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Opponent already has spot in MAC title game
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Friday, Nov 28, 2008
Neither Kent State nor Buffalo has much to play for at 2 p.m. today, but the game will go on as scheduled in the regular-season finale at UB Stadium.
The Golden Flashes (3-8, 2-5 in the Mid-American Conference) have only pride and perhaps the small victory that would come finishing the season on a winning note.
As for the Bulls (7-4, 5-2), a title-game berth already has been clinched with their 40-34 double-overtime victory Saturday over Bowling Green. Buffalo rallied for five consecutive wins to clinch the MAC East Division.
The Bulls have their attention on a date with No. 15 Ball State in the MAC Championship Game on Dec. 5 at Ford Field in Detroit and a chance for the program's first outright league title.
Buffalo coach Turner Gill said last week that there was a mixture of emotions along the sideline as the Bulls' players and coaches realized what had been accomplished. The team was excited, happy, proud and thankful to God, he said.
''It was just a phenomenal game the way our guys played — really, a phenomenal season the way things occurred throughout this whole year,'' Gill said.
Senior quarterback Drew Willy and junior safety Mike Newton, each Buffalo natives, swept the MAC East Division Players of the Week awards for their standout performances.
Willy completed 29-of-41 pass attempts for 297 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for another score to lead the Bulls' rally from a 20-point, fourth-quarter deficit. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Willy connected on 22-of-26 pass attempts for 219 yards and the three touchdowns.
''Drew Willy has made plays all year long,'' Gill said. ''He's only thrown five interceptions all season and really done a great job for us. He's a great leader and a guy who makes plays.''
Willy likely won't play the entire game, he'll remain the focus of Kent State's defense.
''We gotta find a way to get some pressure on him,'' Flashes coach Doug Martin said. ''He does a great job operating their offense and throwing the ball. He just does not turn the ball over, so you have to do something to disrupt the timing of the passing game. If you just sit back and let him operate, it'll be a long day.''
On defense Saturday, Newton recorded 10 tackles, including seven solo efforts. Perhaps more important, he also came up with a key interception as well as broke up a pass. Newton's interception came at Buffalo's 2-yard line in the closing seconds of the first half to hold the Falcons to a 14-0 lead in the first half.
The Flashes, meanwhile, are coming off a 10-day rest that gave them plenty of time to dissect what went wrong in the Nov. 18 disheartening loss to visiting Northern Illinois.
Senior quarterback Julian Edelman's final home game wasn't one he'll recall fondly as he had a handful of turnovers in the slippery and wintry conditions at Dix Stadium.
Turnovers will be the key today, too.
''They don't turn the ball over,'' Martin said of Buffalo, which leads the league with a plus-14 turnover margin. ''It's remarkable what they've done to protect the football. We're minus-four right now, so that's an area where we feel if we can go up there and win the turnover margin, we'll have a chance.''
Despite the recent rough outing, Edelman looks to cap a great season in which he has completed 55.6 percent of his passes for 1,706 yards and 12 touchdowns. With six consecutive 100-yard games, Edelman leads the team with 1,203 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He also ranks third in the MAC in conference games with 128.4 rushing yards per game.
''The most disappointed member on our team last week was Julian Edelman,'' Martin said. ''It was really the first bad game Julian played. The weather conditions had a lot to do with that because it kind of negated his strength, but the turnovers he had were disappointing for him.''
A majority of the Flashes' consistency problems this season rest with the defense, but two defensive players also look to finish the season strong.
Senior linebacker Derek Burrell leads the Flashes with 109 tackles. His 9.9 tackles per game are second the MAC and rank 17th nationally. Sophomore defensive back Brian Lainhart is second nationally with six interceptions on the season, all coming in a four-game span. He is tied for third in the MAC with 9.1 tackles per game.
''Our kids are ready to play, hungry to play and they want to go out with a good taste in their mouth,'' Martin said.
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
Neither Kent State nor Buffalo has much to play for at 2 p.m. today, but the game will go on as scheduled in the regular-season finale at UB Stadium.
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Posted 10:08 PM, 11/29/2008
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