Replay: Kent State football team's rally falls short, Miami's home streak reaches 16
The Kent State football team fell to Miami of Ohio 27-24 on Saturday in Oxford. Here's a look at how the game at Yager Stadium in Oxford unfolded through our live updates:
Final score: Miami 27, Kent State 24
Miami [3-3, 1-1 MAC] is able to run the clock out and secure the 27-24 victory, running its home win streak to 16 games. RedHawks convert a first-and-20 early in the drive with a quarterback draw, then hit tight end Coldiron on a fourth-and-six with just over a minute left for 16 yards to seal it. Rushing: Miami 50 carries for 236 yards, Kent State [2-4, 1-1] 35-109. Flashes and RedHawks now both 1-1 in MAC play.
Devontez Walker's long catch sets up field goal, Kent State within three
Devontez Walker's 43-yard catch gets Kent State inside the Miami 20. The drive stalls, but Andrew Glass boots a 38-yard field goal to cut the RedHawks lead to 27-24 with six minutes left. Walker has new career highs with 11 catches for 159 yards, 2 scores.
Dante Cephas touchdown catch brings Kent State within a score
For the first time since the first quarter Kent State is within a score. On third-and-goal Collin Schlee hits Dante Cephas on a fade route for a 10-yard touchdown. Flashes trail Miami 27-21 with 12:18 to go in Oxford. Schlee has thrown for 250 yards and three scores. Cephas and Devontez Walker are both over 100 yards receiving.
Miami leads Kent State 27-14 after three quarters
Miami kicker Graham Nicholson converts another long field goal, this one from 45 yards out. RedHawks lead Kent State 27-14, third quarter just ended.
Devontez Walker strikes again, Kent State trims deficit to 10
Devontez Walker gets Kent State back into the game with his second touchdown catch of the day, this one a 23-yarder. Flashes trail Miami 24-14 with 3:35 left in the third quarter. Schlee made it possible by converting a third-and-20 with a 21-yard scramble. Walker now has nine catches for 103 yards and two scores.
Miami lead over Kent State grows to 24-7
Kent State goes three-and-out to start the second half. Miami then runs five straight times to set up a play-action pass to the tight end Coldiron for 41 yards, followed by a 3-yard touchdown run by Shelton. Flashes in deep trouble, down 24-7 early in the third quarter and struggling on both sides of the ball.
Halftime: Miami leads Kent State 17-7
Miami leads Kent State 17-7 at the half in Oxford. Golden Flashes WR Devontez Walker with eight catches for 80 yards, Collin Schlee 15-of-28 for 158 yards. Marquez Cooper held to just 17 yards on eight carries. RedHawks lead the rushing battle 125-52. Flashes ball to start the second half.
Kent State on the board thanks to big plays by Khali Saunders, Devontez Walker
With Kent State desperately needing a play to change momentum Khali Saunders delivers. The junior linebacker making his first start today for the Flashes drops off the line of scrimmage into coverage and RedHawks QB Aveon Smith never saw him. Saunders' interception ultimately leads to a 27-yard touchdown pass from Collin Schlee to Devontez Walker that cuts Miami's lead to 17-7 with 6:44 left in the second quarter.
Another big play puts Miami up 17-0 on Kent State
Perfectly blocked counter leads to 41-yard touchdown run by Kevin Davis, don't believe he was touched. Miami leads Kent State 17-0 late first quarter. Flashes offense has gone three-and-out last two possessions.
Big play helps Miami take 10-0 lead over Kent State
Miami's Miles Marshall springs wide open down the seam, catches a 76-yard pass from Aveon Smith to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Tyre Shelton. RedHawks lead Flashes 10-0. Same mistakes that haunted Kent State last week surfacing again - penalty, turnover, defensive breakdown.
Muffed punt by Kent State leads to three points for Miami
Miami takes the lead after recovering a muffed punt by Raymond James, 49-yard field goal puts the RedHawks on top 3-0 midway through the first quarter. Miami still does not have a first down.
Nice drive nets no points for Kent State
A solid Kent State opening drive does not produce any points, Andrew Glass 41-yard field goal blocked. Flashes were moving the ball well until lineman downfield penalty. Collin Schlee went 4-of-6 for 60 yards on the drive, which started at the KSU 1-yard line.
Kent State LB Khalib Johns out of action again due to injury
Kent State starting linebacker Khalib Johns will miss his second straight game after suffering an injury at No. 1 Georgia on Sept. 24. Also out of action today on the defensive side of the ball are starting cornerback Capone Blue, reserve linebackers Matt Harmon and Shane Slattery, and reserve lineman Macyo Williams.
Khali Saunders will start at linebacker for Kent State along with Marvin Pierre and CJ Harris.
Kent State, Miami offenses both led by first-year starting QBs
Both teams will be led by first-year starting quarterbacks.
Kent State junior Collin Schlee is fresh off an eventful performance last week against Ohio University. He fumbled four times, losing one, and three of them came when the Flashes were in field-goal range. But Schlee shook off those miscues in time to lead Kent State back from a seven-point deficit entering the fourth quarter. He finished with a career-high 398 passing yards, with 222 of them coming in the final quarter and overtime, as Kent State prevailed 31-24.
Schlee ranks second in the MAC in passing efficiency, which doesn’t take into account fumbles. Based on KSU head coach Sean Lewis’ reaction to last week’s issues with ball security, look for Schlee to carry the football very tightly on Saturday.
The RedHawks didn’t expect to have a first-year starter at quarterback, but lost veteran Brett Gabbert in the season opener against Kentucky due to a shoulder injury. Redshirt freshman Aveon Smith doesn't throw the ball with nearly as much effectiveness as Gabbert, but he’s more of a running threat with three touchdowns on the ground.
“Very athletic, very dynamic, more than capable as a thrower,” said Lewis of Smith. “In a lot of ways he’s different than Gabbert, but in a lot of ways he’s similar because he’s more than capable of hurting you both with his legs and arm. He’s dangerous with the ball in his hands in a lot of ways, can hurt you from anywhere on the field. He took a quarterback draw in that Buffalo game [73] yards to the house. They have a lot of team speed, and [Smith] adds to that element.”
A look back at last year's Kent State-Miami matchup
Last year’s Kent State-Miami clash ranks right up there with the greatest games in Flashes history.
Kent State fell behind by nine points midway through the second quarter, rallied to take a 10-point lead with 11:17 remaining, then the RedHawks scored the final 10 points of regulation and kicked a 20-yard field goal with four seconds left to force overtime.
The Flashes put seven points on the board to open the extra session, then Miami scored on its first play. The RedHawks elected to go for 2 points and the win, but Kent State cornerback Montre Miller knocked the pass away then raced across the end zone to fist-bump an official who called him for some questionable pass interference calls earlier in the contest.
Today's matchup
After setting several records while winning its Mid-American Conference opener last week, Kent State [2-3, 1-0 MAC] hits the road to battle Miami of Ohio [2-3, 0-1] Saturday in Oxford.
The Golden Flashes needed heroic efforts by juniors Dante Cephas and Marquez Cooper to survive a mistake-filled first three quarters and defeat Ohio University 31-24 in overtime last Saturday at Dix Stadium. Cephas set FBS season highs with 13 catches for a program record 246 yards, while Cooper rushed 40 times for a career-high 240 yards and two touchdowns.
Last year the Golden Flashes and RedHawks met in the final game of the regular season with the MAC East Division title on the line, and Kent State pulled out a 48-47 overtime victory at Dix Stadium.
Here's what you need to know ahead of Saturday's game. Return here once it kicks off for live updates.
When is the Kent State football game on Saturday?
The Golden Flashes and Bobcats kick off at 3:30 p.m., today, at Yager Stadium in Oxford.
How to watch, livestream Kent State-Ohio football game
Kent State's game against Miami of Ohio will be available to stream on ESPN+ — with Michael Reghi and Marcus Ray on the call.
Kent State football's scores in 2022
L, 45-20 at No. 15 Washington, Sept. 3
L, 33-3 at No. 18 Oklahoma, Sept. 10
W, 63-10 vs. Long Island, Sept. 17
L, 39-22 at No. 1 Georgia, Sept. 24
W, 31-24 OT vs. Ohio University, Oct. 1
Kent State football schedule: what's left for the Golden Flashes
Here's a look at the rest of the schedule for the Golden Flashes:
at Miami, today, 3:30
at Toledo, Oct. 15, 3:30
vs. Akron, Oct. 22, TBA
vs. Ball State, Nov. 1, TBA
at Bowling Green, Nov. 9, 7
vs. Eastern Michigan, Nov. 16, TBA
at Buffalo, Nov. 26, TBA
How long is the Miami football home winning streak?
The RedHawks have won 15 straight home games heading into today's game vs. Kent State. It's the 4th-longest active streak in FBS.
Today's betting line
Kent State is a 4.5-point favorite according to oddsmakers.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent State vs. Miami of Ohio football live updates
