1972 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

1972 Kent State Golden Flashes football
MAC champion
Tangerine Bowl, L 18–21 vs. Tampa
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record6–5–1 (4–1 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDick Scesniak (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorDennis Fitzgerald (2nd season)
Home stadiumDix Stadium
1972 Mid-American Conference football standings
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

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 97:30 p.m.at Akron*T 13–1325,131[1]
September 168:00 p.m.at Louisville*L 0–3420,122[2]
September 231:30 p.m.OhioW 37–148,215[3]
September 301:30 p.m.San Diego State*
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 0–145,415–5,421[4]
October 71:30 p.m.Western Michigan
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 12–137,738[5]
October 141:30 p.m.at Bowling GreenW 14–1020,507[6]
October 211:30 p.m.Xavier*
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 26–1615,487–15,497[7]
October 282:30 p.m.at Northern Illinois*L 7–2812,126[8]
November 41:30 p.m.at Marshall*W 16–1412,425[9]
November 11at Miami (OH)W 21–107,165[10]
November 181:30 p.m.Toledo
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 27–920,715[11]
December 29vs. TampaL 18–2120,062[12]

[13]

Kent State players in the NFL

References

  1. ^ "Akron, Kent in 13 to 13 tie". The Plain Dealer. September 10, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Madeya passes for 3, U of L rips Kent 34–0". The Courier-Journal. September 17, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Flashes rip Bobcats by 37–14 score". The Times Recorder. September 24, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "San Diego 14, Kent State 0". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. October 1, 1972. p. 6-E. Retrieved March 16, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "52-yard boot helps kill Kent". Dayton Daily News. October 8, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Kent State triumphs". The Indianapolis Star. October 15, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Kent wins, Matsko has big game". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 22, 1972. Retrieved January 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Huskies, Carlson crumple Kent State". Chicago Tribune. October 29, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Who? Unlisted player puts boot on Herd, 16–14". Sunday Gazette-Mail. November 5, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Flashes shackle Miami 11". The Lima News. November 12, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Kent State captures MAC title". The Tampa Tribune-Times. November 19, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "QBs spark Tampa in Tangerine". The San Francisco Examiner. December 30, 1972. Retrieved September 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Schedule/Results (1972 Kent State)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  14. ^ "Jack Lambert". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 6, 2012.