After going up 7-0 early in the game, the Kent State football team was unable to build on its momentum, allowing Miami (6-5, 5-1) to score the game’s final 34 points. Kent State falls to 0-10 (0-6) on the season.
The loss gives the Flashes double-digit losses for the second straight season and extends the nation’s longest losing streak to 19 games, which is two short of a program record.
“I’m disappointed in the loss. I liked our guys’ fight, I thought they fought until the end. We have a lot of guys playing different positions right now that had to fill in for guys who went down, and I appreciate the effort of the team,” coach Kenni Burns said.
Kent State forced a Miami fumble on the opening drive of the game, then cashed in the turnover on an 11-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Tommy Ulatowski to redshirt sophomore receiver Chrishon McCray.
After the defense got another stop, the Flashes’ offense was moving the ball down the field. However, Ulatowski’s pass was tipped and intercepted, and on the following play, Miami scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass. It was all Miami from there.
“The pick, it was a tipped ball. It happens,” Burns said. “Things are going to happen in football games. It’s going to go your way, it’s not going to go your way, but you have to play the next play. We didn’t do a great job of that today.”
The offense gained just 183 yards of offense, the second-lowest against a Mid-American Conference team this season. Only 23 of those yards came in the second half.
“We had to throw the ball around a little bit, and our O-line didn’t play great in the second half,” Burns said. “We didn’t give the quarterback time. He got flustered a couple times, and that’s not our game. We have to be a balanced offense that has the ability to run the ball and pass the ball.”
Ulatowski completed 10 of his 21 passes for a touchdown and an interception, with his top target being graduate student receiver Luke Floriea, who had four receptions for 32 yards.
“He started solid, and Tommy has to do a good job of flushing things. The ball got tipped, and it was a pick – move on. Move on, move on,” Burns said. “I thought it lingered in his head. He got a little bit indecisive, not wanting to take a risk. You have to move on, you have to play the game. Those things happen, and how you respond from it is everything.”
Senior running back Ky Thomas was the team’s top rusher, picking up 58 yards on 15 carries. Thomas has led Kent State in rushing for five straight games, gaining at least 50 yards in each of those games. In that five-game stretch, he has averaged 4.71 yards per carry.
The Flashes started off strong on the ground, averaging about five yards per carry in the first half, excluding sacks. However, the team finished with an average of 2.73 yards per carry on 37 attempts for a total of 101 yards.
“They loaded the box up, and that’s why you saw us throw the ball a little bit,” Burns said. “They brought an extra hat down there and put him at the line of scrimmage, which forces you to have your one-on-ones. We have to complete the ball. Tommy has to see it better, and we have to complete the ball when it’s there.”
Defensively, the Flashes allowed 477 yards, extending their streak of allowing more than 400 yards to 11 games. The defense, however, was able to force two fumbles. The two turnovers against the RedHawks matched the amount of turnovers the defense had forced through its first five conference games.
Miami’s fifth-year senior running back Keyon Mozee had a career day against Kent State, rushing for 196 yards on 19 carries, averaging 10.32 yards per carry. His 196 yards and 10.32 average were both career-highs.
“I think the interior linemen being down hurt us in the run game,” Burns said.
The Flashes will be at home for senior night Tuesday to take on the Akron Zips (2-8, 1-5) in the Wagon Wheel Rivalry.
“We’re still not there yet,” Burns said. “I told the team we have to figure out how to finish games, how to respond in the second half and how to put two halves of football together.”
Demetri Manousos is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
