1972 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

1972 Kent State Golden Flashes football
MAC champion
Tangerine Bowl, L 18–21 vs. Tampa
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Record	6–5–1 (4–1 MAC)
Head coach	Don James (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Dick Scesniak (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Dennis Fitzgerald (2nd season)
Home stadium	Dix Stadium
Seasons ←  1971 1973  →

1972 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Kent State $	4	–	1	–	0			6	–	5	–	1
Bowling Green	3	–	1	–	1			6	–	3	–	1
Western Michigan	2	–	2	–	1			7	–	3	–	1
Miami (OH)	2	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Toledo	2	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Ohio	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1972 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State University in the 1972 NCAA University Division football season. The Golden Flashes offense scored 191 points while the defense allowed 196 points. Led by head coach Don James, the Golden Flashes participated in the Tangerine Bowl. Future college head coaches Nick Saban (Alabama) and Gary Pinkel (Missouri) played on the team, along with future Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Lambert.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 9	7:30 p.m.	at Akron *	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Wagon Wheel)	T 13–13	25,121
September 16	8:00 p.m.	at Louisville *	Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	L 0–34	20,122
September 23	1:30 p.m.	Ohio	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	W 37–14	8,215
September 30	1:30 p.m.	San Diego State *	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	L 0–14	5,415–5,421	[1]
October 7	1:30 p.m.	Western Michigan	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	L 12–13	7,738
October 14	1:30 p.m.	at Bowling Green	Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH (rivalry)	W 14–10	20,507
October 21	1:30 p.m.	Xavier *	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	W 26–16	15,487–15,497	[2]
October 28	2:30 p.m.	at Northern Illinois *	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	L 7–28	12,126
November 4	1:30 p.m.	at Marshall *	Fairfield Stadium Huntington, WV	W 16–14	12,425
November 11		at Miami (OH)	Miami Field Oxford, OH	W 21–10	7,165
November 18	1:30 p.m.	Toledo	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	W 27–9	20,715
December 29		vs. Tampa	Tangerine Bowl Orlando, FL (Tangerine Bowl)	L 18–21	20,062
*Non-conference game All times are in Eastern time

^[3]

Kent State players in the NFL

• Linebacker Jack Lambert went on to a career in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers. ^[4] Running Back Larry Poole also played a number of years in the NFL with Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Houston.

References

1. "San Diego 14, Kent State 0". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. October 1, 1972. p. 6-E. Retrieved March 16, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
2. "Kent wins, Matsko has big game". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 22, 1972. Retrieved January 18, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Schedule/Results (1972 Kent State)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved May 23, 2025.
4. "Jack Lambert". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 6, 2012.