Kent State tops Western Michigan 26-14
October 30, 2009
Watch video from the game.
The Kent State football team defeated Western Michigan 26-14 today at Dix Stadium behind big efforts from freshman wide receiver Tyshon Goode and freshman quarterback Spencer Keith.
“I’m really proud of our football team,” Kent State coach Doug Martin said. “We played a really good football with an NFL quarterback.”
Keith completed 24-of-34 passes for 373 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Goode caught a career-high 11 passes for 198 yards and had both of the Flashes receiving touchdowns.
The Flashes (5-4, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) took a 13-7 lead over the Broncos late in the second quarter on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Keith to Goode, a lead which they never gave up. Goode caught a 19-yard touchdown pass to put the Flashes up 20-7 in the third quarter.
The Broncos brought the game within one score after Western Michigan senior quarterback Tim Hiller found sophomore wide receiver Robert Arnheim in the end zone with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter, but Kent State sophomore running back Jaquise “Speedy” Terry put the game out of reach with a 15-yard rushing touchdown with 5:35 left in the game.
Terry rushed the ball 23 times for 90 yards for an average of 3.9 yards per carry.
The Flashes’ defense came up big again this week after recording a season-high seven sacks last week in the teams 20-11 win at Ohio. Kent State’s defense had six tackles for loss for -33 yards, including three sacks.
The defense held Hiller, who came into the game averaging 281.8 passing yards per game, to 255 yards. The Broncos only rushed for 38 yards against the Flashes’ defense, including 1.7 yards per carry.
Even though they won the game, the Flashes lost the turnover battle on the day. Western Michigan’s defense intercepted Keith twice and forced and recovered a fumble after a reception by senior wide receiver Jameson Konz.
The win over Western Michigan marks just the second time, and the first since 2001, that Kent State has swept MAC West division opponents on the season.
“We don’t know what we’re good at individually, but together as a team we’re unstoppable and that’s what we’re taking into consideration,”junior defensive end Monte Simmons said. “We have that focus in our mind, we have tunnel vision on every week as a one game MAC championship.”
The Flashes return to action next Saturday against rival Akron at Infocision Stadium.
