2012 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

The 2012 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Darrell Hazell and played their home games at Dix Stadium as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.

2012 Kent State Golden Flashes football
MAC East Division champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record11–3 (8–0 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBrian Rock (2nd season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorJon Heacock (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumDix Stadium
Seasons
← 2011
2013 →
2012 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Kent State x   8 0     11 3  
Bowling Green   6 2     8 5  
Ohio   4 4     9 4  
Buffalo   3 5     4 8  
Miami (OH)   3 5     4 8  
UMass   1 7     1 11  
Akron   0 8     1 11  
West Division
No. 22 Northern Illinois x$   8 0     12 2  
Toledo   6 2     9 4  
Ball State   6 2     9 4  
Central Michigan   4 4     7 6  
Western Michigan   2 6     4 8  
Eastern Michigan   1 7     2 10  
Championship: Northern Illinois 44, Kent State 37
  • $ – Conference champion and BCS representative as top non-AQ school to meet automatic qualification criteria
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • UMass not eligible for conference title or bowl game as part of FBS transition
Rankings from AP Poll

The Flashes had their most successful season since their MAC championship season of 1972, winning the MAC East outright with an 8–0 record, and made it to the MAC Championship game where they lost, 44–37, to Northern Illinois in double-overtime. The team peaked at #18 in the BCS polls, finishing the regular season at #25. Kent State earned their first bowl bid since 1972, and played in the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Arkansas State. The Golden Flashes were defeated by the Red Wolves, 17–13.

Schedule

edit
DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 307:00 pmNo. 7 (FCS) Towson*ESPN3W 41–2115,121
September 87:30 pmat Kentucky*CSS/ESPN3L 14–4748,346
September 197:00 pmat BuffaloESPNUW 23–714,373
September 2912:00 pmBall State
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
CSS/ESPN+W 45–4321,657
October 61:00 pmat Eastern MichiganW 41–146,011
October 1312:00 pmat Army*CBSSNW 31–1730,022
October 203:30 pmWestern Michigan
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 41–2416,128
October 273:30 pmat No. 18 Rutgers*SNYW 35–2349,345
November 32:00 pmAkron
STOW 35–2418,265
November 101:00 pmat Miami (OH)W 48–3213,301
November 1712:00 pmat Bowling GreenNo. 25ESPN+W 31–2416,002
November 2311:00 amOhioNo. 23
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
ESPNUW 28–618,230
November 307:00 pmvs. No. 19 Northern IllinoisNo. 18ESPN2L 37–44 2OT18,132
January 69:00 pmvs. Arkansas State*No. 25ESPNL 13–1737,913
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

edit
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
APRVRV25231825
CoachesRVRVRV2519RVRV
HarrisNot releasedRVRVRV251823Not released
BCSNot released231725Not released

Game summaries

edit

Towson

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 0 7 0 14 21
Golden Flashes 17 10 7 7 41

This game is notable for a play that happened in the last minute of the second quarter. Kent State punted from the 50-yard line, and the ball touched, but was not caught by, Towson's returner, Derrick Joseph. It hit the ground and was recovered at the 7-yard line by Kent State linebacker Andre Parker, who then ran 58 yards the wrong way before two Towson players tackled him. However, a muffed punt cannot be advanced (or retreated) so Kent State simply took possession of the ball at the 7-yard line for the remainder of the half, and kicked a field goal before it ended.[1]

@ Kentucky

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 0 7 0 7 14
Wildcats 0 17 16 14 47

@ Buffalo

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 0 10 3 10 23
Bulls 0 7 0 0 7

Ball State

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Cardinals 0 13 13 17 43
Golden Flashes 0 21 14 10 45

@ Eastern Michigan

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 3 14 21 3 41
Eagles 0 7 0 7 14

@ Army

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 0 14 10 7 31
Black Knights 0 0 3 14 17

Western Michigan

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 7 3 14 0 24
Golden Flashes 7 10 7 17 41

@ #15 Rutgers

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 7 14 7 7 35
#15 Scarlet Knights 3 7 7 6 23

Akron

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Zips 14 10 0 0 24
Golden Flashes 0 14 14 7 35

@ Miami (OH)

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 21 14 3 10 48
RedHawks 0 10 8 14 32

@ Bowling Green

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
#25 Golden Flashes 0 10 7 14 31
Falcons 0 10 7 7 24

Ohio

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Bobcats 3 3 0 0 6
#23 Golden Flashes 21 0 0 7 28

#19 Northern Illinois (MAC Championship Game)

edit
1 2 3 4OT2OT Total
#19 Huskies 3 14 10 737 44
#18 Golden Flashes 10 0 3 2130 37

Arkansas State (GoDaddy.com Bowl)

edit
1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Flashes 0 10 3 0 13
Red Wolves 0 14 3 0 17

References

edit
  1. ^ "Kent State player runs 58 yards wrong way". August 31, 2012.