KENT — Kent State University quarterback Dru DeShields made a beeline toward Wayne Harris and encouraged the Golden Flashes wide receiver immediately after he dropped what should have been a wide-open 25-yard touchdown catch.
The moment occurred with 7:34 remaining in the second quarter and epitomized how Kent State stuck together against Bowling Green State University. KSU’s cohesion amid adversity allowed it to rally from an 18-point deficit in the second half and shock BGSU with a 24-21 comeback victory on Oct. 25 at Dix Stadium.
Harris earned redemption when he caught the 12-yard game-winning touchdown pass from wide receiver Da’Realyst Clark on a trick play with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter.
“I told him he was going to get another shot, and he did. He took advantage of that shot. So, I loved his response, loved everything about it,” said DeShields, a West Branch High School graduate.
A redshirt freshman, Harris had never previously scored a TD in college. His clutch catch in the end zone allowed Kent State to improve to 3-5, including 2-2 in the Mid-American Conference, under KSU interim coach Mark Carney.
“After that first drop, I really didn’t have no time to get down,” Harris said. “My QB came up to me. He told me he’s seen me make that play a thousand times. Head coach came up to me and said he knows I can make that play.
“Then on the sideline, I think every single teammate I had came up to me and said they believed in me. So, it really just gave me my confidence. I didn’t lose confidence, and I knew the next time my opportunity came, I was going to make the best of it.”
Kent State defeated Bowling Green (3-5, 1-3) for the first time since 2022. KSU lost to BGSU in each of the past two years, but, of course, the Golden Flashes lost to everyone in 2024 and all but one opponent in 2023. It’s why what Kent State is doing during Carney’s first season at the helm is especially notable and impressive. He cited fostering belief and togetherness as key factors.
“The guys in the locker room have responded to that, and we’ve created opportunities to get to know each other better and to be real and honest and have genuine, authentic conversations about both our strengths and weaknesses,” Carney said. “You get into those situations and fear starts creeping in and doubt starts creeping in. But love is a great conqueror, and this group loves each other.”
Here is more insight into other key moments from Kent State’s incredible comeback:
Kent State Golden Flashes shows they won’t stop fighting for football coach Mark Carney
Carney’s game-management style is usually aggressive.
For example, Carney chose to go for it on fourth-and-6 from the Bowling Green 41-yard line in the second quarter. The decision paid off because DeShields connected with tight end Christian Berry for 21 yards and a first down, leading to Will Hryszko’s 35-yard field goal on the heels of Harris’ drop near the goal line, accounting for KSU’s only points in the first half.
However, Kent State got the ball back at its 25 with 33 seconds remaining in the second quarter and all three timeouts left, and Carney elected to run out the clock after a 5-yard draw instead of attempting to manufacture chunk plays to set up a field goal before halftime. KSU trailed 14-3 at the time.
“I didn’t think we were playing very well really on either side of the ball, in any phase of the game, honestly,” Carney said. “Part of me was [questioning], ‘Do you take the timeouts and make them keep trying to grind it out, or you take your lumps and get to halftime?’ And that was the decision I made.”
Kent State’s players have clearly bought into Carney because they kept swinging, even after falling behind by 18 points to Bowling Green, which is led by coach Eddie George, an Ohio State and NFL legend.
BGSU got the ball to begin the second half and orchestrated a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to put KSU in a 21-3 hole with 8:47 left in the third quarter. With Drew Pyne and Lucian Anderson III sidelined, Bowling Green started third-string quarterback Baron May, and he capped the march with a 1-yard rushing touchdown on first-and-goal.
Bowling Green scored touchdowns on its final possession of the first half and the opening series of the second half.
“Those are backbreaking [moments] for a lot of teams, and our guys didn’t break,” Carney said. “They stayed together. They stayed in the fight and ultimately came out on top.”
How Kent State football rallied vs. Bowling Green
After Bowling Green went ahead 21-3, Kent State countered right away with touchdowns on its next two possessions.
Facing second-and-10, DeShields and wide receiver Cade Wolford connected for a 29-yard touchdown. With the seven-play, 79-yard drive, the Golden Flashes sliced their deficit to 21-10 with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
After KSU registered a defensive stop and forced a punt, the Golden Flashes took possession at Bowling Green’s 45. On the next play, Kent State running back Gavin Garcia broke loose on the left side for a 45-yard rushing touchdown. As a result, KSU trailed 21-17 with 4:23 left in the third quarter.
Kent State maintained momentum because Bowling Green’s attempt to respond fizzled when Jackson Kleather missed a 43-yard field goal with 14:56 left in the fourth quarter.
After the two teams traded possessions, Kent State took control at its 38 with 6:49 left to play. The game-winning seven-play, 62-yard touchdown drive ensued with the help of creativity.
On second-and-8, Clark took a handoff on a fake jet sweep to the right and threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Harris. Although Harris was wide open in the end zone, he had to concentrate to secure the ball while falling.
“I already told Wayne this week, I’m going to hit you [with a pass],” Clark said. “After he dropped that pass [in the second quarter], I’m like, ‘Bro, it’s going to come back to you, so don’t worry.’ They called it. I ran the jet sweep. I was about to throw the corner route. The corner started dropping, so I just found a hole and just threw it in there. Little do people know, I used to [serve as a backup] quarterback [for three years] at Lima Senior [High School], so it’s nothing new.”
This season, Clark has thrown for a touchdown and returned two kickoffs for TDs. Consequently, his first name — Da’Realyst — has become iconic on Kent State’s campus.
“We have one of Da best players in Da nation,” Carney quipped. “His impact on defenses and the way he plays the game, he’s a special kid. We had Da package for Da player, and we executed.”
Kent State’s defense sealed upset win over Bowling Green amid quarterback injuries
It’s fitting for the final minute of a wild game to be crazy, and frightening moments for both starting quarterbacks added to the insanity.
As KSU tried to run out the clock, DeShields caught a high shotgun snap, rushed for no gain and took a hit, leading the medical staff to examine him with 56 seconds left to play in an eerily quiet stadium. After a couple of minutes, he walked to the sideline under his own power. During postgame media availability, he said he felt OK.
“I’m cool. These lights would be bothering me if I wasn’t,” said DeShields, who went 13-of-22 passing for 160 yards and a touchdown without an interception.
With 28 seconds remaining, May was carted off the field with his left leg immobilized. Hunter Najm filled in at quarterback as Bowling Green advanced to its 46 before running out of time to end the game.
Kent State defensive lineman Jelani Davis made his presence felt in crunch time. He sacked May for an 8-yard loss after Bowling Green reached the KSU 48 with a little less than two minutes left. Later, he hurried May on an incomplete pass as Bowling Green began the game’s final series on its 21 with 43 seconds remaining.
Davis explained the defense was determined to bounce back from a 45-10 blowout loss at Toledo the previous week. Against Bowling Green, Davis tallied two sacks, and defensive end Antoine Campbell Jr., a Copley High School graduate, registered one.
“Last week, we missed a lot,” Davis said. “Me and my D-line came together. That’s what we did.”
Unity is a theme for Kent State this season. The support Harris received from his teammates against Bowling Green reinforced the concept and its value.
“I think we’re all just remembering why we’re doing this, and then we’re choosing to do it together,” Harris said. “Since the season started, I ain’t been this close with a group of guys in so long. I really felt like they had my back after that first drop. So, I honestly just feel like we know what we can do, and we’re starting to realize it. And once we fully realize it, it’s going to be scary.”
Kent State already proved it can terrify an opponent with an 18-point lead.
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State football overcomes ‘backbreaking’ moments in wild comeback win vs Bowling Green
Reporting by Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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