Anything can happen in a rivalry game.
The table was set for Akron and Kent State to be an instant classic. Both teams entered with identical 1-7 records, equally starved for their first victory. The bad blood was evident. There were sideline scuffles, emotions ran high, and at the end of the road was the prized Wagon Wheel — the storied rivalry trophy which has been hoisted by the winning team since the 1940s.
The Wagon Wheel was a fixture in the Golden Flashes’ athletic facilities, decorated in Kent State hues for each of the past four seasons.