Alyson Garfield
Kent State Football huddled up for a quick talk before the start of the first quarter in their rival match against Akron on November 19,2024.
Senior night against the rival Akron Zips (3-8, 2-5) did not go the way the Kent State football team wanted, as it lost by a score of 38-17. The Flashes are now 0-7 in conference play.
As it did against Miami (6-4, 5-1) last week, the offense struck first with an 80-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Tommy Ulatowski to graduate student receiver Luke Floriea on its first possession to put the team up 7-0.
The Flashes were unable to continue the offensive production, gaining less than 200 yards in the final 58 minutes and 31 seconds of the game.
Ulatowski completed 12 of his 20 pass attempts for 224 yards, two touchdowns and a late interception. Floriea was the leading receiver with three receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt senior running back Ky Thomas led the way on the ground with 52 yards on 13 carries, averaging four yards per attempt.
Though it did force a turnover in the fourth quarter, the defense again gave up over 400 yards, allowing the Zips to gain 527 yards. Akron crossed the 400-yard mark about halfway through the third quarter.
Fifth-year junior running back Jordon Simmons picked up 113 yards on the ground on 10 carries for the Zips, for an average of 10.27 yards per carry.
Sophomore receiver Adrian Norton was Akron’s leading receiver with 107 yards on five receptions.
Kent State will close out the season Tuesday at Buffalo (6-4, 4-2) at 7 p.m.
Demetri Manousos is a reporter. Contact him at dmanouso@kent.edu.