The McAlary Effect
The McAlary Effect
Never ever ever lose to a winless team.
The McAlary Effect
Just gonna sit here and watch this jinx Agent, concocted
The McAlary Effect
Flashes survive late surge by Buffalo
Kent State nearly squanders 24-6 lead
By Don Knotts | @theotherdonknotts | October 26, 2025
@
21 | 24
Saturday, October 25 2025 | 7:30PM
Kent, Ohio | Dix Stadium
(0-7/0-3)|00|03|00|18|21
(5-2/3-0)|07|07|03|07|24
KENT STATE WOULD WIN THIS BATTLE FOR A YARD
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Buffalo cut the Kent State lead to just three points after stopping them and scoring on two straight possessions late in the fourth quarter. Fortunately for Kent State the defense was able to come up with a late stop and Curtis Douglas iced the game with a pair of first down runs, allowing them to run out the clock and hold on for the win.
Kent State held Buffalo under 300 yards in the game while putting up 419 themselves.
Gavin Garcia spearheaded the effort with 100 yards and a pair of scores on the ground. Curtis Douglas ran nine times for 43 yards.
Tommy Ulatowski was efficient, completing 25 of 37 attempts for 285 yards and a score.
Leading receivers were Chrishon McCray, who caught seven passes for 89 yards and Donte Lee Jr with three receptions for 82 yards. Lee nearly scored a long touchdown but was caught from behind on a 58 yard catch and run.
Tight end Mohammed Hazime caught four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Additional Media
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Scoring
1Q KENT Gavin Garcia 1 Yd run (Will Hryszko kick)
2Q KENT Mohammed Hazime 6 Yd pass from Tommy Ulatowski (Will Hryszko kick)
2Q BUFF Nick Reed 47 Yd FG
3Q KENT Will Hryszko 21 Yd FG
4Q BUFF Nick Reed 47 Yd FG
4Q KENT Gavin Garcia 3 Yd run (Will Hryszko kick)
4Q BUFF Chance Morrow 70 Yd pass from Gunnar Gray (Nick Reed kick)
4Q BUFF Nik McMillan 26 Yd pass from Gunnar Gray (2PT)
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Key Statistics
Passing - T. Ulatowski 25/37 285Yds 1TD
Rushing – G. Garcia 27Car 100Yds 2TD, C. Douglas 9Car 43Yds
Receiving – C. McCray 7Rec 89Yds, D. Lee Jr 3Rec 82Yds, D. Bennett 5Rec 42Yds, M. Hazime 4Rec 33Yds 1TD
Tackles – O. Billotte 8, M. Folk 6
Sacks – O. Billotte 2.0
Takeaways – J. Jackson 1FF
Kicking – W. Hryszko 1/2FG 3/3XP
Passing – G. Gray 13/30 216Yds 2TD
Rushing – L. Sperling 22Car 53Yds
Receiving – C. Morrow 3Rec 97Yds 1TD, N McMillan 2Rec 43Yds 1TD, L. Sperling 4Rec 39Yds
Tackles – D. Crawford 19, S. Brown 16
Sacks – R. Murdock 1.0, S. Riser-Pressley 0.5, D. Ray Jr 0.5
Takeaways – N/A
Kicking – N. Reed 2/2FG 1/1XP
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Up Next
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The McAlary Effect
Doing my guy Sperling a disservice there.
Also Crawford went off.
Also Crawford went off.
The McAlary Effect
MAC Football Results
Scores, Players of the Week and other news and notes from around the conference
By Don Knotts | @theotherdonknotts | October 27, 2025
MAC Scores
Akron 34, Eastern Michigan 7
Western Michigan 22, Central Michigan 21
Toledo 38, Bowling Green 14
Ohio 34, Ball Sate 17
Miami(OH) 31, Northern Illinois 16
Kent State 24, Buffalo 21
MAC Players of the Week
Kent State DE Oliver Billotte - 8Tkl 2Sck
Akron WR Myles Walker - 11Rec 181Yds 1TD
MAC Standings
Kent State 5-2/3-0
Miami(OH) 4-3/3-0
Toledo 4-3/2-0
Bowling Green 4-3/2-1
Eastern Michigan 3-4/2-1
Ohio 5-2/1-1
Western Michigan 4-3/1-2
Akron 2-5/1-2
Ball State 2-5/1-2
Central Michigan 2-5/1-2
Buffalo 0-7/0-3
Nothern Illinois 1-6/0-3
MAC Leaders
Passing Yards: KENT T. Ulatowski 2,294
Passing TDs: OHIO C. Wither 22
Rushing Yards: WMU J. Buckley 643
Rushing TDs: OHIO R. Hunt Jr, KENT G. Garcia 8
Receiving Yards: KENT C. McCray 791
Receiving TDs: OHIO R. Harris II 9
Tackles: NIU LB J. Gassaway, BUFF LB D. Crawford 78
Sacks: BGSU G. McNeal 11.0
Interceptions: M-OH CB T. Rush, AKRN CB J. Hunter 3
The McAlary Effect
Coaches Corner
Offensive Coordinator Jordan McAlary
By Don Knotts | @theotherdonknotts | October 28, 2025
Each week in the days following Kent State's game I will spend a few moments chatting with members of the coaching staff. I'll share some key points in this column.
This morning I spoke with offensive coordinator Jordan McAlary following Kent State's win over Buffalo.
Close one against a winless Buffalo team. Were you hoping for a more convincing win in this one?
I think you hope for a big win every week but in this conference every team is a threat and any game can go either way. I think you learn more and grow more in a game like this one. We had to make some plays at the end of the game to secure the win and we did that.
Nice clean game with no turnovers. Has that been more of an emphasis for the offense?
Ball security is always a focus of ours. We have been working to eliminate turnovers week to week. That's working with the backs and receivers on ball security. That's working with the QBs on reads and just pulling it down, throwing it away or checking it down. The check downs were there a lot today and Tommy found them.
Player of the Week?
Gavin Garcia ran hard, lot's of carries. Nose for the endzone. Good game from him.
The McAlary Effect
Kent State loses two more coveted recruits
Bowling Green snags another Kent State target
By Don Knotts | @theotherdonknotts | October 28, 2025
Ben Redmond, a big bruising runningback from Pennsylvania, has chosen Bowling Green over Kent State. Redmond, who visited Kent State in late September for their win over UMass, was reportedly high on Kent State's recruiting board as they look to replace Gavin Garcia next season. Redmond is a three star rated player and ranked 706th nationally.
Kent State also missed out on three star cornerback Kenya Speed, who elected to stay closer to his Virginia home and signed with James Madison. Speed is the 90th ranked CB in the nation with a three star rating.
Kent State has currently secured just four recruits. Thier class is currently ranked 87th in the nation and 5th best in the MAC.
Recruiting Class
(Listed by National Ranking)
POS|NAME|
|NATL|STATE|POS|Hometown|HT|WTATH(QB)|Lawrence Hamm|
|676|7|53|Colonial Heights, VA|6'1"|219P|Hasheem Gwacham|
|749|25|9|Rockwood, MI|6'2"|206ATH(QB)|Sal Bryant|
|1408|28|130|Chesterfield, VA|5'11"|208OLB|Andy Durant|
|1472|29|62|Homestead, PA|6'2"|232Top 20 Targets
(Listed by National Ranking)
##|POS|NAME|
|NATL|STATE|POS|Hometown|HT|WT|Stage: Schools01|ATH(QB)|Deonte Dalton|
|477|17|39|Long Branch, NJ|5'11"218|Top 5: Kent State, UMass, Temple, Marshall, Middle Tennessee02|ATH(WR/TE)|Nick Sumner|
|516|18|31|Dayton, OH|6'1"|230|Top 5: Kent State, Ohio, New Mexico, Ball State, NM State03|ATH(TE)|Zach McClung|
|592|18|34|Germantown, MD|6'5"|227|Top 5: Kent State, Old Dominion, Marshall, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee04|LE|Cameron Cantwell|
|776|4|33|Newburyport, MA|6'2"|299|Top 3: UMass, Kent State, Buffalo05|FS|Jeremy Skaggs|
|978|7|39|Urbandale, IA|6'1"|205|Top 5: Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, North Texas, Marshall06|ATH(G/C)|Tevin Cantrell|
|1030|22|32|Chesapeake, VA|6'2"|287|Top 5: Kent State, Liberty, Navy, Buffalo, UMass07|ATH(TE)|Max Kowalewski|
|1163|147|62|Winter Park, FL|6'5"|236|Top 5: Western Kentucky, Kent State, Central Michigan, New Mexico, NM State08|RG|Tyrese Vernon|
|1202|23|55|Erie, PA|6'2"|305|Top 5: Kent State, Ohio, Buffalo, Marshall, Ball State09|LG|Zach Scmysniak|
|1471|8|30|Boston, MA|6'5"|306|Top 5: Kent State, Army, UMass, Navy, Buffalo10|TE|Brian Durant|
|1515|30|89|Downingtown, PA|6'5"|238|Top 5: Kent State, UMass, Navy, Buffalo, Western Michigan11|RE|Cornell Heggie|
|1527|126|94|Smyrna, GA|6'5"|291|Top 5: Kent State, Charlotte, Eastern Michigan, Marshall, Coastal Carolina12|WR|Pat Brock|
|1543|41|176|Potomac, MI|6'1"|192|Top 5: Old Dominion, Kent State, Marshall, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee13|CB|Jamal Rabe|
|1550|188|123|Daytona Beach, FL|5'10"|176|Top 5: Appalachian State, Kent State, Charlotte, Ball State, Akron14|ROLB|Nathan Lucien|
|1553|32|67|Pittston, PA|5'11"|222|Top 8: Kent State, UMass, Ohio, Buffalo, Marshall, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Temple15|SS|Layne Flanagan|
|1574|42|46|Upper Marlboro, MD|6'1"|211|Top 8: Kent State, UMass, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Charlotte, Ohio, Coastal Carolina16|MLB|Vernon Davey|
|1610|66|92|Broadview Heights, OH|6'1"|221|Top 5: Kent State, Ohio, Ball State, Buffalo, Northwestern17|DT|Alexander Wire|
|1625|65|72|Hightstown, NJ|6'3"|293|Top 5: Rutgers, Kent State, UMass, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan18|ATH(LB)|Ethan Boyett|
|1633|44|93|Severn, MD|6'3"|234|Top 5: Kent State, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Marshall, Charlotte19|ATH(DE)|Alami Kumar|
|1652|43|99|West Bloomfield, MI|6'3"|250|Top 5: Kent State, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Georgia State20|C(JUCO)|Larry Morris|
|1695|70|51|Stow, OH|6'3"|292|Top 5: Kent State, Ohio, Ball State, Buffalo, MarshallThe McAlary Effect
Skinning that Buffalo game 