American college football season
The 2023 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State University as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Golden Flashes were led by former Minnesota assistant head coach Kenni Burns in his first year as Kent State's head coach.[1] They played their home games at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio.[2] They finished the season 1–11 and 0–8 in conference play[3] to finish with the worst record in college football.
Preseason
Preseason polls
Coaches Poll
On July 20, the MAC announced the preseason coaches poll. Kent State was picked to finish last in the East.[4]
East
|
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1
|
Ohio
|
63 (9)
|
2
|
Miami
|
52 (2)
|
3
|
Buffalo
|
51 (1)
|
4
|
Bowling Green
|
35
|
5
|
Akron
|
26
|
6
|
Kent State
|
19
|
West
|
Predicted finish
|
Team
|
Votes (1st place)
|
1
|
Toledo
|
66 (11)
|
2
|
Eastern Michigan
|
55 (1)
|
3
|
Northern Illinois
|
38
|
4
|
Central Michigan
|
37
|
5
|
Ball State
|
27
|
6
|
Western Michigan
|
23
|
Coaches poll (MAC Championship)
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Votes
|
1 |
Toledo |
7
|
2 |
Ohio |
4
|
3 |
Buffalo |
1
|
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
| 7:00 p.m. | at UCF* | | FS1 | L 6–56 | 44,088 |
September 9 | 4:00 p.m. | at Arkansas* | | SECN | L 6–28 | 73,173 |
September 16 | 12:00 p.m. | Central Connecticut* | | ESPN+ | W 38–10 | 10,731 |
September 23 | 10:30 p.m. | at Fresno State* | | CBSSN | L 10–53 | 38,728 |
September 30 | 2:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) | | ESPN+ | L 3–23 | 13,598 |
October 7 | 3:30 p.m. | at Ohio | | ESPN+ | L 17–42 | 22,945 |
October 14 | 12:00 p.m. | at Eastern Michigan | | CBSSN | L 14–28 | 18,443 |
October 21 | 3:30 p.m. | Buffalo![dagger](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Dagger-14-plain.png) | | ESPN+ | L 6–24 | 11,735 |
| 7:30 p.m. | at Akron | | ESPNU | L 27–31 | 8,113 |
| 7:00 p.m. | Bowling Green | | CBSSN | L 19–49 | 6,065 |
November 18 | 2:00 p.m. | at Ball State | | ESPN+ | L 3–34 | 8,554 |
November 25 | 12:00 p.m. | Northern Illinois | | ESPN+ | L 27–37 | 5,427 |
|
[5][6]
Game summaries
at UCF
Game information
|
- First Quarter
- UCF: Xavier Townsend 9-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Kick), 10:56
- UCF: John Rhys Plumlee 17-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 6:07
- Kent State: Andrew Glass 45-yard field gooal, 3:20
- Second Quarter
- UCF: Jordan McDonald 2-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 8:46
- UCF: Alec Holler 18-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Kick), 0:42
- Third Quarter
- UCF: R.J. Harvey 50-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Kick), 10:37
- UCF: R.J. Harvey 48-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 4:07
- Kent State: Andrew Glass 43-yard field goal, 0:49
- Fourth Quarter
- UCF: Mark-Antony Richards 7-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 7:26
- UCF: Demarkcus Bowman 5-yard touchdown (Colton Boomer Kick), 0:54
|
- Win Probability
- Line
- Over/Under
|
|
Statistics |
KENT |
UCF
|
First downs |
15 |
32
|
Total yards |
240 |
723
|
Rushing yards |
95 |
389
|
Passing yards |
145 |
334
|
Turnovers |
1 |
3
|
Time of possession |
28:34 |
31:26
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Kent State |
Passing |
Michael Alaimo |
12–31, 145 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
|
Rushing |
Gavin Garcia |
18 carries, 45 yards
|
Receiving |
Chrishon McCray |
3 receptions, 61 yards
|
UCF |
Passing |
John Rhys Plumlee |
22–30, 281 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
|
Rushing |
Johnny Richardson |
12 carries, 100 yards
|
Receiving |
Xavier Townsend |
5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD
|
at Arkansas
Kent State Golden Flashes (0–1) at Arkansas Razorbacks (1–0)
Period |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
Golden Flashes |
3 |
3 |
0 | 0 | 6 |
Razorbacks |
7 |
7 |
7 | 7 | 28 |
at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 83 °F (28 °C) • Wind: northeast 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Game attendance: 73,173
- Referee: Scott Walker
- TV: SEC Network
- Pregame line: Arkansas by 38.5 • Odds to win: Arkansas 94.8% • Game summary: ESPN
Game information
|
- First quarter
- (3:24) Kent State – Andrew Glass 48-yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 51 yards, 6:52; Kent State 3–0)
- (1:12) Arkansas – Antonio Grier 25-yard interception return (Arkansas 7–3)
- Second quarter
- (6:29) Kent State – Andrew Glass 38-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 5:48; Arkansas 7–6)
- (2:20) Arkansas – Andrew Armstrong 5-yard pass from KJ Jefferson, Cam Little kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:09; Arkansas 14–6)
- Third quarter
- (5:50) Arkansas – Rashod Dubinion 1-yard rush, Cam Little kick (Drive: 12 plays, 91 yards, 6:28; Arkansas 21–6)
- Fourth quarter
- (10:16) Arkansas – Andrew Armstrong 9-yard pass from KJ Jefferson, Cam Little kick (Drive: 15 plays, 73 yards, 7:54; Arkansas 28–6)
|
Statistics
|
KENT
|
ARK
|
First downs |
14 |
19
|
Plays–yards |
53–200 |
64–308
|
Rushes–yards |
36–26 |
45–172
|
Passing yards |
174 |
136
|
Passing: comp–att–int |
11–17–1 |
13–19–0
|
Time of possession |
27:44 |
32:16
|
Team |
Category |
Player |
Statistics
|
Kent State
|
Passing |
Michael Alaimo |
11–17, 174 yards, INT
|
Rushing |
Gavin Garcia |
18 carries, 68 yards
|
Receiving |
Trell Harris |
4 receptions, 78 yards
|
Arkansas
|
Passing |
KJ Jefferson |
13–19, 136 yards, 2 TD
|
Rushing |
AJ Green |
15 carries, 82 yards
|
Receiving |
Isaac TeSlaa |
3 receptions, 51 yards
|
References
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