Kent State Golden Flashes football

{{See also|List of Kent State Golden Flashes football seasons}}

The first attempt to establish a football team was in 1914, one year after the first classes were held on campus and four years after the school was founded in 1910. The team played two practice games against local high schools, but was discontinued by the athletic board and faculty to focus on basketball season. While there was hope the team would return for the 1915 season, no team was established until 1920.{{cite book |title=Chestnut Burr |year=1915 |page=132 |url=http://www.library.kent.edu/burr/1915 |publisher=Kent State University |access-date=September 29, 2014}} The team played their first game October 30, 1920, against Ashland College, a 6–0 loss under coach Paul Chandler. The first Kent State home football game was held November 6, a 7–0 loss to sister school Bowling Green. The final game of the season was a home game scheduled against St. Ignatius College of Cleveland, but the game was not played and counted as a forfeit win for Kent.{{cite book |title=Chestnut Burr |year=1921 |pages=138–140 |url=http://www.library.kent.edu/burr/1921 |publisher=Kent State University |access-date=September 29, 2014}}{{cite web |year=2023 |title=Kent State Football Record Book |url=https://kentstatesports.com/documents/2023/8/28/2023_Football_recprd_book_pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=September 3, 2024 |publisher=Kent State University}} The team would not record their first true victory until November 14, 1925, a 7–6 win over West Liberty State College. Outside the forfeited win in 1920, Kent State would fail to score in their first 14 games, posting a record of 0–13–1 before finally putting points on the board in a 7–6 win against West Liberty in 1923. During that streak, Kent State would suffer the worst loss in school history, a 118–0 loss to Baldwin–Wallace College, also in 1923. Following the 7–6 loss to West Liberty, a new shutout streak began which lasted 8 games, in which the Flashes, then known as the "Silver Foxes" went 0–6–2. The streak began with the second most lopsided loss in school history, an 82–0 loss to Slippery Rock. The streak finally ended with a 6–6 tie with the Indiana Normal School in 1925, the game which preceded Kent State's first true victory. Kent State posted their first winning season in 1928, going 4–2–2.

Kent State joined the Ohio Athletic Conference beginning in the 1931 season, playing in the OAC through the 1950 season except for the 1943–1945 seasons, which were canceled due to American involvement in World War II. Under coach G. Donald Starn, who coached Kent State from 1935–1942, the Flashes would begin to taste success, posting winning seasons in 1938 (6–2), 1940 (8–1), and 1942 (5–3). During their time in the OAC, the Flashes never won a conference title, but did finish second in 1940 with a 4–0 conference record. The team finished third in both 1948 and 1949, going 3–0 and 2–0 respectively in conference play.

In 1946, the program was revived after the conclusion of World War II under head coach Trevor Rees,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6902483/the_evening_independent/|title=Clipped From The Evening Independent|newspaper=The Evening Independent|date=December 14, 1945 |pages=10 |via=newspapers.com}} who would coach the Flashes to their first era of consistent success. During his tenure, which lasted 18 seasons, the Flashes would post winning seasons in all but 5 of them, 3 of which were the 1961-1963 seasons.{{Cite web |title=2023 Football record book (PDF) |url=https://kentstatesports.com/documents/2023/8/28/2023_Football_record_book.pdf |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Kent State Golden Flashes |language=en}} In 1950, the team opened their first true stadium, Memorial Stadium, by defeating Marietta College 57–0. The next season saw the Golden Flashes join the Mid-American Conference. Rees would guide the team to its first bowl appearance in the 1954 Refrigerator Bowl. Rees coached Kent State from 1946–1963, posting a record of 92–63–5 (.591). Rees retired as Kent State head coach following the 1963 season.{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19690514-01.2.36|title=Daily Kent Stater 14 May 1969 — Kent State University|website=dks.library.kent.edu}}

Leo Strang took over for Rees in 1964 inheriting a program that had won only eight games the prior three seasons and had endured a seven game losing streak.{{Cite web |title=Kent State 2023 Football Record Book, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, pp. 2-11 |url=https://kentstatesports.com/documents/2023/8/2023_Football_record_book_pdf |access-date=September 3, 2024}}{{cite web |author=Dr. Ken |title=Helmet Reflections: Kent State University |work=Helmet Hut |date=June 2006 |url=http://www.helmethut.com/Dr.Ken32.html}} He compiled a 16-21-2 record over his 4 year tenure, a .436 win/loss percentage. Since 1967, only one other Kent coach with an equal or longer tenure has had a better win/loss percentage. He had Kent's first winning season in a five years (1965 season)—which was its first at the major college level—and had its longest unbeaten streak since 1956. Strang resigned following the 1967 season, winning his last three games against Louisville, Marshall, and Xavier.{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19671122-01.2.2|title=Daily Kent Stater 22 November 1967 — Kent State University|website=dks.library.kent.edu}} Washington University head coach Dave Puddington was hired to replace Strang,{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19680925-01.2.31|title=Daily Kent Stater 25 September 1968 — Kent State University|website=dks.library.kent.edu}} and Kent State struggled. The program posted a 9–21 record during Puddington's three seasons,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/dave-puddington-1.html|title=Dave Puddington Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} the best of which was a 5–5 campaign in 1969.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1969-schedule.html|title=1969 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} During the 1969 season, the Flashes also moved into Dix Stadium, which was not fully completed until January 1970. The Puddington tenure was also marked by the Kent State shootings in May 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a group of university students, killing four and injuring nine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/2010/05/gary_pinkel_missouri_football.html|title=Kent State massacre recalled by Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, then a Kent football recruit|first=Starting|last=Blocks|date=May 4, 2010|website=cleveland}} Puddington was fired after the 1970 season.

In 1971, Don James took over as head coach.{{cite web|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/legendary-washington-football-coach-don-james-dies-at-age-80/|title=Legendary Washington football coach Don James dies at age 80|date=October 20, 2013}} Under James, and with notable players such as Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and former Pittsburgh Steelers middle linebacker Jack Lambert, Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban, and former Missouri Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel, Kent State was finally able to celebrate its first—and so far only—Mid-American Conference title in 1972 followed by a trip to the 1972 Tangerine Bowl.

James coached at Kent State four seasons (1971–1974), posting an overall record of 25–19–1 (.567){{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/don-james-1.html|title=Don James Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} which included a 9–2 record in 1973.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1973-schedule.html |title=1973 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} James left after the 1974 season to accept the head coaching job at Washington.{{cite web |url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2011/01/27/p-i-archive-the-day-don-james-became-uw-football-coach/amp/|title=P-I archive: The day Don James became UW football coach – Seattle PI Sports Blog|website=blog.seattlepi.com}}

File:102207-GlenMason.jpg, coach of the Flashes for the 1986 and 1987 seasons]]

Following the departure of Don James, Kent State went through a period marked by mostly losing seasons and regular coaching changes, with no coaching tenure lasting more than three seasons until 1997. Dennis Fitzgerald, who was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach after James' departure,{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19821001-01.2.64|title=Daily Kent Stater 1 October 1982 — Kent State University |website=dks.library.kent.edu}} was able to lead the team to an 8–4 record and second-place MAC finish in 1976{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1976-schedule.html|title=1976 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} and a winning 1977 season,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1977-schedule.html|title=1977 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Fitzgerald was able to continue James' success within the Kent State football program, but left the program after the 1977 season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/154147411/|title=The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio on March 30, 1978 · Page 37|website=Newspapers.com|date=March 30, 1978 }}

Ron Blackledge was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach following Fitzgerald's departure.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cantonrep.com/sports/20160625/starks-famous-ron-blackledge|title=Stark's Famous: Ron Blackledge|website=The Repository|access-date=December 11, 2020|archive-date=September 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929232949/http://www.cantonrep.com/sports/20160625/starks-famous-ron-blackledge|url-status=dead}} Kent State's struggles continued, with the Golden Flashes posting records of 4–7,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1978-schedule.html|title=1978 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} 1–10{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1979-schedule.html|title=1979 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} and 3–8 for a total mark of 8–25.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/ron-blackledge-1.html|title=Ron Blackledge Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Blackledge was fired following the 1980 season.

Succeeding Blackledge was Boston College head coach Ed Chlebek.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19801220&id=BgYgAAAAIBAJ&pg=2919,4672842&hl=en|title=The Lewiston Daily Sun - Google News Archive Search |website=news.google.com}} Chelebek has previously turned around the BC football program and was expected to do the same at Kent State. Unfortunately, he couldn't. The Golden Flashes followed a 4–7 campaign in 1981{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1981-schedule.html |title=1981 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} with a winless 0–11 season in 1982.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1982-schedule.html|title=1982 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Chlebek was fired following the 1982 season.{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19830315-01.2.41|title=Daily Kent Stater 15 March 1983 — Kent State University|website=dks.library.kent.edu}}

Utah offensive line coach Dick Scesniak was hired as Chlebek's replacement{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-01-mn-1466-story.html|title=Kent State Football Coach Dies|agency=Associated Press|date=April 1, 1986|via=LA Times}} and, once again, Kent State's football struggles persisted. Scesniak's teams posted records of 1–10,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1983-schedule.html|title=1983 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} 4–7{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1984-schedule.html|title=1984 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} and 3–8{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1985-schedule.html|title=1985 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} for a total of 8–25.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/dick-scesniak-1.html|title=Dick Scesniak Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Scesniak died of a heart attack on April 1, 1986.{{Cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1986-04-02-0210190249-story.html|title=KENT'S SCESNIAK DIES WORKING OUT|first=Compiled by Don|last=Lightner|website=OrlandoSentinel.com|date=April 2, 1986 }}

Ohio State offensive coordinator Glen Mason was hired as Kent State's head coach in 1986.{{cite web |url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19860825-01.2.67|title=Daily Kent Stater 25 August 1986 — Kent State University |website=dks.library.kent.edu}} In his two seasons in Kent posted two consecutive 2nd place MAC finishes including a 7–4 overall mark in 1987,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1987.html|title=1987 Kent State Golden Flashes Stats - College Football at Sports-Reference.com |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} the Flashes' first winning season since 1977. Following the 1987 season, Mason was hired by the Kansas Jayhawks.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-30-sp-21587-story.html|title=Ohio State Reportedly to Hire ASU's Cooper; Kansas Job to Mason|date=December 30, 1987|via=LA Times}} Kent State alumnus Nick Saban, the defensive coordinator at Michigan State from 1983–87, was a finalist to succeed Mason, but he didn't get the position.{{Cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2016/01/06/saban-now-master-started-pupil-under-don-james/78309630/|title=Tide's Nick Saban learned from coaching legend James|first=Jeff|last=Metcalfe|website=The Arizona Republic}}

Former North Carolina head coach Dick Crum was hired to replace Mason.{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19880119-01.2.3|title=Daily Kent Stater 19 January 1988 — Kent State University|website=dks.library.kent.edu}} Despite high hopes for his tenure, Crum's Golden Flashes never put together a winning season in three years, compiling a record of 7–26.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/dick-crum-1.html|title=Dick Crum Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Crum was fired following the 1990 season.{{cite web|url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=dks19901116-01.2.28|title=Daily Kent Stater 16 November 1990 — Kent State University|website=dks.library.kent.edu}}

Former Flashes standout Jim Corrigall began in 1994 and became the first coach since Don James to coach more than three seasons, lasting four. Although some progress was made, the Golden Flashes best season under Corrigall, a 3–8 campaign,{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1997-schedule.html|title=1997 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} proved to be his last in 1997. Three wins in 1997 were the most wins for Kent State since 1988. Corrigall had an overall record of 8–35–1 in four seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/jim-corrigall-1.html|title=Jim Corrigall Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}}

Dean Pees was hired in 1998 and suffered through the Flashes' most recent winless season (0–11 in 1998) before leading the team to a slow recovery. In 2001 Kent State posted their first winning season since 1987 when they were led by quarterback Joshua Cribbs to a 6–5 overall record, 5–3 in the MAC. Pees left Kent State after the 2003 season to take the defensive coordinator job with the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) under head coach Bill Belichick.{{cite news |title=Pees: Not seeking contract renewal |url=https://www.espn.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=4826721 |author=Reiss, Mike |date=January 15, 2010 |work=ESPN.com |access-date=February 26, 2017}}

Coach Doug Martin was promoted from offensive coordinator and began his tenure as head coach in 2004. His best season was the 2006 season, which saw Kent State go 6–6 overall and 5–3 in the MAC, finishing second in the East division. Kent State began the 2010 season with hopes of contending for a MAC title, but early losses at Miami and Toledo ended any hope for a title. The team did record its first-ever sell-out at Dix Stadium on October 9 when a crowd of 24,211 watched the Flashes defeat the arch-rival Akron Zips 28–17 to reclaim the Wagon Wheel.{{cite news |title=KSU enjoys first-ever Dix Stadium sellout |url=http://www.recordpub.com/news/sports_article/4910452?page=0 |newspaper=Record-Courier |author=Carducci, David |date=October 12, 2010 |access-date=February 16, 2011}}

In the days following a 38–3 loss at Western Michigan, which dropped the team's record to 4–7 and 3–4 in the MAC, Doug Martin announced his resignation, effective at the conclusion of the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/2010/11/doug_martin_stepping_down_as_k.html|title=Doug Martin stepping down as Kent State head football coach|date=November 22, 2010|website=cleveland}} The team responded with a 28–6 upset win over the first-place Ohio Bobcats at Dix Stadium to finish with a record of 5–7 overall and 4–4 in the MAC.{{cite news |title=Kent State 28, Ohio 6 |url=http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303302309 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203142109/http://espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303302309 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2010 |work=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=November 26, 2010 |access-date=February 16, 2011}} Martin finished his tenure with a record of 29–53 ({{Winning percentage|29|53}}) overall and 21–35 ({{Winning percentage|21|35}}) in the MAC.{{cite news|title=Doug Martin to resign as head football coach |url=http://kentwired.com/doug-martin-to-resign-as-head-football-coach/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712083529/http://kentwired.com/doug-martin-to-resign-as-head-football-coach/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 12, 2012 |work=KentWired.com |author=Johnston, Josh |date=November 21, 2010 |access-date=February 16, 2011 }}

File:Kent State BG 2012.JPG that clinched the 2012 MAC East title]]

Ohio State wide receivers coach Darrell Hazell was hired to replace Martin.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=5937582|title=Sources: Kent State hires OSU's Hazell as coach|date=December 20, 2010|website=ESPN.com}} Hazell was the first African American head football coach in the history of Kent State football.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=5939930|title=Ohio St. assistant Hazell takes over at Kent St.|date=December 20, 2010|website=ESPN.com}}

In Hazell's first season, 2011, the team had two three-game losing streaks, but also had a five-game winning streak in the latter half of the season. Kent State dropped their first three contests, which included losses at eventual BCS national champion Alabama and Kansas State and a home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette. Hazell's first win at Kent State came on September 24, in a 33–25 win over South Alabama at Dix Stadium. The team then dropped their first three MAC games before defeating Bowling Green, which was the start of a five-game winning streak that included a 35–3 win over arch-rival Akron at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, Kent State's first win in Akron since 2003.{{cite news|title=Kent State dominates Akron to maintain possession of Wagon Wheel |url=http://recordpub.com/news/sports_article/5123293 |author=R-C Staff |date=November 13, 2011 |access-date=October 28, 2012 |newspaper=Record-Courier |page=B1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114162841/http://www.recordpub.com/news/sports_article/5123293 |archive-date=November 14, 2011}} The season ended with a 34–16 loss at Temple. The Flashes finished third in the MAC East with a 5–7 record overall and 4–4 in the MAC.{{cite web |title=Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule – 2011 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/2309/year/2011/kent-state-golden-flashes |work=ESPN.com |year=2011 |access-date=October 28, 2012}}

The 2012 season began with a 41–21 win over Towson at Dix Stadium, followed by a 47–14 loss at Kentucky. Following the loss, the Flashes defeated Buffalo at University at Buffalo Stadium and followed that with a come-from-behind 45–43 win over Ball State in Kent. A 31–17 win over Army at Michie Stadium was the first victory for Kent State over a non-conference team on the road since 2007.{{cite news|title=Kent State tops Army 31–17 |url=http://recordpub.com/news/slideshow/5222070 |author=Staff and wire reports |newspaper=Record-Courier |date=October 14, 2012 |access-date=October 28, 2012 |page=B1 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The winning streak reached six, the longest for Kent State since 1940, after a 35–23 win over undefeated and 18th-ranked Rutgers at High Point Solutions Stadium. The win was the Flashes' first over a ranked opponent after entering the game 0–22 against ranked teams.{{cite news |title=Kent State gets first ever win over ranked foe by dropping Rutgers |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=323010164 |date=October 27, 2012 |agency=Associated Press |work=ESPN.com |access-date=October 28, 2012}} The win earned Kent State votes in the October 28, 2012 AP Poll, Coaches' Poll, and the Harris Interactive College Football Poll.{{cite web |title=2012 NCAA Football Rankings – Week 10 (Oct. 28) |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings/_/week/10 |work=ESPN.com |date=October 28, 2012 |access-date=October 28, 2012}} The team continued winning, beating Akron in the Battle for the Wagon Wheel game at Dix Stadium, followed by a 48–32 win over the Miami RedHawks at Yager Stadium. The win over Miami set a new team record for consecutive victories in a season at eight and tied the 1973 team for most wins in a season at nine. On November 11, the Flashes were ranked 25th in the weekly AP poll, their first time being ranked since November 5, 1973, when they were ranked 19th for one week.{{cite news |author=Moff, Allen |title=Kent State football team ranked in AP poll for first time since 1973 |date=November 12, 2012 |url=http://www.recordpub.com/sports/2012/11/12/kent-state-football-team-ranked-in-ap-poll-for-first-time-since-1973 |access-date=November 14, 2012 |newspaper=Record-Courier |page=B1}}

File:Kent State Ohio 2012.JPG

Kent State clinched their first-ever MAC East Division title and spot in the 2012 MAC Championship Game with a 31–24 win over Bowling Green at Doyt Perry Stadium on November 17.{{cite news |title=Kent State Wins MAC East Division With Thrilling 31–24 Win Over Bowling Green |author=Moff, Allen |date=November 18, 2012 |newspaper=Record-Courier |url=http://www.recordpub.com/sports/2012/11/17/kent-state-wins-mac-east-division-with-thrilling-31-24-win-over-bowling-green |access-date=November 24, 2012}} Following the win over Bowling Green, the Flashes rose to No. 23 in the AP poll and entered the Coaches' and Harris polls at No. 25. Kent State was also ranked for the first time in the Bowl Championship Series standings at No. 23.{{cite web |title=2012 NCAA Football Rankings – Week 13 (Nov. 18) |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/rankings/_/week/13 |publisher=ESPN |work=ESPN.com |date=November 18, 2012 |access-date=November 24, 2012}} The team climbed as high as 17th in the BCS standings following their regular season-ending win over Ohio at Dix Stadium on November 23, which clinched their first-ever undefeated season in MAC play and set a record for most wins in a season with 11.{{cite news |url=http://recordpub.com/sports/2012/11/23/kent-state-completes-best-football-season-in-school-history |title=Kent State Completes Best Football Season in School History |author=Moff, Allen |newspaper=Record-Courier |date=November 24, 2012 |access-date=November 24, 2012 |archive-date=November 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126233635/http://www.recordpub.com/sports/2012/11/23/kent-state-completes-best-football-season-in-school-history |url-status=dead }} They were also mentioned as a potential BCS Buster.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/8675458/bcs-standings-notre-dame-sec-winner-play-title-top-9-unchanged |title=Top 9 unchanged in BCS standings |work=ESPN.com |date=November 25, 2012 |access-date=November 26, 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/21141913/what-we-learned-as-top-of-bcs-holds-bottom-may-lead-to-armageddon |title=What We Learned: As top of BCS holds, bottom may lead to armageddon |first=Tony |last=Barnhart |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=November 26, 2012 |access-date=November 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211014816/http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/21141913/what-we-learned-as-top-of-bcs-holds-bottom-may-lead-to-armageddon |archive-date=December 11, 2013}} Kent State, however, fell in overtime to Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game. Following the loss to NIU, Kent State accepted the invitation to play in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl. Kent State fell to Arkansas State in the game by a score of 17–13 to finish 11–3 overall.{{cite web|title=GoDaddy.com Bowl: Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves |url=http://www.sidearmstats.com/southalabama/fbmedia/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216190743/http://www.sidearmstats.com/southalabama/fbmedia/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 16, 2013 |publisher=Side Arm Stats |access-date=January 6, 2013 }}

Darrell Hazell accepted the head coaching position at Purdue on December 5,{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/8713343/darrell-hazell-named-coach-purdue-boilermakers|title=Purdue hires Kent State's Hazell as new coach|date=December 5, 2012|website=ESPN.com}} but Purdue granted Hazell permission to coach Kent State in the bowl game, the first bowl appearance by the Flashes since the 1972 Tangerine Bowl.

Paul Haynes, a Kent State alum who had previously served as defensive coordinator at Arkansas, was hired as Kent State's head football coach on December 18, 2012.{{cite web|title=Flashes Heading to GoDaddy.com Bowl |url=http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/releases/Bowl |publisher=Kent State University |access-date=December 3, 2012 |date=December 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121206043258/http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/releases/Bowl |archive-date=December 6, 2012}}{{cite news |title=Darrell Hazell pulled double-duty for Kent State, Purdue |url=http://www.recordpub.com/sports/2012/12/28/hazell-pulls-double-duty-for-ksu-purdue |author=Moff, Allen |date=December 28, 2012 |access-date=April 14, 2013 |newspaper=Record-Courier}}{{cite news |url=http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2012/12/kent_state_hires_paul_haynes_a.html |title=Kent State hires Paul Haynes as football coach |author=Alexander, Elton |date=December 17, 2012 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=April 15, 2013}} Haynes was the second African American head coach in the history of Kent State football.

In Haynes' first season, the Golden Flashes finished with a 4–8 record.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/2013-schedule.html|title=2013 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Kent State followed that season with a 2–9 mark in 2014{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/2014-schedule.html|title=2014 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} and consecutive 3–9 seasons in 2015 and 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/2015-schedule.html|title=2015 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/2016-schedule.html|title=2016 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com}} Haynes was fired after the 2017 season, finishing his tenure with a record of 14–45 overall, 9–30 in conference play.{{cite web|url=http://kentstatesports.com/news/2017/11/22/kent-state-football-to-undergo-change-in-leadership.aspx?path=football|title=Kent State Football to Undergo Change in Leadership|website=Kent State University|access-date=November 22, 2017}}

Sean Lewis was hired as head coach in 2018 and served for five seasons, compiling an overall record of 24–31 and 19–17 in MAC play. He led Kent State to bowl game appearances in 2019 and 2021, including the program's first-ever bowl win, a 51–41 victory over Utah State in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. In 2021 he also led the team to only their second appearance in the MAC Championship game. Lewis left the program in December 2022 when he was hired as offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes Football Team under head coach Deion Sanders.

Kenni Burns was hired as head coach in 2023. In his first season, he led the team to a 1-11 record, the worst in FBS college football.

• Independent (1920–1931)
• Ohio Athletic Conference (1932–1950)
• Mid-American Conference (1951–present)

Kent State has won one conference championship in school history.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mac-sports.com/Portals/20/2012%20MAC%20History%20and%20Records.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=November 18, 2012 |archive-date=April 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425144307/http://www.mac-sports.com/Portals/20/2012%20MAC%20History%20and%20Records.pdf |url-status=dead }}

Kent State has won two division titles. First doing so in 2012,{{cite web|url=http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/releases/20121117n6kgye |title=Kent State Clinches First-Ever MAC East Championship with 31-24 Win at Bowling Green: Kent State University Athletics |access-date=November 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121185440/http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2012-13/releases/20121117n6kgye |archive-date=November 21, 2012}} and again in 2021.{{cite web |last1=Oswald |first1=Jimmy |title=Football beats Miami, advances to MAC Championship |url=http://www.kentwired.com/latest_updates/article_b9555268-4fe4-11ec-9a7f-73589be9dbbb.html |website=Kent Wired |access-date=November 28, 2021 |date=November 27, 2021 |archive-date=November 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128181913/http://www.kentwired.com/latest_updates/article_b9555268-4fe4-11ec-9a7f-73589be9dbbb.html |url-status=dead }}

List of Kent State head coaches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/coaches.html|title = Kent State Golden Flashes Coaches}}

• Paul G. Chandler (1920–1922)
• Frank Harsh (1923–1924)
• Merle E. Wagoner (1925–1932)
• Joe Begala (1933–1934)
• Donald Starn (1935–1942)
• No team (1943–1945)
• Trevor J. Rees (1946–1963)
• Leo Strang (1964–1967)
• Dave Puddington (1968–1970)
• Don James (1971–1974)
• Dennis Fitzgerald (1975–1977)
• Ron Blackledge (1978–1980)
• Ed Chlebek (1981–1982)
• Dick Scesniak (1983–1985)
• Glen Mason (1986–1987)
• Dick Crum (1988–1990)
• Pete Cordelli (1991–1993)
• Jim Corrigall (1994–1997)
• Dean Pees (1998–2003)
• Doug Martin (2004–2010)
• Darrell Hazell (2011–2012)
• Paul Haynes (2013–2017)
• Sean Lewis (2018–2022)
• Kenni Burns (2023–present)

Kent State has appeared in five bowl games, going 1–4. They won their first bowl game in school history by defeating Utah State in the 2019 Frisco Bowl.

{{main|Wagon Wheel (trophy)}}

Kent State's biggest rival is Akron, located {{convert|10|mi|km}} from the Kent campus.{{cite web |url=http://recordpub.net/news/sports_article/5225825?page=0 |title=Wagon Wheel battle holds its own place among rivalries |author=Tom Hardesty |date=November 1, 2012 |publisher=Record Publishing Co, LLC. |work=www.recordpub.net |access-date=June 5, 2013 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The two schools first met in 1923 and have played 56 times through the 2013 meeting. Akron went 11–0–1 in the first 12 meetings in the series between 1923 and 1941, with no games played from 1924–27 and 1937–39. Kent State started a 10-game winning streak in 1942 through 1954, though no games were played during the World War II years of 1943–45 when neither school fielded teams. After the 1954 meeting, the rivalry was scrapped due to a lack of competition. It was reinstated in 1972 and has been an annual contest since 1983. In 1992, Akron joined the MAC and the rivalry became a conference game.{{cite web |url=http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2004-05/releases/585269.html |title=Football Hosts Akron in Battle for the Wagon Wheel |year=2004 |publisher=Kent State University |work=www.kentstatesports.com |access-date=June 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130619220033/http://www.kentstatesports.com/sports/fball/2004-05/releases/585269.html |archive-date=June 19, 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://gozips.com/sports/fball/2012-13/2012_FB_Media_Guide/2012_FB_Media_Guide |title=2012 University of Akron Football Media Guide |publisher=University of Akron Athletic Department |work=www.gozips.com |access-date=May 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511212409/http://www.gozips.com/sports/fball/2012-13/2012_FB_Media_Guide/2012_FB_Media_Guide |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}

Since 1946, the two teams have played for the Wagon Wheel. The story goes that John R. Buchtel was searching for a site to start a new college in 1870 near what is now Kent State University when his wagon became stuck in the mud. The horses pulled the wagon apart and one of the wheels ended up being buried. Buchtel would eventually settle on a site in Akron for Buchtel College. In 1902, while digging for a pipeline in Kent, the wheel was discovered and eventually came into the possession of Kent State dean of men Dr. Raymond Manchester. It was he who suggested in 1945 that the wheel be used as a trophy for the winner of the Kent State-Akron football game.

Akron leads the series 35–24–2 through the 2018 season{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/kent-state/vs/akron|title=Winsipedia - Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Akron Zips football series history|website=Winsipedia}}

{{main|Anniversary Award}}

Bowling Green leads the series 60–22–6 through the 2020 season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.winsipedia.com/kent-state/vs/bowling-green|title=Winsipedia - Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Bowling Green Falcons football series history|website=Winsipedia}}

{{Main|Dix Stadium}}

File:Dix Stadium panorama.jpg

The Flashes' home field is Dix Stadium, located along Summit Street on the eastern edge of the KSU campus just east of Ohio State Route 261. The stadium opened in 1969 and has a seating capacity of 25,318. Dix Stadium features a FieldTurf playing surface, which was installed in 2005. It was originally a natural grass field until 1997, when an Astroturf surface was installed. From 1997 to 2004, the stadium also hosted the Kent State field hockey team until a new facility for field hockey was built immediately north of the stadium in 2005.{{cite web |title=Dix Stadium |url=http://kent.sidearmsports.com/sports/2013/7/16/dix%20stadium.aspx |work=KentStateSports.com |year=2014 |access-date=May 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925114625/http://kent.sidearmsports.com/sports/2013/7/16/dix%20stadium.aspx |archive-date=September 25, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

Dix Stadium was most recently renovated in two phases in 2007 and 2008. Phase one included construction of a large canopy over the press box, new entrance gates, and a ticket office, all completed prior to the 2007 season opener. Phase two included the demolition of the south end zone seats and construction of a new high definition scoreboard, concession area, and plaza in the sound end zone area.

File:Kent State Field House 2014.JPG

Adjacent to the stadium to the north are two natural grass practice fields. Immediately east of the stadium is the Kent State Field House, which opened in 1990. The Field House includes a full-size football field, a six-lane indoor track, and a weight training room named for Kent State football alumnus James Harrison. The building, one of the first indoor football facilities built in Ohio, is also used by several other Kent State athletic teams during the year and is the home indoor venue for the men's and women's track teams. It includes locker rooms for women's soccer, field hockey, softball, and men's and women's track.{{cite news |title=Kent State wants men's basketball at the front of university marketing and promotionsKent State wants men's basketball at the front of university marketing and promotions |url=http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2016/04/kent_state_wants_mens_basketba.html |author=Alexander, Elton |date=April 1, 2016 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |access-date=April 18, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Field House |url=http://kent.sidearmsports.com/sports/2013/7/19/GEN_0719130359.aspx |year=2014 |work=KentStateSports.com |access-date=May 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522021248/http://kent.sidearmsports.com/sports/2013/7/19/GEN_0719130359.aspx |archive-date=May 22, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

Dix Stadium is the third facility the Flashes have called home. From the team's inception in 1920 through the 1940 season, they played at Rockwell Field, which was located adjacent to the original campus buildings on what is now known as The Commons. Rockwell Field was shared with the track and baseball teams and was plagued with drainage and quality issues its entire existence as an athletic field. For seating, it initially had no seating before primitive wooden bleachers were added in the 1930s. At its peak, the bleachers held approximately 3,000 people, with crowds reported for some games as large as 5,000.{{cite book |title=Chestnut Burr |url=http://www.library.kent.edu/burr/1934 |year=1934 |page=114 |publisher=Kent State University |access-date=November 6, 2015}}{{cite news |title=KSU Cops Fourth From Mount, Remains Unbeaten |url=http://dks.library.kent.edu/cgi-bin/kentstate?a=d&d=tks19401015-01&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------# |date=October 15, 1940 |newspaper=The Kent Stater |access-date=November 6, 2015 |page=4}} In 1941, the team moved to the new Athletic Field along Summit Street, a Works Progress Administration project that included separate football and baseball fields, with the football field surrounded by a cinder track. Seating was again provided on primitive wooden bleachers. After the football team was restored in 1946 following the return of men from World War II, a drive started in the late 1940s to build a permanent grandstand around the existing field. Memorial Stadium opened in 1950 with seating for 7,000 fans, a new electronic scoreboard, permanent press box, and field lighting. It was expanded multiple times and by 1966 seated approximately 20,000 people. Most of Memorial Stadium was used in the construction of Dix Stadium as the Memorial Stadium seating areas were dismantled in 1969 and transported to the current site in a new configuration.{{cite news |title=Dedicate New KSU Stadium to University's War Dead |date=October 16, 1950 |pages=1, 3}}{{cite book |title= Kent State University Athletics|author=Gigenbach, Cara |author2=Walton, Theresa |year= 2008|publisher= Arcadia|location= Charleston, South Carolina, Chicago, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and San Francisco, California|isbn=9780738551760|page= 51}}{{cite press release |title=Football stadium |year=1969 |publisher=Kent State University Office of Sports Information}}

File:DixStadium083.JPG against the Ohio Bobcats.]]

Despite the overall lack of success in the program, Kent State has produced a number of standouts including several prominent figures in college football, the Canadian Football League and in the National Football League.

• Lou Holtz, former head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, North Carolina State Wolfpack, and South Carolina Gamecocks
• Gary Pinkel, former head coach of the Missouri Tigers and Toledo Rockets
• Nick Saban, retired former head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide; former head coach of the LSU Tigers, Michigan State Spartans and Toledo Rockets (college), and Miami Dolphins (NFL)

• Walter Bender, former CFL player
• Jim Corrigall, former Toronto Argonauts player and member of Canadian Football Hall of Fame
• Jim Goss, former Ottawa Rough Riders player
• Gerry Tuttle, former BC Lions player
• Jay McNeil, former Calgary Stampeders player

40 Kent State alumni have either played in or are playing in the National Football League—although as noted below, not all of them played football at the school.

;Former Golden Flashes football players

• Art Best, Chicago Bears, New York Giants
• Joshua Cribbs, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts
• Julian Edelman, New England Patriots
• Abram Elam, Dallas Cowboys
• Josh Kline, New England Patriots
• James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals
• Daniel Muir, Indianapolis Colts
• Rico Murray, Cincinnati Bengals
• Jack Williams, Denver Broncos
• Usama Young, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders
• Jameson Konz, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos
• Monte Simmons, Philadelphia Eagles
• Ishmaa'ily Kitchen. Cleveland Browns
• Brian Winters, New York Jets
• Dri Archer, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills
• Jack Lambert, former Pittsburgh Steelers player and member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Don Nottingham, former player for Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Colts
• O.J. Santiago, former tight end for the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots
• Abdul Salaam, defensive end for the New York Jets and member of the New York Sack Exchange
• Andy Harmon, Defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Pete Mikolajewski, former San Diego Chargers player
• Eric Wilkerson, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Van Jakes, Cornerback Kansas City Chiefs New Orleans SaintsGreen Bay Packers

;Other Kent State products in the NFL

• Antonio Gates, Los Angeles Chargers — played basketball at KSU
• Jermail Porter, Kansas City Chiefs — an All-American wrestler at KSU{{cite news |first= Jonas|last= Fortune|title= No experience necessary: KSU's Porter going to Patriots |work= Ohio.com|date= April 27, 2009|access-date= May 30, 2009 |url= http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/43803877.html}}

• Gary Pinkel, 1995

• Eric Wilkerson, HB -1987

• Eric Wilkerson, HB -1987

• Jack Lambert, LB -1972

• Dri Archer, RB/RS -2012

• Jim Corrigall, DE -1969 (AP-3, NEA-1) (Canadian Football Hall of Fame)
• Eric Wilkerson, HB -1987 (AP -HM)
• Eric Wilkerson, HB -1988 (AP -HM)
• Dri Archer, RB/ RS -2012 CONSENSUS (FWAA, TSN, WCFF, ESPN, Scout, AP-3)
• Jayden Studio, LB -2024 (CFN Freshman -HM)

Two former Kent State players have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Lou Holtz attended Kent State, where he played lineback from 1956 to 1957. Holtz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for his contributions as the head coach at Notre Dame. He had a career college head coaching record of 249–132–7. Holtz's 1988 Notre Dame team went 12–0 with a victory in the Fiesta Bowl and was the consensus national champion. Holtz is the only college football coach to lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to guide four different programs to the final top 15 rankings.

Gary Pinkel attended Kent State, where he played tight end from 1970 to 1973, and was a graduate assistant from 1974 to 1975. Pinkel was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for his contributions as the head coach at Toledo and Missouri. He served as the head football coach at the University of Toledo from 1991 to 2000 and the University of Missouri from 2001 to 2015, compiling career record of 191–110–3. Pinkel has the most wins of any head coach in the history of the Toledo Rockets football program and also holds the record for most wins by a head coach of the Missouri Tigers football program.

One former Kent State coach is also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, mostly for their contributions while coaching at other schools. Don James served as the head coach at Kent State University from 1971 to 1974 and at the University of Washington from 1975 to 1992, compiling a career college football record of {{nowrap|{{winning percentage|178|76|3|record=y}}.}}

His 1991 Washington team won a share of the national championship after completing a {{nowrap|12–0}} season with a decisive win over Michigan in the Rose Bowl. James was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach {{nowrap|in 1997.}}

One former Kent State player has been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Jim Corrigall attended Kent State, where he played defensive end from 1967 to 1969. He went on to win the Canadian Football League's FL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award in 1975 with the Toronto Argonauts and was an 8-time CFL All-Star (1971-1973, 1975, 1977-1980).

One former Kent State player has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jack Lambert attended Kent State, where he played linebacker from 1971 to 1973. He went on to win 4 Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In addition, Antonio Gates played basketball for Kent State but was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025 becoming the 2nd Pro Football Hall of Famer from Kent State.

{{See also|List of NCAA football retired numbers}}

{{Kent State Golden Flashes football retired number navbox}}

Announced schedules as of January 6, 2025.{{cite web| title=Kent State Golden Flashes Football Future Schedules|publisher=FBSchedules.com |url=https://fbschedules.com/ncaa/kent-state/|access-date=January 6, 2025}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website}}

{{Kent State Golden Flashes football navbox}}

{{Kent State University}}

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Category:American football teams established in 1920

Category:1920 establishments in Ohio