Home › NCAA Football Lines › NCAA Football Articles › NCAAF Kent State Golden Flashes
NCAA Football Betting Online: Five years ago the Kent State Golden Flashes were a flash in the pan. They were the darlings of college football winning 11 games, one more than the previous two seasons combined, and Darrell Hazell turned that season into a glorious payday at Purdue. The 2012 season turned out to be a mirage for Kent State fans. Under Paul Haynes, the team hasn’t won more than four games in a season and their win total in four seasons under him is just one more than that of the 2012 squad.
2017 Kent State Golden Flashes at a Glance
Golden Flashes National Championship Odds: +50000
Golden Flashes Regular Season Win Total: 3.5
Haynes knows how to put together a solid defense and he’s done that in his tenure. Kent State ranked 22nd nationally in passing yards allowed last season with fewer than 200 per game, and they were 50th in total defense. So you know what area has held the Golden Flashes back. The offense was terrible last season and significant upgrades are needed if they are to push for bowl eligibility in 2017.
Not having a No. 1 quarterback hindered the team last year. Kent State had four players attempt at least 15 passes each and none were particularly effective. Nick Holley was the best of the group, at least numbers-wise, and he’s back to try and resurrect the group. Holley threw for 868 yards and led the team in rushing with 920 yards. If he doesn’t work out at QB, Holley could still be a threat. He even caught 13 passes last year.
Getting production from the passing game is key. Kent State averaged only 141.7 yards per game through the air last season, ranked 125th in FBS with 309 totally yards per game and scored just 20.6 points per outing. The defense was solid last year, but propping up an offense that couldn’t do anything was too much to ask for.
Justin Rankin is a budding superstar in the MAC and looks to build off an impressive freshman year. Rankin was the second leading rusher behind Holley and led the team in receptions with 28 for 335 yards. He is also a threat in the return game. Getting bowl eligible will be a hurdle, especially with Clemson, Louisville and Marshall on the non-conference schedule. Five wins would be considered a victory after back-to-back 3-9 campaigns.
2017 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule
Week 1: Kent State at Clemson, Saturday, September 2
Week 2: Kent State vs. Howard, Saturday, September 9
Week 3: Kent State at Marshall, Saturday, September 16
Week 4: Kent State at Louisville, Saturday, September 23
Week 5: Kent State vs. Buffalo, Saturday, September 30
Week 6: Kent State at Northern Illinois, Saturday, October 7
Week 7: Kent State vs. Miami Ohio, Saturday, October 14
Week 8: Kent State at Ohio, Saturday, October 21
Week 9: OFF
Week 10: Kent State vs. Bowling Green, Tuesday, October 31
Week 11: Kent State at Western Michigan, Wednesday, November 8
Week 12: Kent State vs. Central Michigan, Tuesday, November 14
Week 13: Kent State at Akron, Tuesday, November 21
List of Kent State Golden Flashes Seasons
| Year |
Record |
Bowl Game |
| 2016 |
3-9 |
|
| 2015 |
3-9 |
|
| 2014 |
2-9 |
|
| 2013 |
4-8 |
|
| 2012 |
11-3 |
L – GoDaddy.com Bowl |
| 2011 |
5-7 |
|
| 2010 |
5-7 |
|
| 2009 |
5-7 |
|
| 2008 |
4-8 |
|
| 2007 |
3-9 |
|
| 2006 |
6-6 |
|
| 2005 |
1-10 |
|
| 2004 |
5-6 |
|
| 2003 |
5-7 |
|
| 2002 |
3-9 |
|
| 2001 |
6-5 |
|
| 2000 |
1-10 |
|
| 1999 |
2-9 |
|
| 1998 |
0-11 |
|
| 1997 |
3-8 |
|
| 1996 |
2-9 |
|
| 1995 |
1-9-1 |
|
| 1994 |
2-9 |
|
| 1993 |
0-11 |
|
| 1992 |
2-9 |
|
| 1991 |
1-10 |
|
| 1990 |
2-9 |
|
| 1989 |
0-11 |
|
| 1988 |
5-6 |
|
| 1987 |
7-4 |
|
| 1986 |
5-6 |
|
| 1985 |
3-8 |
|
| 1984 |
4-7 |
|
| 1983 |
1-10 |
|
| 1982 |
0-11 |
|
| 1981 |
4-7 |
|
| 1980 |
3-8 |
|
| 1979 |
1-10 |
|
| 1978 |
4-7 |
|
| 1977 |
6-5 |
|
| 1976 |
8-4 |
|
| 1975 |
4-7 |
|
| 1974 |
7-4 |
|
| 1973 |
9-2 |
|
| 1972 |
6-5-1 |
L – Tangerine Bowl |
| 1971 |
3-8 |
|
| 1970 |
3-7 |
|
| 1969 |
5-5 |
|
| 1968 |
1-9 |
|
| 1967 |
5-5 |
|
| 1966 |
4-6 |
|
| 1965 |
5-4-1 |
|
| 1964 |
3-5-1 |
|
| 1963 |
3-5-1 |
|
| 1962 |
3-6 |
|
| 1961 |
2-8 |
|
| 1960 |
6-3 |
|
| 1959 |
5-3 |
|
| 1958 |
7-2 |
|
| 1957 |
3-6 |
|
| 1956 |
7-2 |
|
| 1955 |
6-2-1 |
|
| 1954 |
8-2 |
L – Refrigerator Bowl |
| 1953 |
7-2 |
|
| 1952 |
5-4 |
|
| 1951 |
4-3-2 |
|
In 1971 Kent State hired Don James as its head coach and he helped lift the team from obscurity. The school had been a MAC member since 1951, but success was fleeting. The James era didn’t get off to a rattling start – the Golden Flashes were 3-8 in his first year. But the turnaround came suddenly. In 1972 Kent State won its first, and so for only, MAC title, completing the league slate with a 4-1 record. The Golden Flashes played their first major college bowl game that season, losing the Tangerine Bowl.
The following season Kent State won a then-program record nine games and followed with a 7-4 record in 1974. James was lured away by Washington and the Kent State program fell into a funk. The next two-plus decades featured mostly losing seasons and regular coaching changes. No coach lasted more than three years until 1997 when Jim Corrigall was let go after his fourth season.
The season put together by Kent State under Hazell in 2012 was one for the ages. The Golden Flashes had just four winning seasons between 1974 and 2012 and won more than five games only five times. They were invited to just the second bowl game in program history, and unfortunately came away empty-handed. However, Hazell used that 11-3 campaign to impress administrators at Purdue and the Haynes era has yet to take off.
Join BookMaker to get all the latest Kent State Golden Flashes NCAA football odds and NCAAF Betting Articles on your mobile device. Bet on spreads, totals, props and futures on the go at BookMaker today!
NCAA Football Teams
