The Kent State Golden Flashes take their 1-1 record on the road this Saturday night to Edwards Stadium in Huntington to face an old MAC nemesis in the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Both teams are 1-1 on the season with KSU defeating Howard 38-31 coming from behind in the fourth quarter in the home opener last Saturday. Marshall traveled to North Carolina State losing to the Wolfpack 37-20.
Here are my preview points for the first game played at Marshall since 2004
GOLDEN FLASHES-THUNDERING HERD PREVIEW POINTS
MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD (1-1)
Marshall opened the 2017 season at home with a win over Miami before losing last Saturday at North Carolina State 37-20
The Herd are under the direction of head coach Doc Holliday who is in his eighth season in Huntington. He has a 54-38 overall record.
MU is averaging 25.5 points and 359 yards per game offensively while defensively they are allowing 31.5 points and 457 yards per game
The green black and white are under the controls of junior QB Chase Litton completing 63 percent of his passes (46-of-73) foir 558 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Thje running game is led by Keion Davis with 79 yards on just 10 carries. The receivers are led by Tyre Brady with 14 receptions for 302 yards and a pair of scores. The offensive line has allowed just two sacks
The defensive 11 is led by Malik Grant with 21 total tackles (12 solo). The Herd defense has four sacks and one interception
THE SERIES
It is the 37th lifetime meeting with the series dead even 18-18…Marshall has won the last 11 games in the series including their last meeting in 2015 at Dix Stadium 36-29 in double overtime…KSU’s last win in the series was in 1978 at Kent 20-17 and in Huntington since 1974 35-7
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (1-1)
The Flashes ended a five-game losing streak dating back to last season with a come from behind 38-31 win over the Howard Bison in the home opener last Saturday at Dix Stadium
Senior QB Nick Holley had 21 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown as well as completing 8-of-16 passes for 105 yards and two scores and was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week
The defense was led by Nick Faulkner who had eight total tackles (three solo) with a forced fumble and pass breakup
Freshman RB Kesean Gamble scored his first two collegiate touchdowns the latter coming midway through the fourth quarter that gave KSU the lead to stay
The win over Howard was the first time since 2014 that the Flashes came from behind in the fourth quarter at home with a victory
KSU is 18-18 lifetime against the current teams of Conference USA (all of them against Marshall)
E.