Minnesota vs. Kent State Prediction, Game Preview

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Minnesota pushed TCU and got by Colorado State in a scary overtime fight – it could use a breather. Kent State is supposed to be improved with all the experience returning, but it started out awful against Illinois and whacked Delaware State. It’s just the second time the two teams have played – the Golden Gophers won 44-0 in 2006 – and now it’s a measuring stick for Minnesota. Check out the Minnesota vs. Kent State preview and prediction.

Minnesota vs. Kent State Preview & Prediction

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, September 19
Game Time: 12:00
Venue: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Network: BTN

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Why You Need To Care

Minnesota has to be better. It’s had a hard time throwing, except at the very end of regulation against Ohio State, and it has to come up with more of a scoring punch. The identity of being a hard-core pounding team has to be back after sputtering a bit too much, and now is when everything has to start working. There shouldn’t be too many problems this week, or against Ohio next week, but it’s going to take a fight to get by Northwestern to start the Big Ten campaign.

Kent State’s defense has been phenomenal against the run and has turned in a great first two games – all except for the 52 points allowed to Illinois. With home games against Marshall and Miami University up next, there’s a chance this really might be a good team that had a bad opening day. If the Delaware State game was more like the real Kent State, it’ll show it against the suddenly punchless Gophers.

Why Kent State Will Win

This is a very experienced, very strong defensive front that held Illinois to 134 yards and under four yards per carry, and dominated Delaware State for -38 yards on 28 carries thanks to six sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Minnesota is better up front than either of Kent State’s first two opponents, but it hasn’t dominated yet. If the Golden Flashes can sell out into the backfield, they should be able to come up with their share of stops.

Why Minnesota Will Win

Kent State is way too mistake prone. It got tagged for 11 penalties against Illinois, and 12 against Delaware State, but turnovers are the bigger problem. The Golden Flashes gave it up four times against Illinois and three last week, but the difference were the takeaways with three against Delaware State. Minnesota hasn’t been a great at keeping the ball with two turnovers in each of the first two games, but the big plays are coming from the defense with four key takeaways against Colorado State.

Player Who Matters

Is Mitch Leidner really turning into a passer? The Minnesota quarterback is never going to be the most accurate playmaker, but he came up with the big drive he had to have against Colorado State to take the late lead in regulation, finishing with 233 yards and two scores. He was solid against TCU, coming up with 197 yards and a touchdown, and most importantly for what Minnesota does, he didn’t throw any interceptions in either game. For the Gopher offense to work, though, the ground game has to be more dominant and Leidner’s passing can’t be the main mode of transportation.

What’s Going To Happen?

Kent State will be plucky, but the offense won’t go anywhere. The Gophers will come up with two key takeaways, score off both of them, and put the game away in the first half.

Minnesota vs. Kent State Score Prediction

Final Score: Minnesota 37, Kent State 7, Line: Minnesota -24, o/u: 46

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