind Julian Edelman for fourth all time and 206 yards behind Jose Davis who sits in third.
PART OF A BALANCED OFFENSE
Kent State is averaging 463 yards of offense through three MAC games, good for second in the conference. The Flashes are averaging 260 yards through the air and another 203 on the ground. Only Kent State and Western Michigan are averaging over 200 yards in both offensive phases.
RUSH HOUR
The running game for both teams will go a long way to determining the outcome of Saturday's game. Ohio leads the MAC with a 283 yard per game average on the ground in MAC play and 201 yards per game on the ground overall.
The game will feature two of the top running backs in terms of yardage in Marquez Cooper and Ohio's De'Montre Tuggle. Both backs are averaging north of five yards per carry and 70 yards per game on the ground. Ohio quarterback Armani Rogers is also a threat in the run game, the grad student ran off over 180 yards on the ground against Buffalo last week, including a 99-yard touchdown run.
RETURN TO SENDER
Both teams feature dynamic players in the kick return game, De'Montre Tuggle for Ohio and Nykeim Johnson and Ja'Shaun Poke for the Golden Flashes. Tuggle has already returned a kick for a score this season and averages over 21 yards per return. On the Kent State side both Johnson and Poke are averaging nearly 25 yards per return and each have a return over 40 yards. Kent State has proven stingy against the punt as well, ranking 19th in the FBS and tops in the MAC, allowing just three yards per return.
LOOKING AHEAD
The schedule now flips to mid-week MACtion for the next two games so the Flashes get a "bye" next week. Kent State will welcome in Northern Illinois on Wednesday, November 3rd for a 7 p.m. kick-off. The game will either air on ESPN-2 or ESPN-U.
