Wayne Harris' career day helps Kent State keep Wagon Wheel, beat Akron 35-20
Dru DeShields throws for 294 yards and four TDs, while Harris recorded 156 receiving yards and three TDs.
Kent State and Akron players both woke up Saturday morning envisioning a sprint to the end zone– not for a touchdown, but to claim ownership of the Wagon Wheel, the prized trophy established in 1946 that symbolizes supremacy in the rivalry between the Northeast Ohio institutions.
When Kent State quarterback Dru DeShields took his final kneeldown, that dream became a reality for the Golden Flashes. A sea of powder blue jerseys flocked to the end zone, hoisting the Wagon Wheel high in the air and parading it around Dix Stadium to celebrate a hard-earned 35-20 win over their archrival Akron.
Some players are built for rivalry games. Dru DeShields is one of them.
Last year in the Wagon Wheel rivalry, the quarterback collected career-highs of 317 passing yards and five touchdowns in a dramatic 42-35 overtime victory. Once again, DeShields delivered his best showing of the season lined up opposite of Akron's defense. The junior threw for 294 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, adding 28 yards and a score as a runner in the victory.
His partner in crime was wide receiver Wayne Harris, who hauled in nine receptions for 156 yards and a career-high three touchdowns.
Kent State's offense had zero trouble moving the ball from the start. However, the team came up empty-handed on its first two redzone trips. The Golden Flashes didn't notch their first points until 36 seconds remained in the second quarter, thanks to the DeShields-to-Harris connection. The duo connected for a 26-yard gain on a backshoulder fade to position Kent State at the one-yard line. Then on third-and-goal, DeShields faked a handoff and appeared determined to run it in. However, he met resistance before the end zone, and while falling down, flipped the ball laterally to Harris for a one-yard touchdown.
Kent State entered halftime knotted with Akron at 7-7. The Zips then responded with a Jordan Gant rushing touchdown to open the third quarter and claim a 14-7 lead. Once again, the Golden Flashes had to rely on DeShields and Harris to erase the deficit. DeShields had a pass tipped at the line of scrimmage, but Harris adjusted to secure it, found the gaps in a surprised Akron defense and ran 55 yards for his second touchdown of the afternoon.
The Golden Flashes claimed their first lead of the game on their next series in the third quarter. A 52-yard screen from DeShields to freshman running back Brandon White set Kent State up in the red zone. Upon reaching that territory, DeShields succeeded with another split-second decision on the goal line, abandoning a designed run and flipping the ball to tight end Hunter Hopperton in the end zone.
Kent State held a 21-17 lead after Hopperton's touchdown, which was the first strike in a 21-0 Golden Flashes run.
The other two touchdowns came in two-minute span in the fourth quarter, as Akron's botched fake punt set up a 19-yard touchdown from DeShields to Harris– their third connection of the afternoon– and a muffed kickoff return by Akron gave DeShields a chance to walk in for a rushing touchdown with 4:54 remaining to put the Flashes up by 18 points.
The result keeps the Wheel in Kent for a second-consecutive year, and is the sixth time in eight years the Flashes have held the Wheel. (Akron won two-straight games in 2023 and 2024.) With the win, Kent State has narrowed the all-time series margin to 37-30-2. The result was Kent State's largest margin of victory over their rival Akron since 2021.
Akron (1-7, 0-4 MAC) will miss a bowl game for the ninth-consecutive season after picking up its seventh loss. The Zips remain winless against FBS competition this year, and they've only played one opponent within 15 points (Eastern Michigan). Akron regroups on Tuesday, Nov. 3 for a midweek home game against Ohio, which is currently undefeated in MAC play.
Kent State (3-5, 2-2 MAC) is 2-0 against Akron and .500 in MAC play in the Mark Carney era. The Golden Flashes snapped a three-game losing streak and enter the final third of their schedule with bowl eligibility still in play. Kent State is back in action for a rare Friday MAC game, traveling to the West Coast to face Sacramento State on Oct. 30th.
