With under two minutes left in the game, the Kent State football team cut the lead to two points against Ball State Saturday. KSU lined up for an onside kick to get the ball back in an attempt to take the lead.
The kick bounced down toward the sideline and into the hands of a Kent State player, and KSU retained possession.
Until a flag hit the grass, that is.
The play was called back because the team “blocked too early,” allowing the Flashes to illegally gain possession.
The rekick went to Ball State, and the two teams swapped touchdowns in the final 90 seconds, and Kent State dropped its 15th game in a row on a 37-35 score.
The Cardinals entered the game with a 1-4 record, including a four-game losing streak.
Against the Flashes, they were able to snap the losing streak while picking up their first conference win and first win against a Division-I team this season with a 37-35 victory to improve to 2-4 (1-2). Kent State fell to 0-6 (0-2).
“I am disappointed but encouraged,” said coach Kenni Burns. “We didn’t deserve to win. We didn’t finish the game, but there’s a lot of things to be encouraged about in that football game that we have to build off of.”
Multiple members of the KSU offense had career days. Junior quarterback Tommy Ulatowski went 17-of-36 passing for 394 yards and four passing touchdowns, both career highs.
“I think he started a little bit slow, I thought he responded though. That’s what elite quarterbacks do,” Burns said. “I think he settled back down and started to read what he saw. There’s definitely room for improvement, but I thought his leadership and his command kept us in the game today.”
In his two starts this season, Ulatowski has 739 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
Redshirt sophomore receiver Chrishon McCray pulled in eight receptions for a career-high 213 yards to go with three touchdowns, also a career high. McCray now has 25 receptions for a team-best 522 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Graduate student receiver Luke Floriea also had a career high in receiving yards with 130 on six receptions along with a touchdown. Floriea is tied with McCray for the most receptions on the team with 25, but halfway through the season, he still trails McCray with 421 yards and four touchdowns. Floriea’s 421 yards are already enough for a career high for receiving yards in a season.
“I think they’re really talented players, and that started back in the summer,” Burns said. “Those guys were here all summer working on their timing on routes, their releases, their connections, and all that stuff and I think that’s special.”
Redshirt senior running back Ky Thomas again led the way for the Flashes on the ground with 17 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown.
“He’s still not exactly what I know he can be. You saw a glimpse of it today, but we have to get that ankle right so he can be a full 100%,” Burns said. “Ky is a very, very talented back. We have to block for him, and we have to give him the ball.”
As a team, the Flashes had 67 yards on 30 carries for an average of just 2.2 yards per carry. On the season, Kent State has an FBS-worst 355 rushing yards, picking up 59.17 yards per game on the ground.
“We have to keep improving. The O-line has to keep improving there, I think our backs have to keep breaking tackles. I think as coaches, we have to put them in position to win games,” Burns said. “I think we have committed to the pass game quite a bit, and there are some opportunities to run the ball a little bit more, but we also have to quit playing catch-up. We’ve been playing catch-up a lot, which forces you to throw the ball a little bit.”
Burns then spoke on his confidence in the group’s ability to execute and move past the early season struggles.
“I have tons of confidence in them – I do because I’ve seen them at their best,” Burns said. “They kept fighting and moving, and you don’t get 394 yards passing without an O-line protecting you and giving you time.”
Though the 37 points given up is the fewest the Kent defense has given up against an FBS opponent this season, the defense still surrendered 406 yards, now giving up over 400 yards in each of the first six games.
The Flashes have forced just one turnover in the last four games.
Ball State’s 406 yards were distributed relatively evenly, with 215 yards coming through the air, while the other 191 came on the ground.
Senior running back Braedon Sloann came into the game 15th in the Mid-American Conference in yards per carry among runners with at least 15 carries, and was held in check with just 3.5 yards per carry. Sloan finished the day with 22 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
The Flashes also kept the MAC’s third-leading receiver in check, holding junior tight end Tanner Koziol to 43 yards on eight catches.
“Our defense is still coming together, but the second half fight, I love the fight of our defense,” Burns said. “Getting off the field, getting the ball back to our offense, it’s a lot of stuff to build off of, for sure.”
Ball State will take a break from MAC play with a road trip to Vanderbilt (4-2, 2-1) next week.
Saturday, the Flashes will hit the road for the first time in four weeks to face the Bowling Green Falcons (2-4, 1-1) at 3:30 p.m.
“We have to go back, get obsessed with the process,” Burns said. “[We need to] find out what we did wrong, what we did right and then build on it.”
Demetri Manousos is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
