For the 20th time in a row, the Kent State football team lost when it played the Akron Zips (3-8, 2-5) last week on senior night, losing 38-17. The loss clinched last place in the Mid-American Conference for the second straight season for the Flashes. The 20th-straight loss is double that of the next longest losing streak in the FBS, which belongs to Purdue (1-10, 0-8).
“There were a lot of unnecessary penalties and things we don’t typically do that we have to clean up. I thought the guys came out and played hard,” coach Kenni Burns said. “They played aggressive. Obviously, we didn’t get the Wheel back, we’re disappointed in that, but we have to move on, and we are as a program.”
The Flashes claimed an early 7-0 lead, but over the course of the next two and a half quarters, Akron took control, going on a 38-3 run.
The offense gained 84 yards on its opening drive, but only mustered 197 yards the rest of the game, totaling 281. The offense has failed to gain over 300 yards in nine of 11 games.
The defense gave up over 400 yards for the 12th game in a row, giving up 527 to the Zips’ offense. Five of the Flashes’ 11 opponents have gained over 500 yards. The team has been outgained by over 240 yards in eight of its 11 games.
On Tuesday, Kent State will play its final game of the season at Buffalo (7-4, 5-2) in a final effort to avoid tying a program record for most consecutive losses, at 21. 21 straight losses would also tie the 20th longest losing streak in FBS history.
All of the Bulls’ common opponents with the Flashes have come in their last five games: Western Michigan (5-6, 4-3), Ohio (8-3, 6-1), Akron, Ball State (3-8, 2-5) and Eastern Michigan (5-6, 2-5). Buffalo is 3-2 in those games, winning the last three but have been outscored 193-186. The Flashes are 0-5, and have been outscored 220-106.
Quarterback
Junior quarterback Tommy Ulatowski threw 20 passes last week, completing 12 of them for 229 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception. In six games, he is 11th in the conference in yards with 1,262.
Ulatowski has a rating of 129.0, placing him 10th in the MAC, and his 14 touchdowns have him tied for eighth.
Senior quarterback C.J. Ogbonna, who crossed the 2,000-yard mark on the season last week, will be taking the snaps for the Bulls. Ogbonna has thrown 16 touchdowns and four interceptions giving him the conference’s best touchdown-to-interception ratio among players with at least five touchdown passes.
He is also the team’s third-leading rusher with 260 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Running back
Senior running back Ky Thomas has led the way on the ground for Kent State in each of the last six games, and he has rushed for at least 50 yards in every one of those games. 51 yards in the season finale would put him at 600 on the season.
Thomas sits at 14th in the MAC with 549 yards. His 4.07 yards per carry have him at 20th in the MAC among carriers with at least 50 attempts.
Junior running back Al-Jay Henderson has rushed for 774 yards on 56 attempts this season, landing him fifth in the conference in rushing yards, and among rushers with at least 50 attempts, he is 11th with 5.06 yards per carry. Henderson has also scored seven rushing touchdowns, tying him for fourth.
Senior running back Jacqez Barksdale is the second-leading rusher for the Bulls with 262 yards on 66 attempts, averaging 3.97 yards per carry. He has scored twice on the ground.
“It’s definitely a challenge, there’s no doubt about it. Western Michigan was a really good running football team, as well. We struggled in the interior D-line,” Burns said. “I think the biggest thing is simplifying the plan.”
Receivers
Redshirt sophomore receiver Chrishon McCray and graduate student receiver Luke Floriea, once again, accounted for most of Ulatowski’s yards, combining for 196 of his 229 yards. Floriea led the team in yards with 103 on three receptions while McCray had 93 yards, also on three receptions. Each receiver caught a touchdown pass, as well.
McCray is tied for sixth in the MAC with 705 yards, and Floriea is 10th with 661. The duo is fourth and fifth in yards per catch.
McCray averages 17.63 yards per catch while Floriea is good for 16.53 yards per catch. McCray’s nine touchdowns have him tied for second in the conference, and Floriea is eighth with six.
Floriea will be headed to the Reese’s Senior Bowl this winter, as well.
“Luke has a good shot (to go pro),” Burns said. “People are going to see his ability. I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve seen NFL talent. I think he definitely is NFL talent. I’ve talked to a lot of scouts and a lot of coaches around the league, and they have high interest in Luke. Luke has to go and perform, but I have no doubt that he’s going to have a career after Kent State in football. I know he’s going to make the most out of it.”
The Bull’s top two receivers sit at 14th and 15th in the MAC in yards. Senior JJ Jenkins leads the pair with 533 yards on 35 receptions. On Tuesday, he will look to break career highs of 36 receptions and 535 yards in a season. He has caught four touchdowns, putting him 14th in the MAC.
Redshirt sophomore Victor Snow has caught 43 passes, tied for ninth in the conference. He has totaled 511 yards. His five touchdowns tie him for 11th.
Defense
The Flashes’ defense is at the bottom of the MAC in most categories, including yards per game allowed (522.09), rushing yards per game allowed (266) and points per game allowed (44.18). The only major statistic the defense is not last in the conference in is passing yards per game allowed (256.09), which it is 10th in.
Nationally, Kent State is last in yards per game allowed, 116th in passing yards per game allowed, last in rushing yards per game allowed and last in points per game allowed.
Fortunately for the Flashes, the Bulls rank in the bottom half of the conference in most of those categories.
They are 10th in the MAC in yards per game allowed (422.09), one spot behind the Flashes at 11th in passing yards per game allowed (272.82), fifth in rushing yards per game allowed (149.27) and seventh in points per game allowed (29.91).
“The season has not gone the way we wanted it to. All we can control is the next game and the next opportunity,’ Burns said. “We have to get back to work, and do what we do to do that.”
Demetri Manousos is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].
