Top 10 wins in Kent State Football since 2004

As the 2024 college football begins with Kent State reporting for camp on Thursday, August 1, let’s count down the top 10 wins by the Kent State football program since 2004. Why 2004? Twenty years seems like a good time period. Also, I was a freshmen at Kent State since 2004, so this is all in my era!

Let’s hope there’s some signature wins for Kenni Burns and the Kent GRIT program this year that we can look back on years later and say that was the start of something special, or some milestone accomplishments.

10. Kent State 34, Eastern Michigan 26 – November 29, 2019

The win was significant because KSU had to win out to get bowl eligible after starting 3-6 and they did. The win over the Eagles made them 6-6 and setting them up for their first bowl victory in school history. Xavier Williams rushed for 79 yards and a TD on 12 carries. Dustin Crum had 13 carries for 51 yards, while passing for 197 yards on 17-23. Jamal Parker returned the opening kickoff of the second half to the house, opening up a 31-14 lead. Sean Lewis made the Flashes bowl eligible in his second season.

9. Kent State 27, Bowling Green 15 – October 29, 2011

The win was the first conference win for Head Coach Darrell Hazell and the Flashes, also marking the first time since 1972-1973 that Kent State had beaten BGSU in back to back years. The win also served as a catalyst for Hazell’s Flashes as it began a four game MAC winning streak, setting KSU up for a memorable 2012 season. The win at Dix Stadium in October of 2011 led KSU to wins in 15 of their next 19 games.

8. Kent State 16, Miami (OH) 14 – September 16, 2006

The win snapped a 12 game losing streak for Kent State dating back to the 2005 season. Julian Edelman’s first win in a KSU uniform was a memorable one, as he threw for 244 yards on 14-22 passing while rushing for 51 yards on 12 carries. This win started a five game winning streak, leading to a 6-6 season, and the Julian Edelman experience was well on it’s way.

7. Kent State 23, Iowa State 14 – August 30, 2007

Continuing with the Edelman era, as the first game of the 2007 season was memorable as the Flashes went to Ames and beat Iowa State 23-14. Eugene Jarvis ran for 116 yards on 25 carries, including one touchdown, while Edelman scored two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground. He threw for 161 yards and rushed for 81. I had a Thursday evening Sport Marketing class to attend, and then I was able to listen to the rest of the game on radio!

6. Kent State 45, Ball State 43 – September 29, 2012

Early in the “One Team One Destiny” dream season of 2012, Kent State had a big home game in front of a great crowd on a beautiful day. Kent State was 2-1 and 1-0 in the young season. Down 43-42, Kent State went on a two minute drive, before Freddy Cortez kicked a walk off game winning field goal. It wasn’t so much that they won, it was how they won, with the two minute drive. It was a game that made me and other fans think that that team might be special, and it was. They went 11-3, losing in the MAC Championship game as well as the GoDaddy.com Bowl. But this win was crucial in the belief structure of the team and the fans, that this year would be something to remember.

5. Kent State 30, Buffalo 27 – November 14, 2019

“This ain’t your daddy’s Kent State.” This was the line that symbolized the Sean Lewis, FlashFAST era at Kent State. KSU scored 24 points in eight minutes to come from behind for an improbable, miraculous win. Talk about something that never happened in the past. A Kent State team down like that in the fourth quarter never came back. This win led to three more to end the season, leading to the first bowl win in school history. Matthew Trickett kicked a walk off 44 yard field goal as time expired in front of a National TV audience on CBS Sports Network.

4. Kent State 35, Rutgers 23 – October 27, 2012

Kent State stunned No. 15 ranked Rutgers, by forcing seven turnovers and they beat their first ranked opponent in program history. “This is a great win for our program,” said Kent State coach Darrell Hazell, a Rutgers assistant from 2001-03. “We came on the road against a very tough opponent. We knew they were going to be tough, and they did a great job prior to playing us. I thought our kids prepared like crazy this week. We made enough plays early in the game to keep those guys off balance. Rutgers kept fighting back, and our guys kept fighting them off.”

3. Kent State 48, Miami (OH) 47 (OT) – November 27, 2021

Kent State clinched the MAC East title and a trip to Detroit for just their second ever MAC Championship game with a thrilling, FlashFAST win at Dix Stadium. Montre Miller batted down a two point conversion in OT with snow flurries coming down, sending the Flashes to the motor city.

2. Kent State 31, Bowling Green 24 – November 17, 2012

Kent State beat Bowling Green to clinch an appearance in their first ever MAC Championship game. A great game played out at Doyt Perry Stadium, with Dri Archer rushing for 241 yards and a fourth quarter TD run which to this day, is the greatest run I’ve ever seen in person in a football game. Darrell Hazell was doused with Gatorade after the game, and the “One Team One Destiny” Flashes had clinched a spot in Detroit

1. Kent State 51, Utah State 41 – December 19, 2019

Kent State capped off a miraculous win with their first ever bowl win in school history in the Frisco Bowl. From once being 3-6 in the season, the Flashes won their fourth straight. They beat future NFL quarterback Jordan Love to do it.

Dustin Crum passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a career-high 147 yards and the clinching score. “I’m just so happy for the university,” said Crum, who also was Kent State’s leading rusher during the season. “We weren’t supposed to be here, but here we are.”

“I love these boys,” said second-year coach Sean Lewis, whose first Kent State team finished 2-10. “Just tremendous resolve by them. It was a testament to their character.”

Honorable Mention: 2006 Akron, 2020 Akron, 2012 Akron, 2019 Kennesaw State, 2019 Bowling Green, 2013 Ohio, 2010 Akron, 2008 Buffalo, 2004 Eastern Michigan