The Ohio football team took advantage of a short field provided by Kent State special teams' miscues to earn a share of the Mid-American Conference East Division's top spot with a 17-7 victory over the Golden Flashes on Saturday at Dix Stadium.
We make sure we bring this up every day ' that a big win like this on the road can make a program and it's great to see us getting it done
said Ohio coach Frank Solich, who now holds a 10-10 overall record with the Bobcats. It also gives our guys a lot of morale.
Poor weather conditions, which led to a 40-minute lightning delay midway through the third quarter, wreaked havoc on both teams' passing efforts, but Ohio (6-3, 4-1 MAC), which has its first four-game winning streak since 1997, was able to get it done on the ground. Tailback Kalvin McRae ran for 103 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, marking his fourth-straight 100-yard game.
Kent State's special teams' woes began on its second drive.
After the Ohio defense forced the Golden Flashes (5-3, 4-1 MAC) to go three-and-out, Kent State punter Jake Kilroy's first kick of the day went off the side of his foot, resulting in a loss of a yard on the play, giving the Bobcats' prime field position on the Kent State 18-yard line.
Tailback Voncarie Owens scampered into the endzone on the first play of the ensuing drive to give Ohio the early 7-0 lead and notch his second touchdown of the season.
Kilroy's second punt after another three-and-out by the Kent State offense on its next drive would travel only 7 yards. Ohio was unable to produce points despite starting on the Golden Flashes' 27-yard line, but the Bobcats would capitalize on Kilroy's last mistake of the day.
Forced to punt from his 1-yard line, Kilroy fumbled the snap into the endzone, recovered and fumbled again when pursuing Ohio defenders hit him. Kent State defensive back Gary Ham negated the safety by picking up the ball and carrying it out of the endzone to the Kent State 17-yard line, but the Bobcats took over on downs.
Ohio quarterback Austen Everson would use an 11-yard completion to wide receiver Scott Mayle to move the chains before McRae scored from three yards out to make it 14-0, Ohio.
I thought our kids fought hard and played hard we just made too many mistakes Kent State coach Doug Martin said. As bad as things went for us in the kicking game
we still had chances to make some plays that we just didn't make.
Ohio kicker Matt Lasher played well despite the adverse weather conditions, averaging 33.8 yards per punt on his six kicks, including one that started the Golden Flashes inside their 20. Lasher also nailed a 30-yard field goal attempt with 34 seconds remaining in the first half to give Ohio its eventual winning score of 17-7 heading into the locker room.
With this weather (Saturday)
we knew the kicking game would be huge and we caught some breaks
especially on punts
Lasher said. They gave us great field position.
The Bobcats' defense did its part by containing Kent State's slew of offensive weapons. Kent State's star wide receiver Najah Pruden was held to just one reception for 12 yards on the day, and the Golden Flashes' talented duo of running backs, Eugene Jarvis and Tony Howard, combined for just 58 yards on 19 carries.
Quarterback Julian Edelman was effective once again for Kent State on the ground with 24 carries for 121 yards, but found his only touchdown on the day through the air with an 8-yard strike midway through the second quarter.
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Mark Shugar
