1977 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

Last updated

1977 Kent State Golden Flashes football
Conference Mid-American Conference
Record6–5 (5–4 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Ron Blackledge (1st season)
Home stadium Dix Stadium
Seasons
←  1976
1978  →
1977 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Miami (OH) $ 5 –0 –010 –1 –0
Central Michigan 7 –1 –010 –1 –0
Ball State 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
Bowling Green 4 –3 –05 –7 –0
Eastern Michigan 4 –3 –08 –3 –0
Kent State 5 –4 –06 –5 –0
Western Michigan 3 –5 –04 –7 –0
Northern Illinois 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Toledo 2 –7 –02 –9 –0
Ohio 0 –8 –01 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1977 Kent State Golden Flashes football team was an American football team that represented Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. In their third and final season under head coach Dennis Fitzgerald, the Golden Flashes compiled a 6–5 record (5–4 against MAC opponents), finished in sixth place in the MAC, and were outscored by all opponents by a combined total of 241 to 200. [1] [2]

The team's statistical leaders included Tom Roper with 630 rushing yards, Mike Whalen with 534 passing yards, and Kim Featsent with 549 receiving yards. [3] [4] Five Kent State players were selected as first-team All-MAC players: wide receiver Kim Featsent, offensive tackle Tom Jesko, linebacker Jack Lazor, placekicker Paul Marchese, and defensive lineman Mike Zele. [5]

Dennis Fitzgerald resigned as Kent State's head coach in March 1978 to accept a position as an assistant coach at Syracuse. In three years as Kent State's head coach, he compiled an 18–16 record. [6]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10 Illinois State *
W 33–147,796 [7]
September 17at No. 12 Colorado *
L 0–4246,164 [8]
September 24 Ball State
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 13–12 [9]
October 1at Ohio
W 44–23 [10]
October 8at Western Michigan
W 20–16 [11]
October 15 Bowling Green
L 10–14 [12]
October 22at Eastern Michigan
W 29–13 [13]
October 29 Northern Illinois
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 18–21 [14]
November 5 Central Michigan
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 10–49 [15]
November 12 Miami (OH)
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 0–255,421 [16]
November 19at Toledo
W 23–126,782 [17]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

  1. ↑ "2016 Kent State Football Record Book" (PDF). Kent State University. p. D7. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ "1977 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  3. ↑ 2016 Record Book, p. D17-D19.
  4. ↑ "1977 Kent State Golden Flashes Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  5. ↑ 2016 Kent State Football Record Book, p. D42.
  6. ↑ "Kent State Names Blackledge". The Cincinnati Enquirer. April 5, 1978. p. B3.
  7. ↑ "Kent State trounces Illinois State, 33–14". The Plain Dealer. September 11, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "CU rips Kent State". The Mercury. September 18, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Flashes edge Ball State". Troy Daily News. September 25, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Kent State downs Ohio". The Lima News. October 2, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Kent State downs OhWestern's MAC title hopes fizzle in 20–16 loss to unbeaten Kent St.io". Detroit Free Press. October 9, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Kent State loses, 14–10, to Falcons". Springfield News-Sun. October 16, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Home still sweet for KSU coach". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 23, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Northern Illinois nicks Kent State". The Indianapolis Star. October 30, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "CMU keeps MAC hopes alive, blasts Kent St". The Saginaw News. November 6, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ John Seaburn (November 13, 1977). "Kent falls; only foes give 'toot'". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. D1, D6 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Flashes flash big smiles after victory over Toledo". The Akron Beacon Journal. November 20, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
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