Kent State Football: A Brief Review and Looking Forward

Photo Credit: collegefootballlnews.com

The Kent State Golden Flashes football team has accomplished a feat they had not accomplished since the 1976-77 seasons, back-to-back winning seasons.  

The 2019 season was the only Golden Flashes bowl win in the program’s history, with a win over Utah State in the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl 51-41.

However, this season was unconventional to say the least.  Everything about 2020, whether it was sports or not, was unconventional or simply weird. 

The schedule for the Golden Flashes was patchwork at best. Instead of playing 12 games and another possible bowl appearance, the schedule ended up being just six games. Only four games were actually played due to continued COVID-19 problems within the program.

The Mid American Conference was one of the first conferences to initially cancel fall football and intended to resume play in the spring of 2021. After other conferences, such as The Big Ten, were able to put together a fall schedule, the MAC followed suit and gave us the six game per team slate we received.

This shortened season saw many bright spots for the Golden Flashes with their exciting, fast-paced brand of football.  They finished the season with a 3-1 record with wins over Eastern Michigan 27-23, Bowling Green 62-24 and TSDTR 69-35 (I personally still have this game on DVR along with the Frisco Bowl, for when I just want to smile).  

Their only loss was to a Buffalo Bulls team that was nationally ranked. The remainder of the season, games against the Miami Redhawks on December 5 and the Ohio Bobcats on December 12 were both cancelled to due to COVID-19 outbreaks. There will also be no trip to a bowl game this year due to continued COVID-19 concerns.

And that’s okay Flash Nation. The future is bright for the Kent State Football team.  

Anyone doubting me, consider these questions:

Before Coach Lewis and his young staff, had you heard of Kent State Football having a bowl win? Had you heard of Kent State Football having a seven game winning streak?  

There is a buzz around the city of Kent when talking about the FlashFast era that coach Lewis and his staff have started.  

You may even say it’s electric.

-Matthew Hathaway