by For the first time in four years, and for the first time in the Mark Carney era, the Kent State football team won its opening game against a conference opponent-and they did it in style. Led by dual-threat junior Dru DeShields, who gained over 250 yards on the ground and through the air, the Golden Flashes defeated the Ball State Cardinals 26-13 at home on Saturday.
This also marks the Flashes’ first win against the Cardinals since 2019.
Saturday’s contest was not the prettiest one for either side-the two Mid-American Conference foes were plagued by penalties all day long, and it kept the Cardinals from scoring more than once.
What really hurt the Cardinals was the absence of starting quarterback Keldric Luster. In his place was Tyler Mizzell, who performed decently to the tune of one touchdown against a very strong KSU defense.
Led by defensive coordinator Cherokee Valeria, the Flashes only allowed roughly 200 scrimmage yards midway through the fourth quarter. Valeria’s defense picked up a safety late in the fourth quarter, with sophomore defensive back Joel Cordoba smashing Mizzell to the turf as he coughed the ball up into the back of the end zone.
But perhaps the strongest development from Saturday was the emergence of DeShields as a mobile quarterback. The Beloit native was gaining decent ground through the first three games of the season, but he exploded for a game-leading 80 yards and one touchdown in the friendly confines of Dix Stadium.
Behind DeShields was redshirt senior Mason King and true freshman Brandon White, who rushed for a combined 78 yards and a couple first downs.
Senior wide receiver Da’Realyst Clark had another gem of a home game against the Cardinals, following up his performance against Wofford two weeks ago. The special teams ace turned favorite target caught five passes for 60 yards and one touchdown.
Carney’s squad also saw two huge milestones on Saturday.
To open the scoring, DeShields found White in the end zone for a seven-yard touchdown pass, the first career touchdown for the former St. Ed’s Eagle Carney wanted very badly during his recruiting process.
The other came off the leg of redshirt freshman kicker Sean Leonard, whose 53-yard, new-school-record kick put the Flashes up 17-0 at halftime.
Despite the Flashes leading the game in both penalties and penalty yardage, ironically, efficiency was what won them the game. The Cardinals could not seem to figure out DeShields’ mobility and could not establish their own run game at any point in the game.
However, late in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals would gain some momentum on a rushing touchdown from sophomore running back Jalen Bonds. After a failed BSU two-point conversion, redshirt sophomore Jared Kelley recovered the Cardinals’ onside kick attempt, sealing the game for the home Flashes.
The Flashes will stay at home next week, and it is homecoming on campus. Coming into Dix Stadium will be the Ohio Bobcats(play Stonehill, 3:30 p.m. on Saturday), who currently have a 1-2 record after tough losses to Nebraska and South Alabama.
