Kent State and Utah State will square off in the second game of the 2019 college football bowl season on Friday, Dec. 20 in Frisco, Texas. The 7-5 Aggies will meet the 6-6 Golden Flashes at Toyota Stadium, the same venue where the FCS championship game is played each year.
Utah State has been playing well of late, going 6-2 in the Mountain West after a tough nonconference start. And Kent State managed a solid 5-3 record in the MAC, winning its last three games.
Here's what you need to know about this year's Frisco Bowl.
Frisco Bowl: Time & How to watch
The Frisco Bowl kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 20. It will be broadcasted live on ESPN2 and ESPN's streaming platforms.
COVID-19 UPDATES: Schedule tracker | Game times, TV info | Bowl schedule
RANKINGS: AP Top 25 Poll | USA Today Coaches | CFP top 25| Every poll, explained
Frisco Bowl: Prediction, Preview
This will be the final college game for Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, who has thrown for 8,283 yards and 57 touchdowns in his three-year career. Love hasn't been great this season, as he has 17 touchdown passes to 16 interceptions, but he's an explosive quarterback who has made big plays in his career. He will be missed by the Aggies.
TV SCHEDULE: Complete times and TV channels for every bowl game
He'll present a tough task for Kent State, which had to win its last three games to become bowl-eligible. The Golden Flashes are the only team who did that this season and are led by dual-threat quarterback Dustin Crum, who leads the offense in passing and rushing yards. The Aggies are vulnerable against the run, allowing a total of 573 rushing yards over their last two, so there will be lanes for Crum.
This is the third matchup between the two schools, but the first since 1974. While Utah State has a better overall and conference record, they appear to be pretty evenly-matched. The Aggies rank 73rd nationally in yards per play (5.76) while Kent State ranks 75th (5.75). Granted, the Utah State defense has a clear edge on the season, but it hasn't been great against the run lately and Kent State is starting to hit its stride on that side of the ball. Manny Lawrence-Burke is a beast; he leads the Golden Flashes in total tackles and ranks near the top in tackles-for-loss and sacks. Look for him to put some heat on Love.
PREDICTION: Utah State 34, Kent State 27
SCOREBOARD: Live scores, stats for every bowl game
Utah State vs. Kent State: Stats, how they compare
|
UTAH State
 |
STAT/LEADER |
KENT STATE
 |
|---|---|---|
| 7-5 (6-2 Mountain West) | Record (Conference) | 6-6 (5-3 MAC) |
| NR | CFP ranking | NR |
| 28.3 | Points per game | 27.4 |
| 29.0 | Points allowed | 31.1 |
| 428.2 | Yards per game | 393.6 |
| 275.9 | Passing ypg | 212.3 |
| 152.3 | Rushing ypg | 181.3 |
| 431.9 | Yards allowed per game | 471.7 |
| 233.7 | Passing yards allowed | 221.4 |
| 198.3 | Rushing yards allowed | 250.3 |
| Jordan Love 3,085 yards (17 TDs, 16 INTs) |
Passing yards leader | Dustin Crum 2,333 yards (18 TDs, 2 INTs) |
| Gerold Bright 827 yards, 8 TDs |
Rushing yards leader | Dustin Crum 560 yards, 5 TDs |
| Siaosi Mariner 874 yards, 8 TDs |
Receiving yards leader | Isaiah McKoy 767 yards, 7 TDs |
| David Woodward 93 total tackles, 5 tfl, 2 sacks |
Defensive leader | Manny Lawrence-Burke 94 total tackles, 5.5 tfl, 4 sacks |
