Friso, Texas-It was the first bowl win in Kent State’s football program history and was only the fourth time the Golden Flashes had ever appeared in a bowl game.
Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum put on an exhibition. Crum finished the game with 289 yards passing and two touchdowns, he was impressive with his legs as well extending plays with his legs. He also rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown. His only touchdown run came in the final minutes that sealed Kent State 51-41 win over Utah State Friday night.
“I’m just so happy for the university,” said Crum, who also was Kent State’s leading rusher during the season. “We weren’t supposed to be here, but here we are.”
The Golden Flashes (7-6) closed their season with four straight wins to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2012.
Utah State quarterback Jordan Love who was playing his last game for the Aggies before he heads off to the NFL threw for 317 yards, three touchdowns, and a pick.
Love wasn’t the only player ending their career at Utah State. Fifteen other players on USU’s roster donned Aggie’s jerseys for the last time. Ten of them were seniors, one a redshirt senior and four were graduate students.
Also playing his last game for USU was running back Gerold Bright, who went into the Frisco Bowl as the team’s leading rusher. At the break, Bright had already run the ball 11 times, for 38 yards and hit paydirt.
Crum threw a 78-yard touchdown dime to Isaiah McKoy down the right sideline on Kent State’s third play from the line of scrimmage. Crum then flipped a 1-yard scoring pass to Antwan Dixon with 9:36 to play on the clock to put the Golden Flashes ahead for good, then scored with 1:56 left on a fourth-and-1 run from the 4-yard line.
Deven Thompkins scored on a 57-yard run and a 17-yard reception for Utah State.
“That was our goal, to get home and take that trophy with us, and it didn’t happen,” Utah State coach Gary Andersen said. “So, that’s extremely disappointing.”
Matthew Trickett kicked five field goals to set a Kent State game record.
“I love these boys,” said second-year coach Sean Lewis. “Just tremendous resolve by them. It was a testament to their character.”
