Photo by: Nick Cammett
Flashes to Visit No. 8 LSU Saturday Night on ESPNU
9/10/2013 10:05:00 PM | Football
Watch ESPN Game Notes Live Stats
For the first time in program history, Kent State takes on perennial power LSU Saturday night at Tiger Stadium on ESPNU. The Golden Flashes are less than 11 months removed from their first program victory over a ranked opponent as Kent State defeated Rutgers 35-23 on Oct. 27, 2012. The Scarlet Knights were 7-0 and ranked No. 15 heading into that contest. Saturday marks the Flashes' first road game of the season.
Facts In A Flash
• The Kent State offense showed its potential against Bowling Green with 247 total yards, 11 first downs and three touchdowns in the opening half. • The Golden Flashes have won their last six true road games, including five by double digits.
• After forcing 37 turnovers in 13 contests through last year's MAC title game, Kent State hasn't forced a turnover in three straight games.
• Senior Roosevelt Nix is second among active FBS players in career tackles for loss (56.0), fifth in forced fumbles (10) and 14th in sacks (21.5).
• Nix also became Kent State's career leader in tackles for loss with four TFLs vs. Bowling Green.
• Head Coach Paul Haynes makes his return to an SEC stadium after serving as Arkansas' defensive coordinator in 2012.
• Junior tailback Trayion Durham scored his 19th career touchdown against Bowling Green.
• Juniors Chris Humphrey and Casey Pierce have both caught touchdown passes in each of the first two games.
• Behind sophomore Anthony Melchiori, the Flashes rank in the nation's top 30 in net punting for the second straight season.
• Despite being without Dri Archer for the better part of two games, Kent State still ranks third in the MAC in rushing offense.
• The Flashes' rushing defense ranks second in the MAC.
• Junior linebacker DeVante' Strickland is coming off a breakthrough game of 11 tackles. His previous career-high was 11.
In Louisiana
Saturday will be the first meeting bewteen Kent State and LSU and only the Flashes' third trip to the state of Louisiana. Kent State defeated Louisiana-Monroe 31-29 in 1975 and fell to Louisiana-Lafayette 44-27 in 2008. Saturday marks the Flashes second trip to the Gulf Coast in the last nine months after a trip to the Go Daddy Bowl in January.
TV/Video/Radio
Saturday's game can be seen on ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Matt Stichcomb (color) and Dawn Davenport (sideline). The game will be replayed on Cox Sports Television.
• Kent State has won in each of its last three appearances on ESPNU.
All Kent State games can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the fourth year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky. Matt Miller will be the sideline reporter. The iHeartRadio channel works on a PC, smart phone or tablet.
WebSite, Twitter & Youtube
For Kent State football stories, statistics, photos, video and more, visit KentStateSports.com. For daily football updates follow @ksuathletics on Twitter. For an extensive video library visit the GoldenFlashesTV channel on YouTube.
The Coaches
• Paul Haynes became the first Kent State head coach to win his debut since 1988, a feat not accomplished by the previous five head coaches. Haynes was a two-time all-conference defensive back at Kent State from 1987-91, despite joining as a walk-on. He returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach in 1999 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2000. After seven seasons on an Ohio State staff that won six Big Ten titles (2005-11), Haynes spent the 2012 season as defensive coordinator at Arkansas. (For a complete Haynes bio see page 13)
• Northeast Ohio native Les Miles (Michigan '76) is 87-21 at LSU and 115-42 as a head coach. He led the Tigers to a 2007 BCS national title and most recently won an SEC title in 2011. LSU is 52-4 against unranked teams under Miles and 51-7 at home. In the last eight years under Miles, 51 LSU players have been selected in the NFL Draft. Miles served as head coach at Oklahoma State for four seasons, before joining LSU.ideo/radio
Saturday's game can be seen on ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Matt Stichcomb (color) and Dawn Davenport (sideline). The game will be replayed on Cox Sports Television.
• Kent State has won in each of its last three appearances on ESPNU.
All Kent State games can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the fourth year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky. Matt Miller will be the sideline reporter. The iHeartRadio channel works on a PC, smart phone or tablet.
PREVIEWING LSU
• Since 2001, the The Tigers have put together eight 10-win seasons, including two national titles and four SEC titles. Since 2005, LSU has had 19 All-America First Team selections.
• LSU is coming off a dominant offensive performance in a 56-17 win over UAB, 445 total yards and 22 first downs.
• The Tigers are averaging 446.5 yards per game, holding their two opponents to 277.5.
• LSU has scored on all nine of its redzone opportunities.
• Six Tiger ball carriers have combined for 354 rushing yards in two games.
• LSU is 17-of-27 on third down conversions, which ranks ninth in the nation.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
• Junior receiver Odell Beckham made five catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns against UAB. He also returned a missed field goal 100 yards for a touchdown.
• Senior quarterback Zach Mettenger completed 16-of-19 passes against UAB for 282 yards and five touchdowns.
• Sophomore runnng back Jeremy Hill rushed for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns last season on just 142 carries. He gained 50 yards on only six carries with a touchdown against UAB.
• Junior Terrence Magee is averaging 6.0 yards per carry with a pair of rushing TDs.
• Senior linebacker Lamin Barrow made 104 tackles last season, including 7.5 tackles for loss.
• Senior safety Craig Loston made three interceptions last season to go with 55 tackles.
• Freshman kicker Colby Delahoussaye is 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, while junior kicker James Hairston has 10 kickoffs for touchbacks.
For the first time in program history, Kent State takes on perennial power LSU Saturday night at Tiger Stadium on ESPNU. The Golden Flashes are less than 11 months removed from their first program victory over a ranked opponent as Kent State defeated Rutgers 35-23 on Oct. 27, 2012. The Scarlet Knights were 7-0 and ranked No. 15 heading into that contest. Saturday marks the Flashes' first road game of the season.
Facts In A Flash
• The Kent State offense showed its potential against Bowling Green with 247 total yards, 11 first downs and three touchdowns in the opening half. • The Golden Flashes have won their last six true road games, including five by double digits.
• After forcing 37 turnovers in 13 contests through last year's MAC title game, Kent State hasn't forced a turnover in three straight games.
• Senior Roosevelt Nix is second among active FBS players in career tackles for loss (56.0), fifth in forced fumbles (10) and 14th in sacks (21.5).
• Nix also became Kent State's career leader in tackles for loss with four TFLs vs. Bowling Green.
• Head Coach Paul Haynes makes his return to an SEC stadium after serving as Arkansas' defensive coordinator in 2012.
• Junior tailback Trayion Durham scored his 19th career touchdown against Bowling Green.
• Juniors Chris Humphrey and Casey Pierce have both caught touchdown passes in each of the first two games.
• Behind sophomore Anthony Melchiori, the Flashes rank in the nation's top 30 in net punting for the second straight season.
• Despite being without Dri Archer for the better part of two games, Kent State still ranks third in the MAC in rushing offense.
• The Flashes' rushing defense ranks second in the MAC.
• Junior linebacker DeVante' Strickland is coming off a breakthrough game of 11 tackles. His previous career-high was 11.
In Louisiana
Saturday will be the first meeting bewteen Kent State and LSU and only the Flashes' third trip to the state of Louisiana. Kent State defeated Louisiana-Monroe 31-29 in 1975 and fell to Louisiana-Lafayette 44-27 in 2008. Saturday marks the Flashes second trip to the Gulf Coast in the last nine months after a trip to the Go Daddy Bowl in January.
TV/Video/Radio
Saturday's game can be seen on ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Matt Stichcomb (color) and Dawn Davenport (sideline). The game will be replayed on Cox Sports Television.
• Kent State has won in each of its last three appearances on ESPNU.
All Kent State games can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the fourth year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky. Matt Miller will be the sideline reporter. The iHeartRadio channel works on a PC, smart phone or tablet.
WebSite, Twitter & Youtube
For Kent State football stories, statistics, photos, video and more, visit KentStateSports.com. For daily football updates follow @ksuathletics on Twitter. For an extensive video library visit the GoldenFlashesTV channel on YouTube.
The Coaches
• Paul Haynes became the first Kent State head coach to win his debut since 1988, a feat not accomplished by the previous five head coaches. Haynes was a two-time all-conference defensive back at Kent State from 1987-91, despite joining as a walk-on. He returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach in 1999 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2000. After seven seasons on an Ohio State staff that won six Big Ten titles (2005-11), Haynes spent the 2012 season as defensive coordinator at Arkansas. (For a complete Haynes bio see page 13)
• Northeast Ohio native Les Miles (Michigan '76) is 87-21 at LSU and 115-42 as a head coach. He led the Tigers to a 2007 BCS national title and most recently won an SEC title in 2011. LSU is 52-4 against unranked teams under Miles and 51-7 at home. In the last eight years under Miles, 51 LSU players have been selected in the NFL Draft. Miles served as head coach at Oklahoma State for four seasons, before joining LSU.ideo/radio
Saturday's game can be seen on ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play), Matt Stichcomb (color) and Dawn Davenport (sideline). The game will be replayed on Cox Sports Television.
• Kent State has won in each of its last three appearances on ESPNU.
All Kent State games can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the fourth year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky. Matt Miller will be the sideline reporter. The iHeartRadio channel works on a PC, smart phone or tablet.
PREVIEWING LSU
• Since 2001, the The Tigers have put together eight 10-win seasons, including two national titles and four SEC titles. Since 2005, LSU has had 19 All-America First Team selections.
• LSU is coming off a dominant offensive performance in a 56-17 win over UAB, 445 total yards and 22 first downs.
• The Tigers are averaging 446.5 yards per game, holding their two opponents to 277.5.
• LSU has scored on all nine of its redzone opportunities.
• Six Tiger ball carriers have combined for 354 rushing yards in two games.
• LSU is 17-of-27 on third down conversions, which ranks ninth in the nation.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
• Junior receiver Odell Beckham made five catches for 136 yards and three touchdowns against UAB. He also returned a missed field goal 100 yards for a touchdown.
• Senior quarterback Zach Mettenger completed 16-of-19 passes against UAB for 282 yards and five touchdowns.
• Sophomore runnng back Jeremy Hill rushed for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns last season on just 142 carries. He gained 50 yards on only six carries with a touchdown against UAB.
• Junior Terrence Magee is averaging 6.0 yards per carry with a pair of rushing TDs.
• Senior linebacker Lamin Barrow made 104 tackles last season, including 7.5 tackles for loss.
• Senior safety Craig Loston made three interceptions last season to go with 55 tackles.
• Freshman kicker Colby Delahoussaye is 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, while junior kicker James Hairston has 10 kickoffs for touchbacks.
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