Kent State University
Bowling Green
Flashes Head to BG for Critical MACtion Matchup
11/8/2022 10:00:00 AM | Football
KENT-Week two of MACtion is upon us as the Golden Flashes head to Bowling Green to take on the Falcons for a 7 p.m. kick-off on CBS Sports Network.
Kent State comes into the matchup at 2-3 in MAC play and 3-6 overall. Bowling Green is in a three-way tie with Ohio and Buffalo atop the MAC East at 4-1 in MAC play and 5-4 overall.
The Anniversary Award is up for grabs on Wednesday night. The trophy was created in 1985 and celebrates the founding of both schools in 1910. The conference rivals will be meeting for the 90th time overall and have met every year since the MAC was founded in 1946. Bowling Green holds the all-time edge in the series, but Kent State has won the last four meetings.
The Flashes are coming off a tough 27-20 setback to Ball State last Tuesday night, snapping the Golden Flashes' 12-game home win streak. Marquez Cooper continued to impress, racking up his third-straight 100-yard game with a 168-yard effort against the Cardinals. Cooper passed 1,000 yards on the ground for the season and became the fourth Golden Flash to post back-to-back 1,000+ yard campaigns and the first since Josh Cribbs.
Defensively, the one-two combo of Nico Bolden and Marvin Pierre led the team in tackles with 10 and 9, respectfully. The duo are both ranked in the top-12 in the FBS in tackles this season and Pierre is second in the MAC with 56 stops in MAC play, good for a tick over 11 per game.
Bowling Green grinded out a 13-9 win over Western Michigan to improve to 4-1 in the MAC. The Falcons boast one of the top defenses in the MAC, allowing just 21 points and 337 yards of offense per conference game, both good for second in the MAC. The Falcons can get after the quarterback, averaging over four sacks per game in MAC play, led by Karl Brooks who has six sacks in five league games this year.
Offensively, quarterback Matt McDonald has hit on nearly 64 percent of his passes. He spreads the ball around, five different receivers have at least 200 yards this season and eight different players have caught a touchdown pass. It is a varied rushing attack as well with five different backs recording 40 or more carries this season and none more than 91.
Wednesday's game will air on CBS Sports Network with Alex Del Barrio and Donte Whitner on the call. Fans can also tune into the radio broadcast with Rob Polinsky and Tom Evans, the Countdown to Kick-off show will start at 6 p.m.
Next week, the Flashes return home to host Eastern Michigan on Wednesday night at Dix Stadium. It will be senior night for the football team and will honor the class of 2023 in a pre-game ceremony. Kick time and television station assignment have not been announced.
