Kent State Football Fends
Off Bowling Green,
Earns First
MAC Victory of 2011

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The Golden Flashes (2-6, 1-3 MAC) snapped a three-game losing streak and posted back-to-back victories over the Falcons (4-5, 2-3 MAC) for the first time since the "James Gang" in 1972 and '73. Kent State improved to 6-4 at Dix Stadium since the beginning of the 2010 season.

Kent State and Bowling Green traded field goals early in the first quarter, with junior kicker Freddy Cortez (Fort Meade, Fla.) knocking one in from 44 yards out and BG redshirt junior kicker Stephen Stein countering with a 39-yard conversion.

As the first quarter drew to a close, the Flashes manufactured an 11-play, 60-yard drive that covered 5:36 and culminated in freshman tailback Trayion Durham (Cincinnati, Ohio) muscling his way through the Bowling Green defense and over the goal line for a five-yard touchdown.

Kent State protected its 10-3 edge through halftime and early into the third quarter before Stein cut Bowling Green's deficit to six with a 23-yard field goal.

The Flashes expanded their lead to 11 at the beginning of the final quarter. Freshman linebacker Andre Parker (Ruckersville, Va.) recovered a fumbled punt return by the Falcons to set up a 14-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Spencer Keith (Little Rock, Ark.) to senior tight end Justin Thompson (Gahanna, Ohio).

Bowling Green responded on their next drive, hitting pay dirt on a 52-yard scoring strike from redshirt sophomore quarterback Matt Schilz to fifth-year senior wide receiver Kamar Jorden to make it a 17-12 game.

Cortez and Stein traded field goals again to make it a five-point contest with just over five minutes to play. Kent State's always stout defense came through again to snuff out Bowling Green's final drive with just seconds remaining as sophomore defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) scampered nine yards with a fumble recovery for a touchdown to seal the win. Kent State's defense forced Bowling Green into a one-dimensional offense, limiting the Falcons to just 56 rushing yards.

Kent State looks to make it two conference wins in a row when it hosts Central Michigan next Friday (Nov. 4) at 8 p.m. in a nationally televisted matchup on ESPN2.  A Flashes' victory would put Kent State in contention in the East Division as every team has at least two conference losses.
 
For more information, see http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2011-12/Releases/20111029kxwssm.