2023 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

2023 Kent State Golden Flashes football
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	East Division
Record	1–11 (0–8 MAC)
Head coach	Kenni Burns (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Matt Johnson (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Matt Limegrover (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Up-tempo spread
Defensive coordinator	Dave Duggan (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Dix Stadium
Seasons ←  2022 2024  →

2023 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
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] to finish with the worst record in college football. The Kent State Golden Flashes football team drew an average home attendance of 9,511 in 2023. ^[4]

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. ^[5]

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
1	Toledo	7
2	Ohio	4
3	Buffalo	1

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	7:00 p.m.	at UCF *	FBC Mortgage Stadium Orlando, FL	FS1	L 6–56	44,088
September 9	4:00 p.m.	at Arkansas *	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR	SECN	L 6–28	73,173
September 16	12:00 p.m.	Central Connecticut *	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN+	W 38–10	10,731
September 23	10:30 p.m.	at Fresno State *	Valley Children's Stadium Fresno, CA	CBSSN	L 10–53	38,728
September 30	2:30 p.m.	Miami (OH)	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN+	L 3–23	13,598
October 7	3:30 p.m.	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	ESPN+	L 17–42	22,945
October 14	12:00 p.m.	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	CBSSN	L 14–28	18,443
October 21	3:30 p.m.	Buffalo	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN+	L 6–24	11,735
November 1	7:30 p.m.	at Akron	InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field Akron, OH (Wagon Wheel)	ESPNU	L 27–31	8,113
November 8	7:00 p.m.	Bowling Green	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	CBSSN	L 19–49	6,065
November 18	2:00 p.m.	at Ball State	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPN+	L 3–34	8,554
November 25	12:00 p.m.	Northern Illinois	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN+	L 27–37	5,427
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Pacific time

^{[6] [7]}

Game summaries

at UCF

See also: 2023 UCF Knights football team

Kent State Golden Flashes (0–0) at UCF Knights (0–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Flashes	3	0	3	0	6
Knights	14	14	14	14	56

at FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, FL

• Date: August 31, 2023
• Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
• Game attendance: 44,088
• TV announcers (FS1): Eric Collins and Devin Gardner
• Gamecast

Game information

First Quarter UCF: Xavier Townsend 9-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Kick), 10:56 UCF: John Rhys Plumlee 17-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 6:07 Kent State: Andrew Glass 45-yard field goal, 3:20 Second Quarter UCF: Jordan McDonald 2-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 8:46 UCF: Alec Holler 18-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Kick), 0:42 Third Quarter UCF: R.J. Harvey 50-yard touchdown pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Kick), 10:37 UCF: R.J. Harvey 48-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 4:07 Kent State: Andrew Glass 43-yard field goal, 0:49 Fourth Quarter UCF: Mark-Antony Richards 7-yard touchdown run (Colton Boomer Kick), 7:26 UCF: Demarkcus Bowman 5-yard touchdown (Colton Boomer Kick), 0:54 Win Probability UCF 90.4% Line UCF -35.0 Over/Under 54

Statistics	KENT	UCF
First downs	15	32
Total yards	240	723
Rushing yards	95	389
Passing yards	145	334
Turnovers	1	3
Time of possession	28:34	31:26

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Kent State	Passing	Michael Alaimo	12–31, 145 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Gavin Garcia	18 carries, 45 yards
	Receiving	Chrishon McCray	3 receptions, 61 yards
UCF	Passing	John Rhys Plumlee	22–30, 281 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Johnny Richardson	12 carries, 100 yards
	Receiving	Xavier Townsend	5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD

at Arkansas

See also: 2023 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Kent State Golden Flashes (0–1) at Arkansas Razorbacks (1–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Flashes	3	3	0	0	6
Razorbacks	7	7	7	7	28

at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, 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 downs	14	19
Plays–yards	53–200	64–308
Rushes–yards	36–26	45–172
Passing yards	174	136
Passing: comp–att–int	11–17–1	13–19–0
Time of possession	27:44	32:16

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Kent State	Passing	Michael Alaimo	11–17, 174 yards, INT
	Rushing	Gavin Garcia	18 carries, 68 yards
	Receiving	Trell Harris	4 receptions, 78 yards
Arkansas	Passing	KJ Jefferson	13–19, 136 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	AJ Green	15 carries, 82 yards
	Receiving	Isaac TeSlaa	3 receptions, 51 yards

Bowling Green

See also: 2023 Bowling Green Falcons football team and Anniversary Award

Game Ten – Bowling Green Falcons (5–4) at Kent State Golden Flashes (1–8) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bowling Green	14	14	0	21	49
Kent State	3	3	7	6	19

at Dix Stadium • Kent, OH

• Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
• Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 53 °F (12 °C) • Wind: E 8 mph (13 km/h)
• Game attendance: 6,065
• Referee: Andrew Speciale
• TV: CBSSN

Game information

First quarter (08:58) KENT – Andrew Glass 48-yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 39 yards, 5:56; Kent State 3-0) (02:01) BGSU – Camden Orth 1-yard run (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 31 yards, 2:49; Bowling Green 7-3) (00:16) BGSU – Harold Fannin Jr. 47-yard pass from Connor Bazelak (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 1 play, 47 yards, :09; Bowling Green 14-3) Second quarter (11:39) KENT – Andrew Glass 32-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 3:30;Bowling Green 14-6) (05:18) BGSU – Ta'ron Keith 45-yard pass from Camden Orth (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:20;Bowling Green 21-6) (00:51) BGSU – Camden Orth 2-yard run (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:24; Bowling Green 28-6) Third quarter (05:00) KENT – Hayden Junker 21-yard pass from Tommy Ulatowski (Andrew Glass kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 32 yards, :54; Bowling Green 28-13) Fourth quarter (12:55) BGSU – Ta'ron Keith 2-yard run (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 7:05; Bowling Green 35-13) (07:36) KENT – Jaylen Thomaas 2-yard run (run failed) (Drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 2:38; Bowling Green 35-19) (05:00) BGSU – Jaison Patterson 3-yard run (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 2:25; Bowling Green 42-19) (02:01) BGSU – Lucian Anderson III 1-yard run (Alan Anaya kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 1:17; Bowling Green 49-19)

Statistics	Bowling Green	Kent State
First downs	18	20
Plays–yards	476	358
Rushes–yards	39–190	32–74
Passing yards	286	284
Passing: comp–att–int	17–23–1	23–40–1
Time of possession	30:29	29:31

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Bowling Green	Passing	Connor Bazelak	13/19, 188 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Ta'ron Keith	9 carries, 103 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Ta'ron Keith	8 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD
Kent State	Passing	Tommy Ulatowski	23/40, 284 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Jaylen Thomas	18 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Luke Floriea	9 receptions, 95 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. "2023 FBS Attendance Trends". D1.ticker. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
5. "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.
6. "2023 Kent State Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
7. "2023 Kent State Football Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved February 25, 2023.