Flashes & Zips: The Rivalry Continues Saturday
10/30/2013 12:52:00 PM | Football
Game Notes in PDF ESPN3
Once a year, there comes a time when won-loss records mean nothing and every prior season accomplishment or setback becomes a thing of the past. That time is Saturday for Kent State and Akron when the archrivals clash at InfoCision Stadium for the Wagon Wheel. A rare opportunity awaits the Golden Flashes' four-year seniors (Roosevelt Nix, Zack Hitchens, Mark Fackler, Luke Wollet, Phil Huff)...the chance for Kent State to retain the Wagon Wheel in four straight seasons for the first time since 1954.
Facts In A Flash
• Kent State has won seven of its last nine against current MAC East members.
• Junior tight end Casey Pierce posted career-highs of five catches and 71 yards receiving against UB.
• Senior Dri Archer scored his seventh touchdown in five games against the Bulls, upping his career touchdown total to 36, which ranks fourth among Kent State's career leaders.
• After missing the previous game, redshirt freshman Colin Reardon threw for a career-high 260 yards along with his 11th touchdown pass of the season.
• Junior Chris Humphrey has made at least six catches in three of his last four games.
• Junior tailback Trayion Durham scored his 22nd career rushing touchdown against Buffalo, tying for ninth among Kent State's career leaders.
• Senior linebacker Danny Gress recorded a career-high seven tackles against Buffalo.
• Senior Tyshon Goode is now alone in third place among Kent State's career touchdown reception leaders with 14. He recently surpassed 2,000 yards receiving and is in second place among Kent State's career reception leaders with 168.
.• Junior Nate Vance leads the team with three sacks.
• Senior Roosevelt Nix raised his KSU career leading tackles for loss to 59.5, which is second among active FBS players. He's forced 10 career fumbles (10) and has 21.5 career sacks.
The Wagon Wheel Series
Saturday marks the 56th time the rivals face off on the gridiron in a series that dates back to 1923. Since 1946, the Wagon Wheel has been the prize to the winner, with the Golden Flashes leading the series 22-19-1. The wheel itself dates back to the middle of the 19th century. (year-by-year page 12)
• Legendary stories abound as to the roots of the Wagon Wheel...Perhaps the foremost is the one that includes John R. Buchtel, the founder of Buchtel College, which eventually became the University of Akron...It was said that Buchtel in the spring of 1870, began a horse wagon search for a site for a proposed college around Kent...Legend has it that Buchtel's wagon became stuck in a pool of mud somewhere on the present site of Kent State University...The wheel remained embedded in the ground and was just a piece of wood when it was found in 1902.
• The wheel was eventually in the possession of Dr. Raymond Manchester, who was the dean of men at Kent State in the 1940s...He suggested the wheel as a reward to the winner of the Kent State-Akron game in 1946. Manchester had the wheel painted in the school colors (of both schools) blue and gold.
• The two campuses are just 11.6 miles apart, the sixth closest distance among two FBS schools. Rice and Houston is the closest at 6.1 miles.
• The Flashes are 9-12-1 on the road in the Wagon Wheel series and 1-1 at InfoCision Stadium. Trayion Durham ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-3 KSU victory the last time the teams met in Akron in 2011.
• Akron leads the overall all-time series 30-23-2. The Golden Flashes did not pick up a win in the series until 13th game in 1942 (Akron was 11-0-1). After that stretch, Kent State won 10 straight from 1942 - 1954. In 1974 the all-time series was tied 11-11-2...Since then Akron has won 17-of-29 meetings and 10 of the last 15.
• Arguably, the most famous Kent State victory came in 2003, when Josh Cribbs led a late comeback in a 41-38 win at the Rubber Bowl.
• Last year in Kent, the Zips jumped out to a 21-7 lead before the Flashes took command in the second half for a 35-24 victory. Trayion Durham ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns.
• In addition to the wheel itself being on the line, one point is also at stake in the third year of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. The competition includes 15 varsity sports, with each sport addiding one point to the challenge standings. Last year, Kent State won 8.0-7.0 to win its second straight challenge. This season, the Flashes are off to a 1.5-0 lead in the early going.
Previewing Akron
• On Oct. 19, the Zips celebrated their first conference victory since 2010, a 24-17 win at Miami.
• Akron's rushing defense ranks fourth in the MAC, while its passing offense is fifth in the conference.
• The Zips are 25th in the nation in sacks with 25 for a loss of 142 yards.
• Akron special teams units have blocked a punt and two kicks.
• The Zips rank 25th in the nation in sacks allowed.
• Akron has suffered three losses by seven points or less against Michigan, Louisiana-Lafayette and Northern Illinois.
Key Players To Watch
• Junior back Jawon Chisholm ran for 166 yards and a touchdown this past weekend against Ball State. He added three catches for 34 receiving yards. Chisholm leads the Zips with 609 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He's also caught 22 passes for 176 yards.
• Sophomore quarterback Kyle Pohl ranks 32nd in the nation in completions per game (19.9) and 27th in passing yards (1,873).
• Sophomore receiver has Zach D'Orazio has caught 32 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns.
• Sophomore punter Zach Paul ranks 13th in the nation with a 44.3 yard punting average. He's placed 14 punts inside the 20.
• Sophomore linebacker Dylan Evans totaled 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble against Ball State.
• Junior linebacker Justin March leads the team with three interceptions. he's also second on the team with 57 tackles.
• Senior defensive end Albert Presley leads the Zips with 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He's also forced and recovered a fumble.
Once a year, there comes a time when won-loss records mean nothing and every prior season accomplishment or setback becomes a thing of the past. That time is Saturday for Kent State and Akron when the archrivals clash at InfoCision Stadium for the Wagon Wheel. A rare opportunity awaits the Golden Flashes' four-year seniors (Roosevelt Nix, Zack Hitchens, Mark Fackler, Luke Wollet, Phil Huff)...the chance for Kent State to retain the Wagon Wheel in four straight seasons for the first time since 1954.
Facts In A Flash
• Kent State has won seven of its last nine against current MAC East members.
• Junior tight end Casey Pierce posted career-highs of five catches and 71 yards receiving against UB.
• Senior Dri Archer scored his seventh touchdown in five games against the Bulls, upping his career touchdown total to 36, which ranks fourth among Kent State's career leaders.
• After missing the previous game, redshirt freshman Colin Reardon threw for a career-high 260 yards along with his 11th touchdown pass of the season.
• Junior Chris Humphrey has made at least six catches in three of his last four games.
• Junior tailback Trayion Durham scored his 22nd career rushing touchdown against Buffalo, tying for ninth among Kent State's career leaders.
• Senior linebacker Danny Gress recorded a career-high seven tackles against Buffalo.
• Senior Tyshon Goode is now alone in third place among Kent State's career touchdown reception leaders with 14. He recently surpassed 2,000 yards receiving and is in second place among Kent State's career reception leaders with 168.
.• Junior Nate Vance leads the team with three sacks.
• Senior Roosevelt Nix raised his KSU career leading tackles for loss to 59.5, which is second among active FBS players. He's forced 10 career fumbles (10) and has 21.5 career sacks.
The Wagon Wheel Series
Saturday marks the 56th time the rivals face off on the gridiron in a series that dates back to 1923. Since 1946, the Wagon Wheel has been the prize to the winner, with the Golden Flashes leading the series 22-19-1. The wheel itself dates back to the middle of the 19th century. (year-by-year page 12)
• Legendary stories abound as to the roots of the Wagon Wheel...Perhaps the foremost is the one that includes John R. Buchtel, the founder of Buchtel College, which eventually became the University of Akron...It was said that Buchtel in the spring of 1870, began a horse wagon search for a site for a proposed college around Kent...Legend has it that Buchtel's wagon became stuck in a pool of mud somewhere on the present site of Kent State University...The wheel remained embedded in the ground and was just a piece of wood when it was found in 1902.
• The wheel was eventually in the possession of Dr. Raymond Manchester, who was the dean of men at Kent State in the 1940s...He suggested the wheel as a reward to the winner of the Kent State-Akron game in 1946. Manchester had the wheel painted in the school colors (of both schools) blue and gold.
• The two campuses are just 11.6 miles apart, the sixth closest distance among two FBS schools. Rice and Houston is the closest at 6.1 miles.
• The Flashes are 9-12-1 on the road in the Wagon Wheel series and 1-1 at InfoCision Stadium. Trayion Durham ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-3 KSU victory the last time the teams met in Akron in 2011.
• Akron leads the overall all-time series 30-23-2. The Golden Flashes did not pick up a win in the series until 13th game in 1942 (Akron was 11-0-1). After that stretch, Kent State won 10 straight from 1942 - 1954. In 1974 the all-time series was tied 11-11-2...Since then Akron has won 17-of-29 meetings and 10 of the last 15.
• Arguably, the most famous Kent State victory came in 2003, when Josh Cribbs led a late comeback in a 41-38 win at the Rubber Bowl.
• Last year in Kent, the Zips jumped out to a 21-7 lead before the Flashes took command in the second half for a 35-24 victory. Trayion Durham ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns.
• In addition to the wheel itself being on the line, one point is also at stake in the third year of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. The competition includes 15 varsity sports, with each sport addiding one point to the challenge standings. Last year, Kent State won 8.0-7.0 to win its second straight challenge. This season, the Flashes are off to a 1.5-0 lead in the early going.
Previewing Akron
• On Oct. 19, the Zips celebrated their first conference victory since 2010, a 24-17 win at Miami.
• Akron's rushing defense ranks fourth in the MAC, while its passing offense is fifth in the conference.
• The Zips are 25th in the nation in sacks with 25 for a loss of 142 yards.
• Akron special teams units have blocked a punt and two kicks.
• The Zips rank 25th in the nation in sacks allowed.
• Akron has suffered three losses by seven points or less against Michigan, Louisiana-Lafayette and Northern Illinois.
Key Players To Watch
• Junior back Jawon Chisholm ran for 166 yards and a touchdown this past weekend against Ball State. He added three catches for 34 receiving yards. Chisholm leads the Zips with 609 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He's also caught 22 passes for 176 yards.
• Sophomore quarterback Kyle Pohl ranks 32nd in the nation in completions per game (19.9) and 27th in passing yards (1,873).
• Sophomore receiver has Zach D'Orazio has caught 32 passes for 428 yards and four touchdowns.
• Sophomore punter Zach Paul ranks 13th in the nation with a 44.3 yard punting average. He's placed 14 punts inside the 20.
• Sophomore linebacker Dylan Evans totaled 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble against Ball State.
• Junior linebacker Justin March leads the team with three interceptions. he's also second on the team with 57 tackles.
• Senior defensive end Albert Presley leads the Zips with 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He's also forced and recovered a fumble.
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