CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kent State claimed the Wagon Wheel trophy Tuesday night with a 42-35 overtime victory over Akron at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field, capping a back-and-forth battle that saw the Zips nearly complete a dramatic comeback.

Quarterback Dru DeShields connected with Ardell Banks for a 25-yard touchdown pass on Kent State’s first overtime possession, and Will Hryszko’s successful extra point put the Golden Flashes ahead 42-35. Akron’s ensuing drive stalled at the Kent State 19-yard line, ending when Ben Finley’s fourth-down pass intended for Conner Cravaack fell incomplete.

The game arrived at overtime after Akron erased an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit. Trailing 35-17 early in the final period, the Zips scored 18 unanswered points to force the extra session. Finley threw a 1

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