Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Dri Archer ran for 119 yards and a touchdown,
as Kent State downed Buffalo, 23-7, in Mid-American Conference action at UB
Stadium.
The East Division rivals were separated by less than a touchdown entering the
final quarter, but Freddy Cortez's 21-yard field goal opened a two-score
advantage, 16-7, then Julian Durden cemented the win with a two-run TD plunge
with under a minute remaining.
Kent State (2-1) dominated the ground game, piling up 274 yards on 50 carries.
Trayion Durham joined Archer in the 100-yard club with 114 yards on a team-
best 24 carries. He was the thunder, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, to
Archer's lightning, as the speedster averaged 9.2 yards per jaunt.
On the flip side, Buffalo (1-2) managed 153 yards rushing on 35 attempts, but
struggled through the air. Alex Zordich, who entered the game with 385 yards
passing and five touchdowns through the first two games, completed just 4-
of-22 passes for 95 yards with two interceptions.
The Bulls, who entered the contest leading the MAC in scoring with an average
of 39.5 points per game, managed just a second-quarter touchdown in defeat.
That score came as time expired in the first half. Zordich found Alex Neutz
for a 46-yard scoring strike to narrow the deficit to 10-7. The Golden Flashes
built the early lead on the heels of Archer's 11-yard scamper early in the
second quarter and Cortez's 23-yard field goal with just under six minutes to
go.
Buffalo couldn't build off the momentum, held back by a poor passing game and
three interceptions. Cortez's 33-yard field goal in the third gave the Golden
Flashes a 13-7 advantage and they tacked on the rest of the points in the
game's final 10 minutes.
GAME NOTES:
The Sports Network