FOURTH QUARTER
12:58 ... Hold on, it's not over yet. Kent State is starting to show some poise and pull it together after a frustrating stretch of about 11 minutes.
A Colin Reardon-to-Tyshon Goode touchdown pass has cut the Bulls' lead to 34-21 with 12:58 to play .. That's still a lot of time, but they have to avoid shooting themselves in their own feet.
A personal foul after the touchdown called against offensive lineman Phil Huff forced Kent State to kick off from its own 10, and after a short kick and a 38-yard return by Ross, the Bulls will start at the Flashes 39.
... and as I type, the Bulls extend the lead again with an all-too-quick answer ... Licata to a wide-open Hughes for a 30-yard touchdown and a 41-21 lead.
BUFFALO 41, KENT STATE 21
5:08 ... Buffalo will try to move the chains on 4th-and-4 from the Kent State 24. Incomplete.
Reardon and the offense back on the field, and a 30-yard hookup to Humphries. Unfortunately a bit too little, too late.
Take away the two critical interceptions and Reardon has had a nice game ... 20-of-30, 260 yards and a touchdown to this point.
THIRD QUARTER
7:03 ... Not the start to the second half Kent State needed.
That finish to the second quarter was clearly pretty deflating. The offense hasn't shown much life in its first two possessions, and the defense was gashed for some big plays by Oliver, including a 38-yard touchdown that extended the Bulls lead to 27-7.
The Flashes are also showing their frustration with a personal foul penalty at the end of a kickoff that forced them to start drive No. 3 of the second half at their own 7 yard line.
And with 6:13 to play, the wheels may be falling off as Reardon threw an up-for-grabs interception to Cortney Lester. It was a bad throw, but the Flashes didn't do a good job of protecting their quarterback as Khalil Mack ran right past Trayion Durham.
4:55 ... Oliver with another touchdown run – a 4-yarder to put the Bulls ahead 34-7.
3:12 ... Dri Archer gives Kent State some hope with a 17-yard touchdown run to cap a quick drive.
That hope is a bit short lived, however, as Ross returns the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the Kent State 44 ... a couple of completions by Licata has the Bulls right back in the red zone at the KSU 10.
0:55 ... A little bit of help as Buffalo's Clarke misses a 33-yard field goal wide right.
SECOND QUARTER
14:27 ... Kent State has had a tough time picking up the tough inside yards, but today the Golden Flashes take the lead on a 4-yard run by Trayion Durham.
The Flashes spread it out on 1st-and-goal. Wide splits, and Durham had a big lane to the goal line between left guard and center.
KENT STATE 7, BUFFALO 6
13:04 ... Buffalo didn't take long to answer the Kent State score.
A 49-yard throw from Licata to Neutz set up a 5-yard touchdown run by Branden Oliver to put the Bulls back into the lead.
Dylan Farrington ran step for step with Neutz on the up-for-grabs throw and appeared to be in position to make a play on the football. I'm not sure if he stumbled at the last minute, but Neutz ended up making the catch without a great deal of difficulty.
5:27 ... Kent State's defense comes up with a couple of plays to force a punt ... including a big pass break up by Wollet on a deep throw to tight end Mason Schreck that would have gone for 45-plus yards.
Schreck then dropped a pass on 3rd-and-9. Up until that point, the Bulls were 4-for-5 on third down.
0:08 ... A big 10-to-14-point swing to close the first half.
A nice drive late had Kent State in position to take the lead at halftime or cut into the Buffalo lead.
A 24-yard throw to Archer and a 15-yard, back-shoulder throw to Tyshon Goode, followed by a pass interference call on a throw to Casey Pierce at the goal line had the Flashes set up with a 1st-and-10 at the Buffalo 14 with a little less than a minute to go before the half.
That's when Reardon made a critical mistake, trying to force a throw to what was either his second or third option. The pass was picked by Khalil Mack and returned 45 yards to the Kent State 46.
Just 29 seconds and five plays later, Buffalo was in the end zone and ahead 20-7.
Making the score all the more disappointing was the fact that Branden Oliver's 17-yard touchdown run with 8 seconds to go came on 3rd-and-10.
Instead of ahead by a point with a touchdown or down by just four after a field goal, and with Buffalo kicking off to them to start the second half, the Flashes find themselves behind by 20-7 and in need of some poise to overcome a frustrating turn of events.
5:27 ... Kent State's defense comes up with a couple of plays to force a punt ... including a big pass break up by Wollet on a deep throw to tight end Mason Schreck that would have gone for 45-plus yards.
Schreck then dropped a pass on 3rd-and-9. Up until that point, the Bulls were 4-for-5 on third down.
0:08 ... A big 10-to-14-point swing to close the first half.
A nice drive late had Kent State in position to take the lead at halftime or cut into the Buffalo lead.
A 24-yard throw to Archer and a 15-yard, back-shoulder throw to Tyshon Goode, followed by a pass interference call on a throw to Casey Pierce at the goal line had the Flashes set up with a 1st-and-10 at the Buffalo 14 with a little less than a minute to go before the half.
That's when Reardon made a critical mistake, trying to force a throw to what was either his second or third option. The pass was picked by Khalil Mack and returned 45 yards to the Kent State 46.
Just 29 seconds and five plays later, Buffalo was in the end zone and ahead 20-7.
Making the score all the more disappointing was the fact that Branden Oliver's 17-yard touchdown run with 8 seconds to go came on 3rd-and-10.
Instead of ahead by a point with a touchdown or down by just four after a field goal, and with Buffalo kicking off to them to start the second half, the Flashes find themselves behind by 20-7 and in need of some poise to overcome a frustrating turn of events.
FIRST QUARTER
9:09 ... Punts on the first series for both teams.
A sloppy start for the Kent State offense, getting off schedule on the first series with a false start penalty. Buffalo declined another penalty (ineligible man downfield) to force a 3rd-and-7, but the Flashes still moved the chains with a throw from Colin Reardon to Dri Archer.
The little drag route to Archer could have gone for a big gain, but Buffalo defensive back Dwellie Striggles tripped up Archer just as he was about to hit full stride.
For Kent State's defense, Roosevelt Nix did not start, but he trotted out onto the field for the second play of the game.
Dylan Farrington was in the starting lineup at cornerback after missing last week to injury.
3:02 ... Buffalo scores first on a six-minute, 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Joe Licata-to-Alex Neutz touchdown pass of 8 yards.
We didn't see Nix on the drive until Buffalo reached the red zone with a first down at the 16-yard line.
If his back is hurting, it didn't show as a he blew up a second-down run, dropping Oliver for a 2-yard loss.
It was also Nix who blocked the extra point by Buffalo's Patrick Clarke. He was in so fast that he almost took the ball out of the hands of holder Tyler Grassman.
Inability to get off of the field on third-and-long again hurt Kent State. Buffalo faced 3rd-and-11 early in the drive and converted easily on a 24-yard throw from Licata to Fred Lee, who was running free in the Kent State secondary.
0:00 ... Kent State will face a 3rd-and-2 at the Buffalo 12 when the second quarter starts.
The Flashes were lined up in a jumbo set with Trayion Durham at tailback when the first quarter ended without getting off the play. That's a set that has given Kent State some problems in recent weeks.
Reardon has been sharp in his return from an ankle injury. The key to this drive was a perfectly-thrown seam route to Josh Boyle for 35 yards.
As the second quarter resumes, Reardon on the bootleg picks up the first down at the Buffalo 4.
3:02 ... Buffalo scores first on a six-minute, 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Joe Licata-to-Alex Neutz touchdown pass of 8 yards.
We didn't see Nix on the drive until Buffalo reached the red zone with a first down at the 16-yard line.
If his back is hurting, it didn't show as a he blew up a second-down run, dropping Oliver for a 2-yard loss.
It was also Nix who blocked the extra point by Buffalo's Patrick Clarke. He was in so fast that he almost took the ball out of the hands of holder Tyler Grassman.
Inability to get off of the field on third-and-long again hurt Kent State. Buffalo faced 3rd-and-11 early in the drive and converted easily on a 24-yard throw from Licata to Fred Lee, who was running free in the Kent State secondary.
BUFFALO 7, KENT STATE 0
0:00 ... Kent State will face a 3rd-and-2 at the Buffalo 12 when the second quarter starts.
The Flashes were lined up in a jumbo set with Trayion Durham at tailback when the first quarter ended without getting off the play. That's a set that has given Kent State some problems in recent weeks.
Reardon has been sharp in his return from an ankle injury. The key to this drive was a perfectly-thrown seam route to Josh Boyle for 35 yards.
As the second quarter resumes, Reardon on the bootleg picks up the first down at the Buffalo 4.
PREGAME
2:55 p.m. ... As expected, Colin Reardon is in uniform. He is moving well and throwing the football well here in pregame. He looks like he is ready.
The rest of the team just took the field, and Roosevelt Nix is also in uniform, also as expected. Not sure if he will start, but he should play. He is streching at the 35-yard line. Elton Alexander: "Nix looks rather lively."
Reardon needs to be spry on that injured ankle facing one of the better defenses in the MAC. At linebacker, Khalil Mack has 6 sacks and Adam Redden has 3 1/2, and at defensive end Colby Way has 5.
2:33 p.m. ... The Flashes have a little uniform change today ... similar to last year's Akron game they are wearing white pants with the blue tops.
The rest of the team just took the field, and Roosevelt Nix is also in uniform, also as expected. Not sure if he will start, but he should play. He is streching at the 35-yard line. Elton Alexander: "Nix looks rather lively."
Reardon needs to be spry on that injured ankle facing one of the better defenses in the MAC. At linebacker, Khalil Mack has 6 sacks and Adam Redden has 3 1/2, and at defensive end Colby Way has 5.
2:33 p.m. ... The Flashes have a little uniform change today ... similar to last year's Akron game they are wearing white pants with the blue tops.
2:10 p.m. ... It's just a little over 40 degrees here at Dix Stadium and several players from both teams are on the field warming up ... Although I'm not sure how warm Kent State's players are. Most of them, including senior safety Luke Wollet, are going through their early paces with their shirts off.
Why not? May as well try whatever you need to get pumped up.
At nose tackle, we'll hope to see Nate Terhune continue to up his playing time. After returning just four weeks after breaking his leg, he has gone from about eight plays two weeks ago to double digits last week. A 20-plus-play game from Terhune would be a big help as Kent State tries to slow Buffalo back Brandon Oliver. More playing time has helped create a bit of depth on the line as 312-pound Chris Fairchild has continued to develop in his sophomore year. Kent native and Findlay transfer Marcus Wright had an impact last week with his first two sacks of his Kent State career.
The Golden Flashes wills still be without punter-kicker Anthony Melchiori. Coach Haynes revealed earlier this week that the sophomore special-teams star will likely miss the rest of the 2013 season.
As we prepare for today's 3:37 p.m. kickoff, here's a look at what is available on the internet today regarding the Kent State-Buffalo matchup.
- In the Akron Beacon Journal, Stephanie Storm previews Kent State vs. Buffalo in "Flashes happy to be home but prepared for hard-charging Bulls."
- Earlier this week, Stephanie had this story on the Flashes being "exhausted after tiresome stretch of road games."
- Elton Alexander's "Kent State Gameday: Saturday vs. Buffalo" is in the Plain Dealer.
- Earlier this week, the Record-Courier's Allen Moff had this preview, "Kent State football team happy to be home, but another tough opponent awaits."
- Moff also reported on the expected return of Colin Reardon.
- The Buffalo News has this scouting report with the warning, "UB must contain Archer."
- Buffalo News reporter Bob DiCeasare writes that Buffalo will get its "first real test of the MAC season" at Kent State.
- DiCeasare also has this story with video on Buffalo offensive lineman Kristjan Sokoli
- This Buffalo News notebook from earlier this week leads with Archer "no Flash in the pan."
No comments:
Post a Comment