Kent State outlasted Utah State 51-41 during a shootout on Friday night to emerge victorious within the Frisco Bowl. it is the first bowl win within the history of Kent State's football program, though it had been also only the fourth time the Golden Flashes had ever appeared during a bowl game.
While the storylines heading into the sport were focused on Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, who was playing his last game for the Aggies before avoiding to the NFL, it had been Kent State QB Dustin Crum who stole the show. Crum finished the sport with 289 yards passing and two touchdowns, but it had been impressive what he did together with his legs also. Crum rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown, routinely extending drives on the bottom. His lone touchdown run came within the final minutes and served because the final nail in Utah State's coffin.
It should be mentioned, however, that simply because Crum was the star, that does not mean Love didn't play well. The junior threw for 317 yards, three touchdown and an interception -- which wasn't necessarily his fault. it had been more a fumble that popped out of the arms of his receiver and into the waiting arms of Mandela Lawrence-Burke. nearly as good as Love played, it wasn't enough. Utah State turned the shock 3 times, and therefore the nine points the Flashes got out of these turnovers loomed large during a 10-point game.
As for this being Kent State's bowl win, it shouldn't surprise anybody that it had been Utah State on the losing end. Akron beat Utah State within the 2015 Potato Bowl, which was Akron's first -- and only -- bowl win in program history. Then, in 2017, Utah State lost to New Mexico State within the Arizona Bowl. That was the primary time New Mexico State had won a bowl in 57 years. The Aggies are literally quite charitable to long-suffering programs during bowl season.