2023 Kent State Golden Flashes football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record1–11 (0–8 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMatt Johnson (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinatorMatt Limegrover (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorDave Duggan (1st season)
Home stadiumDix Stadium
2023 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Miami (OH) xy$  7 1   11 3  
Ohio  6 2   10 3  
Bowling Green  5 3   7 6  
Buffalo  3 5   3 9  
Akron  1 7   2 10  
Kent State  0 8   1 11  
West Division
Toledo xy  8 0   11 3  
Northern Illinois  5 3   7 6  
Eastern Michigan  4 4   6 7  
Central Michigan  3 5   5 7  
Ball State  3 5   4 8  
Western Michigan  3 5   4 8  
Championship: Miami (OH) 23, Toledo 14
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant

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]

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
1Toledo7
2Ohio4
3Buffalo1

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 317:00 p.m.at UCF*FS1L 6–5644,088
September 94:00 p.m.at Arkansas*SECNL 6–2873,173
September 1612:00 p.m.Central Connecticut*ESPN+W 38–1010,731
September 2310:30 p.m.at Fresno State*CBSSNL 10–5338,728
September 302:30 p.m.Miami (OH)
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
ESPN+L 3–2313,598
October 73:30 p.m.at OhioESPN+L 17–4222,945
October 1412:00 p.m.at Eastern MichiganCBSSNL 14–2818,443
October 213:30 p.m.Buffalodagger
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
ESPN+L 6–2411,735
November 17:30 p.m.at AkronESPNUL 27–318,113
November 87:00 p.m.Bowling Green
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
CBSSNL 19–496,065
November 182:00 p.m.at Ball StateESPN+L 3–348,554
November 2512:00 p.m.Northern Illinois
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
ESPN+L 27–375,427

    [5][6]

    Game summaries

    at UCF

    Kent State Golden Flashes (0–0) at UCF Knights (0–0)
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Golden Flashes 3 0 306
    Knights 14 14 141456

    at FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, FL

    Game information
    StatisticsKENTUCF
    First downs1532
    Total yards240723
    Rushing yards95389
    Passing yards145334
    Turnovers13
    Time of possession28:3431:26
    TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
    Kent StatePassingMichael Alaimo12–31, 145 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
    RushingGavin Garcia18 carries, 45 yards
    ReceivingChrishon McCray3 receptions, 61 yards
    UCFPassingJohn Rhys Plumlee22–30, 281 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
    RushingJohnny Richardson12 carries, 100 yards
    ReceivingXavier Townsend5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD

    at Arkansas

    Kent State Golden Flashes (0–1) at Arkansas Razorbacks (1–0)
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Golden Flashes 3 3 006
    Razorbacks 7 7 7728

    at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback StadiumFayetteville, 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 downs1419
    Plays–yards53–20064–308
    Rushes–yards36–2645–172
    Passing yards174136
    Passing: comp–att–int11–17–113–19–0
    Time of possession27:4432:16
    TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
    Kent State PassingMichael Alaimo11–17, 174 yards, INT
    RushingGavin Garcia18 carries, 68 yards
    ReceivingTrell Harris4 receptions, 78 yards
    Arkansas PassingKJ Jefferson13–19, 136 yards, 2 TD
    RushingAJ Green15 carries, 82 yards
    ReceivingIsaac TeSlaa3 receptions, 51 yards

    References

    1. "Kent State hires Kenni Burns to be new head football coach". ESPN.
    2. "Dix Stadium". Kent State Athletics.
    3. "MAC College Football Standings - 2023". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
    4. "MAC football preseason poll: Toledo picked to win conference championship; BGSU tabbed to finish fourth in MAC East". wtol.com. WTOL 11. July 20, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
    5. "2023 Kent State Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
    6. "2023 Kent State Football Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved February 25, 2023.


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