Tag: Kent State Golden Flashes

Alabama 2024-25 Opponent Preview: Kent State Golden Flashes

The Golden Flashes sit at 8-2 on the year.

After a closer-than-expected result from a road trip to face North Dakota, the Alabama Crimson Tide will be back in action inside the friendly confines of Coleman Coliseum on Sunday afternoon for a showdown with the Kent State Golden Flashes.

This will be only the second-ever meeting between the Crimson Tide and Golden Flashes on the hardwood, with Alabama having previously fallen by a final score of 71-58 back in 2001-02.

As for this season, Kent State is off to a strong start to the 2024-25 season, and will bring a talented team to Tuscaloosa looking to upset the Crimson Tide.

Let’s take a look at a few things you need to know about Kent State ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game against Alabama.

Kent State Golden Flashes Team Overview

  • Team Name: Kent State Golden Flashes
  • Conference: MAC
  • Arena: Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, Kent, Ohio
  • 2024-25 Record: 8-2 overall
  • Ranking: Unranked in AP Poll, Unranked in Coaches Poll

Out of the MAC, Kent State is off to an 8-2 overall start to the season where their biggest win is a 67-60 neutral-site victory over Kennesaw State. The toughest opponent Kent State has faced has been the Auburn Tigers, a game in which the Golden Flashes fell 79-56 on the road.

Kent State Golden Flashes Coaching Staff

  • Head Coach: Rob Senderoff
  • Assistant Coach: Randal Holt
  • Assistant Coach: Jon Fleming
  • Assistant Coach: Jalen Avery

Leading the Kent State program is head coach Rob Senderoff, who is in season No. 14 in charge of the Golden Flashes program. Since taking over the program in 2011-12, Kent State has eight 20+ win seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances, the most recent of which came back in 2022-23.

Kent State Golden Flashes 2024-25 Stats

  • PPG: 69.7 (No. 306 in NCAA)
  • PPG Allowed: 60.2 (No. 11 in NCAA)
  • FG%: 40.7
  • 3P%: 30.5
  • FT%: 76
  • RPG: 36.1
  • APG: 12.4
  • SPG: 7.6
  • BPG: 3.4

Kent State is one of the nation’s top teams when it comes to scoring defense, ranking No. 11 nationally with an average of only 60.2 PPG allowed to their opponents. Offensively, the Golden Flashes however rank among the nation’s lowest in scoring at 69.7 PPG, as well as with a 40.7 FG% and a 30.5 3P%.

Kent State Golden Flashes Names to Know

  • VonCameron Davis, Forward – Redshirt Senior
  • Morgan Safford, Guard – Graduate Student
  • Jalen Sullinger, Guard – Senior
  • Cli’Ron Hornbeak, Center – Senior
  • Marquis Barnett, Guard – Senior

Lastly, the Golden Flashes have an experienced team that is led by redshirt senior forward VonCameron Davis. Davis is currently leading Kent State at 14.9 PPG, while also shooting an impressive 38.7% from three-point range.

Kent State completes winless season with loss to Buffalo

Kent State finishes 2024 as the lone winless FBS team

Kent State is the only FBS team in 2024 to go winless,

The Golden Flashes finished 0-12 with a loss at Buffalo in MAC play on Tuesday. The defeat was Kent State’s 21st straight.

The Bulls scored 13 points in the first two quarters and cruised to a 43-7 victory.

Kent State’s lone touchdown came on a 27-yard pass from Tommy Ulakowski to Luke Floriea.

The loss left Kent State 0-8 in conference play.

The smallest loss margin for the Golden Flashes was six points in a 23-17 defeat to St. Francis (PA). The following week, Kent State lost to Tennessee 71-0.

Kent State was outscored  529-167 over the campaign,

The losing streak likely won’t end in the first three weeks of 2025 if the current schedule stays in place. The Golden Flashes open at Texas Tech then play at Florida State and Oklahoma.

 

Akron deals Kent State 20th straight loss

Kent State loses its 20th straight game

Akron came into its game Tuesday with the second-longest road losing streak at 14 games.

The Zips found the perfect opponent to remedy their woes away from home. They downed winless Kent State, 38-17, in MAC play.

The Zips fell behind 7-0 as the Golden Flashes scored on an 80-yard pass play 79 seconds into the game.

Akron rattled off the next 17 points en route to a 23-10 lead at halftime.

They built the lead to 38-10 at the end of three.

Kent State is 0-11 and has lost 20 straight games. It is the lone winless FBS team in the country with one game left, against Buffalo.

Akron had two rushers with more than 100 yards in the romp; Jordon Simmons had 113 on 11 carries while Charles Kellom gained 104 on 19 attempts.

Kent State’s last win came on Sept. 16, 2023, when it beat Central Connecticut State.

The longest road losing streak in FBS belongs to Temple at 19.

Akron has not had a four-win season since 2018 and is now 3-8 with a game left.

Kent State loses to Miami (Ohio), skid reaches 20 straight games

Miami (Ohio) dealt Kent State its 20th straight loss

The football Gods have been cruel to Kent State. Even when they do something right, it goes wrong.

In the Golden Flashes’ 34-7 loss to Miami (Ohio) in a MAC game on Wednesday, they recovered a fumble and returned it for a scoop-and-score in the fourth quarter.

The ball was out and it was returned for an apparent touchdown.

However, upon review, the officials blew and inadvertent whistle and the play was ruled dead at the time of the recovery.

The Golden Flashes are 0-10 and have lost 20 straight over two seasons. They are the last FBS team to be winless in 2024.

Kent State did grab its first lead of the season, scoring first.. However, the Redhawks ran off the next 34 points.

Kent State was outgained 477-178.  The Golden Flashes did win time of possession, holding the ball for almost 37 minutes.

Kent State loses 18th straight game

Kent State is the last remaining winless team in FBS

It is almost as difficult to go winless for an entire season as it is to go undefeated. In FBS play this campaign, there is one team that remains winless and there is no end in sight to the losing.

Kent State  lost to Ohio, 41-0, in MAC play on Wednesday. The Golden Flashes are 0-9 and tack on the nine-game slide to end 2023 and you have an 18-game losing streak overall.

The Golden Flashes have had numerous quarterbacks lost to injury and had to play walk-on freshman QB Ruel Tomlinson against the Bobcats.

They allowed a kickoff return touchdown and punt return score in the third quarter. It was the first time Ohio had done that in a game since 2008.

Ohio, which outgained Kent State, 407-114, dominated in every aspect. They had 23 first downs to the Golden Flashes’ seven.

At 0-9,  Kent State has been outscored 414-136. They played Pitt, Tennessee, and Kentucky in three of their first four games. The losses to the Volunteers and Nittany Lions were by a combined score of 127-0,

The Golden Flashes last led in a game in the fourth quarter of the contest that ended the 2023 season against Northern Illinois. The stretch has reached 544 minutes and 45 seconds.

The previous time Kent State was scoreless at home was 2015, a 48-0 loss to Bowling Green.

Best photos from Penn State’s historic win over Kent State

Check out the best photos from Penn State’s big day against Kent State in Beaver Stadium.

It was a beautiful September afternoon in Happy Valley as Penn State poured it on visiting Kent State. The Nittany Lions were nearly automatic in all areas in Week 4 as Penn State posted a 56-0 victory over the visiting Golden Flashes. Penn State had a historic performance in racking up over 700 yards of offense and holding Kent State to fewer than 100 yards of total offense. As expected, Penn State was in a position to get some backups and younger players on the field for more than a few snaps as the second half played out.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s Week 4 win against Kent State.

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Penn State breaks 98 year-old record in blowout win against Kent State

The Penn State Nittany Lions had themselves a day on offense against Kent State, breaking a school record for offensive yards.

Penn State came away with one of the most dominant wins in program history against Kent State in Happy Valley, winning 56-0. It was a banner day for the offense in particular, with all of Penn State’s stars shining bright.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] had perhaps his best career game with over 300 yards and four total touchdowns. [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] continued to show why they are among the best running back tandems in college football with 147 combined yards on the ground. Tight end Tyler Warren did a little bit of everything even throwing a touchdown.

Even the backups had an impressive day, with players like Liam Clifford, Beau Pribula, and Quinton Martin Jr. pouring it on late in the game. The collective showing on offense wasn’t just prolific, it was historic.

That’s right, Penn State broke its total offensive yards record of 711 yards in this game, finishing with 718 yards on the night. The record was last set in a game against Susquehanna University back in 1926. It’s always great to see a team break a record, but one this old must be extra special for players.

It certainly didn’t seem like it would be a record-breaking performance for the first 20 minutes of the game, as Penn State had just seven points when they got the ball with 8:24 left to go in the second quarter.

It was off to the races from there, however, scoring 49 points and breaking the aforementioned yardage record with a dominant finish to the game. Penn State looks to carry that momentum into conference play as they prepare for Illinois next week.

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Penn State cruises by Kent State 56-0 in dominant fashion

The Penn State Nittany Lions obliterated Kent State 56-0 in Happy Valley, ending their non-conference schedule with a bang.

Penn State started off slow against Kent State, scoring just once on their first three possessions. A botched screen pass by Beau Pribula and a missed third down kept things close deep into the second quarter. [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] engineered an impressive touchdown drive to take the lead in between those failed drives, but Kent State was holding strong.

Eventually, however, the floodgates opened for Penn State. They scored on three consecutive drives of 75 yards or more, moving down the field with ease on the ground and through the air. Kent State meanwhile could get nothing going on offense, especially after seeing two of their quarterbacks go down with injuries.

It was 28-0 at halftime, and things never got better for the Golden Flashes. Penn State kicked off the second half with a bang on a 59-yard touchdown pass from Drew Allar to [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag].

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1837606650795987387

Allars’ day was over after that drive, finishing with 309 yards and three touchdowns through the air on just 21 attempts. He added another score on the ground for good measure to close the first half. Backup quarterback Beau Pribula would engineer three touchdown drives of his own, hitting Khalil Dinkins for a score, handing off to Cam Wallace for his first career touchdown, and taking one in himself on the ground to finish the scoring.

Penn State’s defense was dominant throughout the game, never allowing Kent State to come anywhere close to the endzone. [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] finally had a big day, getting his first sack of the season and spending plenty of time in the Kent State backfield.

Dani Dennis-Sutton had a sack-fumble on the second play from scrimmage, with Kent State starting QB Devin Kargman leaving the game with an injury following the hit. The backup QBs couldn’t get the passing game going, with Penn State allowing just 18 yards passing on 13 attempts.

Kent State tried to establish the run game, but they ran into brick wall after brick wall, gaining just 49 yards on 30 carries. It was as thorough a beating as you will see in college football this season as Penn State won 56-0.

Penn State’s stars shined in this game, with seemingly everybody getting involved on offense and defense. [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and Kaytron Allen combined for 147 yards on 22 carries, Omari Evans racked up 116 yards and a score, and [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] scored twice including a passing touchdown to Nick Singleton.

https://Twitter.com/B1Gfootball/status/1837593662261182851

It felt like Penn State could do now wrong. They even broke their record for offensive yards that had stood since a 1926 game against Susquehanna University, finishing with 718 total yards. It was exactly the kind of day they needed after a disappointing showing against Bowling Green in Week 2.

Even with the lower level of competition, this game showed how much better the offense could potentially be this season under offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. The offensive line was as dominant as they should have been against a small front seven, and all the playmakers had their moments.

The defense looked much better as well, swarming to the ball and harassing the Kent State QBs every chance they had. Only time will tell if it will carry over into conference play, but James Franklin and the rest of the coaching staff have to be happy with how the team performed this week.

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Penn State’s Tyler Warren makes incredible one-hand catch against Kent State

Tyler Warren has been the focal point of Penn State’s passing attack this season, and this impressive catch shows exactly why.

Penn State tight end [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] is one of the best players in the country at his position, and he showed it in Penn State’s last game against Bowling Green. He racked up 146 yards in that game and was a big part of the narrow 34-27 victory.

Warren could have taken his talents to the NFL after last season, but luckily for the Nittany Lions, he chose to stick around for his senior season. New offensive coordinator [autotag]Andy Kotelnicki[/autotag] didn’t have a weapon at tight end like Warren while at Kansas, but he seems to know how to get him involved early and often.

Warren has made a huge impact in the first half against Kent State, racking up 50 receiving yards and 16 rushing yards. He even threw a touchdown to Nick Singleton from the wildcat. His most impressive play, however, was this beautiful one-handed catch along the sideline.

https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1837593098920042962

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] has been electric in his own right in the first half, but Warren helped him out on this play by reeling in his high throw with ease. Ball skills like that are hard to find at the tight end position, especially at the college level.

That combined with his strength and determination after the catch, and it’s no wonder why he is getting the ball so often early in the season. If Warren can continue to produce at the level he has to start the season, he could be a future first-round NFL draft pick and one of the best tight ends to come through Happy Valley.

Abdul Carter shows off his explosiveness on his first sack of the season

Penn State’s Abdul Carter has had a slow start to his junior season, but his first sack of the year could be what he needs to get going.

Penn State has been looking for [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] to show up after his move to the defensive line this season. He had just three pressures and no sacks coming into this week’s game against Kent State. If he failed to make a big impact against one of the worst teams in college football, what would it potentially mean for the rest of his season?

Luckily, it looks like fans can breathe a little easier about where he is at in his development. Carter has been very active in the first half, but his biggest play was a dominant rep for his sack of the season.

https://twitter.com/B1Gfootball/status/1837592160696139910

Carter made short work of Kent State lineman Dustyn Morell, bursting right past him and finishing the play with a huge sack. It was also a pivotal third-down play, exactly the situation you want your pass rush to get home.

Carter needs to keep showing this dominance once Penn State gets into conference play next week, but after how he has started the season it’s still nice to see from him. His talent has never been in question, it’s been the consistency and the difficult position switch that were a cause for concern.

So far those concerns have been validated, but maybe this first sack will be the catalyst for a turnaround. He needed a game and a play like that to get his confidence up, and it’s good to see him have his moment. Here’s hoping that we see more big plays from him moving forward.