Tennessee linebacker Jeremiah Telander (22) celebrates a fumble recovery at the NCAA College football game between Tennessee and NC State on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 in Charlotte, NC.

No. 7 Tennessee on guard with MAC’s Kent State up next

Seventh-ranked Tennessee averaged 60 points in its first two games, allowing an average of 6.5.

That can’t be a comforting detail for winless Kent State as it faces the Volunteers in Knoxville just one week after losing to FCS program Saint Francis (Pa.).

Tennessee (2-0) rolled over Chattanooga 69-3 in its opener and followed it up by whipping then-No. 24 North Carolina State 51-10 last weekend in Charlotte, N.C.

The Volunteers are gaining 589 yards per game while allowing 185. Opponents have converted just 4 of 26 third-down opportunities.

The trick for Tennessee is figuring out how to take Kent State seriously after the Golden Flashes fell 23-17 to the Red Flash.

“You can go back and look at the scores from across America each week and there’s examples of guys that didn’t prepare, didn’t practice right, didn’t have the right competitive spirit to go take advantage of the next opportunity,” Volunteers coach Josh Heupel said. “There’s a lot of work that goes into it. There’s very few opportunities, this is our next one — gotta be ready to go take advantage of it.”

Kent State coach Kenni Burns knows the deck is stacked against his team but promises that his club will fight.

“I still believe in our football team,” Burns said. “I still think they’re extremely talented. I think this is a great youthful moment for these guys to learn how to handle adversity and respond.

“We didn’t play well enough to win. All it is is they’re 0-1 in the Saint Francis season. That is it. They have to move on and respond.”

Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava is completing 74.5 percent of his passes and has five touchdown passes. But he also threw two interceptions in the rout of NC State.

Heupel watched Iamaleava closely after the picks and liked his body language.

“We don’t want to turn the ball over,” Heupel said. “You’d like to have a couple of those back, but I think one thing we learned about him is how he’s going to respond to something that doesn’t go positive, and doesn’t go his way. And he came back and played the next play independently, played like the first play again.”

Dylan Sampson is averaging 8.0 yards per carry while topping 100 rushing yards in both games. He has 256 yards and five touchdowns.

Kent State was routed 55-24 by host Pitt in its season opener before the humbling home loss to Saint Francis. It was the first time the Red Flash have ever defeated a FBS program.

So the Golden Flashes now attempt to move on. And Burns knows one area in which the club needs to improve immediately — running the football.

Kent State is averaging just 1.7 yards per carry and 54.5 yards per game. Leading rusher Ky Thomas has 79 yards with 32 coming on one play.

“We gotta run the ball,” Burns said. “We gotta figure out how to run the ball better up front and with our running backs. There were glimpses of hope, but still not what I expect it to be.

“I don’t want to be a team that throws it 50 times a game. To me, that’s not championship football.”

Golden Flashes quarterback Devin Kargman is averaging 33 attempts per game. He has passed for 374 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Kameron Olds is standing out on defense with a team-best three sacks.

This is the first meeting between the schools.

–Field Level Media

Aug 31, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Pittsburgh Panthers running back Desmond Reid (0) runs after a catch against Kent State Golden Flashes safety Alex Branch (1) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Desmond Reid, Eli Holstein power Pitt past Kent State

Freshman quarterback Eli Holstein threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns and Desmond Reid added a pair of scores, lifting Pitt to a 55-24 victory over visiting Kent State on Saturday afternoon in the season opener for both teams.

Holstein completed 29 of 39 passes in his first collegiate game before being replaced by Nate Yarnell, with each quarterback throwing a touchdown pass to Raphael Williams Jr.

Kenny Johnson had seven catches for 105 yards with a touchdown and Konata Mumpfried also reeled in a scoring strike.

Holstein and Reid debuted for Pitt on Saturday and had a hand in most of the team’s highlight moments.

Reid rushed for 145 yards on 14 carries and scampered 78 yards for a touchdown on a punt return. The Panthers are expected to lean on the Western Carolina transfer after declaring last season’s leading rusher Rodney Hammond Jr. ineligible for the 2024 campaign on Friday.

Derrick Davis Jr. rushed for a touchdown for Pitt, which started off strong after limping to a 3-9 record last season.

Kent State’s Devin Kargman completed 14 of 28 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. He connected on a 36-yard scoring strike with Luke Floriea and a 29-yard catch by Chrishon McCray.

Golden Flashes starting linebacker Khalib Johns was ejected following a targeting penalty in the first half. The penalty negated an apparent stop on fourth down and allowed Davis to score a few plays later.

Holstein started strong by completing all five of his pass attempts for 80 yards on Pitt’s opening drive. He connected with Johnson on a 46-yard pass play to highlight the sequence before finding Mumpfield for an 11-yard score.

The Panthers forced Kent State to go three-and-out on the next drive. Reid thwarted an attempted tackle on the ensuing punt and followed a convoy of blockers for a 78-yard touchdown.

Kargman connected with Floriea over the middle to trim Pitt’s lead to 14-7 before the Panthers responded with a pair of scores in the second quarter. Davis bulled his way into the end zone from 2 yards out to cap a 12-play, 79-yard drive and Holstein finding a wide-open Williams from 7 yards out.

Kent State took advantage of a muffed punt for a touchdown, and Kargman found McCray over the middle for a 29-yard score to pull within 28-21 early in the third quarter.

Reid responded with a 46-yard touchdown and Johnson reeled in a pass in the corner of the end zone to push Pitt’s lead to 42-24 later in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Sep 9, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Kent State Golden Flashes running back Gavin Garcia (21) rushes in the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas knocks off Kent State

KJ Jefferson threw two touchdown passes to Andrew Armstrong and Arkansas used tough defense to stymie visiting Kent State 28-6 on Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.

Jefferson completed 13 of 19 passes for 136 yards and added 48 rushing yards. AJ Green ran 15 times for 82 yards to help the Razorbacks start the season 2-0.

Arkansas held Kent State (0-2) to 200 total yards, including just 26 rushing yards, and kept the Golden Flashes out of the end zone. Kent State quarterback Michael Alaimo went 11-for-17 passing for 174 yards and an interception returned for a touchdown.

Jaylen Thomas racked up 12 tackles for Arkansas. He and Trajan Jeffcoat each recorded 1.5 sacks.

Kent State opened the scoring with Andrew Glass’ 48-yard field goal at the end of an 11-play, 51-yard drive. But late in the first quarter, Arkansas linebacker Antonio Grier jumped to intercept Alaimo’s throw and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.

The Golden Flashes embarked on another time-consuming drive and Glass converted from 38 yards away to trim it to 7-6.

On Arkansas’ next drive, Isaac TeSlaa dove between two defenders for a 36-yard grab. Three plays later, Jefferson fumbled the snap, picked the ball off the turf, rolled right and hit a wide-open Armstrong for a 5-yard score with 2:20 before halftime.

The Razorbacks traveled 91 yards and 73 yards on consecutive scoring drives in the second half. Rashod Dubinion ran in from a yard away to cap the first drive, making it 21-6 Arkansas with 5:50 left in the third period.

Early in the fourth, Jefferson tried to connect with TeSlaa down the right sideline for a score, and Kent State committed pass interference to give Arkansas 14 yards and a new set of downs. Two plays later, Jefferson rolled left and hit Armstrong in stride on the left side of the end zone for a 9-yard score.

Trell Harris’ 36-yard catch falling down set Kent State up at the Arkansas 2, but the Razorbacks’ goal-line defense stood firm for four downs. Jeffcoat and Landon Jackson wrapped up Gavin Garcia for a 4-yard loss on fourth-and-goal with 6:05 left to cement the Arkansas win.

Harris led all receivers with 78 yards on four catches. TeSlaa had three receptions for 51 yards for Arkansas, and Armstrong had four for 21.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2022; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Jalon Walker (11) blocks a punt by Kent State Golden Flashes punter Josh Smith (96) for a safety during the first quarter  at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Brock Bowers rushes No. 1 Georgia past Kent State

Tight end Brock Bowers rushed for two touchdowns to fuel top-ranked Georgia to a 39-22 victory over visiting Kent State on Saturday afternoon in Athens, Ga.

Bowers scored on both his carries, including the first on a 75-yard sweep in the first quarter to lead the Bulldogs (4-0).

Georgia, which entered the game averaging 155.7 rushing yards per game, totaled a season-high 257 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Stetson Bennett and Kendall Milton each ran for a score.

Bennett completed 27 of 36 passes for 272 yards and was intercepted at the Kent State 5-yard line by Montre Miller with 8:34 left in the first quarter. Georgia’s special teams erased the mistake moments later after Jalon Walker blocked a punt that rolled through the end zone for a safety.

Georgia entered the game with the nation’s top-ranked defense after allowing just 10 points and only one touchdown in three games.

But the Bulldogs committed three turnovers which led to 10 points for the Golden Flashes (1-3) and kept the 45-point underdogs in the game until the fourth quarter.

Georgia’s miscues began early when Ladd McConkey muffed a punt on Kent State’s first possession. It led to the Golden Flashes’ first points following a 45-yard field goal by Andrew Glass.

Following a second Georgia fumble, Collin Schlee connected for a 56-yard touchdown pass to Devontez Walker to cut Georgia’s lead to 12-10 with 11:30 left in the second quarter.

Walker led the Golden Flashes with seven catches for 106 yards while Marquez Cooper had 90 yards and a rushing touchdown on 21 carries.

The Bulldogs still managed to amass 529 yards of total offense, surpassing the 500-yard mark for the third time this season.

Georgia’s backfield may have taken an injury hit when Kenny McIntosh limped off the field in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a left foot injury.

–Field Level Media

Jul 29, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer speaks during Pac-12 Media Day at Novo Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kalen DeBoer era opens at Washington vs. Kent State

After a tumultuous 2021 season, Washington hopes new coach Kalen DeBoer leads them back to some a sense of normalcy Saturday night as they open the season against an apparently overmatched visiting Kent State.

Yet, a year ago, Washington’s season launched with a stunning 13-7 loss to Montana and then-coach Jimmy Lake and the Dawgs never regained their footing on the way to a 4-8 season.

DeBoer, formerly at Fresno State, is the fourth Washington head coach in four seasons. Chris Petersen departed after the 2019 season and was replaced by Lake — but after the terrible start, Lake was under fire all season and was terminated in November following a sideline incident in which he was seen shoving one of his players — and was replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Bob Gregory for the rest of the 2021 season.

Last week DeBoer named Michael Penix Jr., a transfer from Indiana, as the starting quarterback, and Wayne Taulapapa, a graduate transfer from Virginia, as the No. 1 running back.

Taulapapa, DeBoer said, “might be one of the most mature guys on our football team. It means a lot to him,” and cited his 27 career starts and ability to handle rushing, receiving and blocking duties well.

A win for the Huskies would be the 400th in school history at home. Washington was picked to finish sixth in the Pac-12 this season in a conference media poll.

Kent State won the Mid-American Conference Eastern Division title last season, finishing 7-7 after a 52-38 loss to Wyoming in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Kent State was picked to finish second in the MAC East in a media poll. The program has a unique connection with Washington, in that legendary Huskies head coach Don James was Kent State’s head coach for four seasons before he arrived to turn the Huskies into a West Coast power for most of his tenure (1975-92).

“The football gods, they don’t miss,” Kent State head coach Sean Lewis said, noting that he keeps a book about James in his office and uses it for coaching guidance.

“We’ll get a real test here,” Lewis said, “and we’re going to see where we’re at.”

The Golden Flashes have a loaded nonconference schedule starting with a trip west to Seattle for their first-ever meeting with Washington, followed by a trip to No. 9 Oklahoma next week, and a Sept. 24 visit to No. 3 Georgia.

Washington follows the opener with a game against FCS team Portland State and then hosts No. 15 Michigan State before turning to Pac-12 play against Stanford – with all four game at Husky Stadium.

–Field Level Media

Sep 25, 2021; College Park, Maryland, USA;  Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) throws from the pocket during the first half against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Taulia Tagovailoa shines as Maryland routs Kent State

Taulia Tagovailoa passed for 384 yards and three touchdowns, Tayon Fleet-Davis hit pay dirt twice and Maryland pulled away with a 37-16 drubbing of Kent State on Saturday in College Park, Md.

Maryland (4-0) kept Kent State out of the end zone until the fourth quarter and recorded five sacks and a fumble recovery. The Terrapins stayed unbeaten ahead of next Friday’s home game against No. 5 Iowa.

Tagovailoa completed 31 of 41 passes, hitting 12 different targets for at least one reception. Dontay Demus Jr. led the Terps’ receivers with 108 yards and a touchdown on four catches.

Dustin Crum went 19 for 33 for 308 yards and a touchdown for Kent State (1-3). Dante Cephas caught 10 passes for 151 yards and a score.

Tagovailoa, the Big Ten leader in completion percentage, threw his first interception of the season in the first quarter. The junior threw behind Rakim Jarrett’s route, and the ball glanced off his hands and right to cornerback Keith Sherald Jr. Kent State converted the takeaway into the game’s first three points.

But Maryland responded with touchdowns on its next three possessions. Demus got behind the secondary to haul in a 33-yard touchdown. Jarrett then caught a 6-yarder to conclude the next drive, which went 76 yards. And Demus recorded a 64-yard catch to lead to Fleet-Davis’ 3-yard rushing score.

Trailing 21-6 with less than five minutes in the half, Kent State executed a fake field goal and kicker Andrew Glass ran a bootleg and nearly scored a touchdown, but a holding penalty called the play back.

Instead, Glass kicked his third field goal of the half. Maryland responded by fitting in an 11-play scoring drive before the end of the half, with Joseph Petrino’s 26-yard chip shot making it 24-9.

The Terrapins put the game out of reach in the third quarter with two more touchdowns. Fleet-Davis broke off a 29-yard run and walked a tightrope down the right sideline to reach the end zone. The next Maryland drive culminated in Tagovailoa finding tight end Corey Dyches on a 9-yard play-action pass.

The Golden Flashes gained 80 yards on just a four-play drive early in the fourth quarter, and Crum found Cephas on a 15-yard touchdown pass to make it 37-16.

Kent State’s three losses have come to Maryland, Texas A&M and Iowa, the latter two ranked in the top 10 nationally.

–Field Level Media

Members of the Iowa Hawkeyes football team celebrate after junior tight end Sam LaPorta scored a touchdown with seconds to go in the second quarter against Kent State at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.

20210918 Iowavskentstate

Tyler Goodson leads No. 5 Iowa past Kent State

The fifth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes — helped by an incredible 20-play, 95-yard drive — defeated visiting Kent State 30-7 in nonconference play on Saturday afternoon at Iowa City.

Tyler Goodson ran for 153 yards, a 7.0 average and three touchdowns to lead the Hawkeyes (3-0), who have won nine straight games dating to last season.

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras completed 25 of 36 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.

Kent State (1-2) was led by quarterback Dustin Crum and wide receiver Keshunn Abram. Crum completed 16 of 23 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown. Abram caught six passes for 138 yards and one touchdown.

Iowa’s defense started the scoring as a 15-yard sack by Lukas Van Ness resulted in a first-period safety.

The Hawkeyes took the ensuing kick and scored on a pitch to Goodson for a 46-yard run through a huge hole on the left side to make it 9-0 with 6:34 left in the quarter.

Kent State got on the board on its next possession, converting a third-and-6 play with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Abram. Of the 75 yards traveled in that drive, 71 came on two throws to Abram.

But the Hawkeyes took a 16-7 lead into halftime lead on the dominating 20-play drive that chewed 8:38 off the clock. On third and goal from the 5-yard line, Petras hit Sam LaPorta, who barely got the ball over the end line for the touchdown.

Kent State failed to score on two third-quarter drives deep into Iowa territory.

On the first one, Kent State reached Iowa’s 35 before Crum threw incomplete on fourth-and-8.

Kent State then drove 76 yards on 15 plays, but Bryan Bradford fumbled as he tried to extend the ball into the end zone. Riley Moss recovered the fumble in the end zone, and Jack Campbell was credited with the force.

Iowa then drove 80 yards on 11 plays, scoring on Goodson’s 35-yard run — again to the left side — with 32 seconds left in the third. Goodson’s score came on a third-and-9 play.

The Hawkeyes capped the scoring on Goodson’s 2-yard run with 4:07 left in the game.

–Field Level Media

Jul 21, 2021; Hoover, Alabama, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Hyatt Regency Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

No. 6 Texas A&M opens promising season against Kent State

All of the components are in place for sixth-ranked Texas A&M to challenge for a Southeastern Conference title, and perhaps even aspire to heights beyond a league crown.

The Aggies are set to open a season of great promise by welcoming Kent State on Saturday in College Station, Texas. The Aggies feature nine preseason All-SEC honorees, including a trio of juniors on the first team: running back Isaiah Spiller, tight end Jalen Wydermyer and offensive tackle Kenyon Green. Junior defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal joined Green, Spiller and Wydermyer on the AP preseason All-America Team, with Green and Leal named to the first team.

Leal is one of nine defensive starters returning for the Aggies (9-1, 8-1 SEC in 2020), whose wealth of experience justifies their preseason ranking. Texas A&M does have to replace Kellen Mond at quarterback, with redshirt freshman Haynes King having just been named the starter over sophomore Zach Calzada.

“We’re going to have balance,” Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We’re going to try to throw it, we’re going to run it, we’re going to be all the things necessary (to succeed). You’ve got to give guys an opportunity to find out who you are, and then you’ve got to hope that those things you saw in camp carry over when those lights on the scoreboard come on and put people in the stands.

“We’ll find out as we go. I think we’re evolving into that. But right now, it’s still not time yet because we’re still evolving and evaluating players. Hopefully, after that, we’ll evolve into it.”

Kent State returns 18 starters from last season’s COVID-19-abbreviated campaign, one in which the Golden Flashes finished 3-1 to complete consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1976-77. The foundation for the Golden Flashes’ success is their “FlashFAST” offense, which paced FBS in total offense (606.5 yards per game) and scoring (49.8 points) in 2020.

The Golden Flashes have become increasingly prolific under fourth-year coach Sean Lewis, who signed a contract extension through the 2025 season in August. Kent State nearly doubled its scoring output from 12.8 to 23.9 points per game in 2018, its first season under Lewis, and then topped 5,000 yards for the first time since 2012 while qualifying for a bowl game in 2019.

Kent State set a program record for rushing touchdowns (10) in a 69-35 victory over Akron on Nov. 17, 2020, and with so much experience on tap, opens this season as the preseason favorite in the Mid-American Conference East Division — a program first. The Aggies will present a formidable challenge, but the Golden Flashes appear ascendant under Lewis.

“I’ve said from the beginning how special this place is, and we are just getting started,” Lewis said. “We have an amazing staff and a special group of young men here in our locker room.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done to realize all we’re capable of doing.”

–Field Level Media