2025 Week 12 Cartwheel Preview: Kent State Golden Flashes @ Akron Zips

“So, move me, Mom, like a car wheel. Move me, Mom, however you want. Hey… Mom, move me. Move me, Mom, like the wind and the rain. Move me, Mom, like a southbound train. Hey… Mom, move me.”

Darius Rucker, a noted MAC fan, proclaimed these famous words in his 2013 hit “Wagon Wheel,” and that’s the hardware that will be on the line Tuesday night between Akron and Kent State. Northeast Ohio schools first met in 1923, and the Wagon Wheel trophy was made in anticipation of the 1946 meeting after World War II. They have met 67 times in total and Akron has a 9-game lead in the all-time series.

This year’s Wagon Wheel is a little different, as the Zips and Golden Flashes are greatly improved versions of their usual versions. Akron hosts the rivalry at 4-6, aiming for its first five-win season since 2017. Kent State enters the road environment at 3-6, two more wins than it had in the previous two seasons combined. But one pulls off a losing season, while the other celebrates triumphantly with the Wagon Wheel Tuesday night in Akron.

Prospects for Kent State’s Golden Flashes

Kent State (3-6, 2-3 MAC) can now win games. That wasn’t necessarily true for the 2023 and 2024 Kent State teams, but the Golden Flashes are 2-3 in MAC play and held leads with under two minutes left in two of their three conference losses.

Kent State recently promoted interim head coach Mark Carney to full time after pulling off an 18-point comeback at Bowling Green, and last week, the Golden Flashes erased a 10-point deficit before ultimately falling to Ball State. That means Kent State is never truly out of the game, and has erased a double-digit deficit to take the lead in three of five MAC contests.

One of the reasons for the Golden Flashes’ marked year-over-year improvement is quarterback Dru DeShields. The redshirt freshman spent last season recovering from a torn ACL and the recovery effort looks good. DeShields has 11 touchdowns and two interceptions right now, and is more than capable of leading an offense that thrives on explosive plays. DeShields has completed a pass in excess of 35 yards in his eight starts, posting three touchdown passes of 75+ yards on the season.

Cade Wolford and Ardell Banks are among their big-play targets with 20-plus yards per catch, and Kent State won’t shy away from trying the deep pass early in this rivalry atmosphere. However, the Golden Flashes offense needs help with the smaller plays, particularly in the running game. Kent State ranks 131st in the FBS with 87.6 rushing yards per contest, racking up 2.6 yards per carry (third worst in the country). Generating that run game through Gavin Garcia is a gateway to pulling off an upset on the road, and Akron’s run defense ranks 99th in the country in assignment per game.

On defense, Kent State’s stats aren’t great after non-conference routs against Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma. However, the unit is in the midst of a strong stretch of MAC play, limiting three of its last four opponents to 21 points or less. All 17 of Ball State’s points in last week’s loss were scored on drives of 50 yards or less, demonstrating the Golden Flashes’ ability to avoid sustained possessions. The unit relies more on stops than takeovers, with only six forced turnovers on the year. Key names to watch include linebackers Mason Woods and CJ Young, who combine for 133 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss.

Akron (4-6, 3-3 MAC) just posted its largest margin of victory over an FBS opponent since the 2002 Wagon Wheel game. The Zips defeated UMass by 34 in the midweek MACtion last Tuesday, improving to 4-3 in their last seven games.

The Zips’ offense continues to advance as the season progresses, scoring 24-plus points in three straight games after starting the year in single digits in four of their first games. They enjoy the services of veteran quarterback Ben Finley, who has thrown multiple touchdown passes in six of his last seven games; He currently ranks fourth in the MAC in passing yards and ties for the league lead in touchdowns. While the Zips falter in their passing efficiency, Finley can certainly move the ball downfield in this offense, relying on a deep receiving corps of Kyan Mason, Israel Polk and Marcel Williams.

Running back Jordan Gant is Akron’s best predictor of success. When the running back passes 100 yards, Akron is 3-0 and 1-6 otherwise. When it goes beyond 90 yards, Akron is 4-1 and 0-5 otherwise. Gant is fresh off a 153-yard explosion against UMass, and the junior from Lakeland, FL has crossed the 150-yard threshold three times in one breakout campaign.

Defensively, the Zips enjoyed a stellar week against the UMass offense, holding the Minutemen to 169 yards and taking advantage of three fumbles, including one on the first offensive snap. Inside linebacker Gage Summers scored on a fumble recovery last Tuesday, and has been an influential force on defense with 6.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. This defense has branded itself as a turnover-happy unit, ranking 13th in the country and first in the MAC in takeout.

Along with Summers, defensive backs Malcolm DeWalt IV and Elijah Reed also have two interceptions, while two other players up front, Cyrus Durham and Markus Boswell, have two fumble recoveries. But when Akron isn’t forcing a retreat, the defense can become more iffy, ranking 99th in yards allowed per game. That element of the defense has been masked with eight takeaways over the past two weeks, and Akron looks to keep up that pace of chaos when Kent State comes to town.

This Wagon Wheel matchup will likely end up on the lower-scoring side, following the style of most of the conference games of both participants this year. Kent State thrives on long, highlight-reel touchdowns, but the Golden Flashes aren’t necessarily adept at holding drives, ranking second-to-last in the FBS in third-down conversion rate at 26.4 percent. Therefore, Akron owns the offensive advantage in this one, and the Zips’ ability to run the ball makes them more versatile than their fellow Northeast Ohio rivals.

After a slow offensive start by both teams, Akron emerges with a somewhat close finish, winning the turnover battle and relying on Jordan Gant to deliver in critical moments.

Prediction: Akron 21, Kent State 16