Central Michigan University
Kent State
Blocks Lead Chippewas Past Kent State, 24-21
10/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 2, 2004
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University football coach Brian Kelly has advocated all along that the quickest way to turn a program around is on special teams.
The Chippewas proved he was right here Saturday in a 24-21 Mid-American Conference win over Kent State University.
CMU blocked three kicks, including a field goal attempt at the end of the game that may have led to to overtime. Sophomore end Dan Bazuin blocked the 35-yard field goal try by Travis Mayle that preserved the three-point margin.
"Special teams played a huge role in today's game," said Kelly. "We spend a lot of time working on special teams and you can see why."
The Chippewas are now 2-2 for the season and 1-0 in MAC action. KSU falls to 1-4 for the season and 0-2 in conference play. Next up for CMU is a Homecoming showdown with Bowling Green next Saturday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m.
Kelly was obviously pleased with the win.
Damien Linson caught this touchdown pass to give CMU a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.  | |
"We were down going into the final period and and we found a way to win," Kelly said. "That's the key in college football - just find a way to win. It's an important win for our program because it gives us some needed credibility. We're not there but we're making progress."
Trailing by a 21-14 margin with 5:51 remaining in the third period, CMU whittled it down to 21-17 on a 23-yard field by Mike Gruzwalski.
CMU began its winning drive with 5:48 to play in the contest at its own 48 yard line. Key plays in the drive were a 13-yard run by sophomore whiz Jerry Seymour, a 17-yard pass from junior QB Kent Smith to sophomore WR Damien Linson. The final 10 yards came from the 6-5 Smith when he went back to pass, didn't see anyone open and scampered around right end for a TD with 2:58 to go.
The Golden Flashes didn't go quietly, though. They moved from their 30 to a first down at the Chippewa 23 but gained just five yards in three plays to set up the blocked field goal attempt.
Smith came up big on the winning drive, finishing with 15-of-28 passes for 143 yards and one TD. He also rushed 10 times for 38 more yards and two touchdowns. In the 44-27 win over Southeast Missouri on Sept. 18, Smith passed for two TDs and rushed for two more.
"Kent made big plays in that scoring drive and that's how I evaluate his play," said Kelly. "I may have given him too much but he showed his toughness and fought through it."
Jerry Seymour quietly rushed for 131 yards on 28 carries. | |
Smith scored CMU's first TD on a three-yard run in the opening period that gave the Chippewas a 7-0 lead. CMU got the ball on the KSU 21 following a blocked punt by Jason Smith.
Kent State answered with a score of its own in the first period before the Chippewas recovered a fumble at the Golden Flash nine. On the first play, Smith hit Damien Linson in the end zone for a TD and a 14-7 lead after one quarter.
The Golden Flashes tallied two field goals in the second period and trailed 14-13 at the break.
Joshua Cribbs scored on a four-yard run in the third period to give KSU a 21-14 lead with 5:51 to go but that was the last scoring for the Golden Flashes.
Jerry Seymour rushed for 131 yards on 28 carries after carrying just two plays against SEMO because of a hip injury. Linson was Smith's top receiver with five grabs for 47 yards while Seymour had four for 38 yards and Jemmy Jasmin four for 29 yards.
