1974 Kent State Golden Flashes football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record7–4 (2–3 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDick Scesniak (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorDennis Fitzgerald (4th season)
Home stadiumDix Stadium
Seasons
← 1973
1975 →
1974 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Miami (OH) $ 5 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 1
Ohio 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Toledo 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Kent State 2 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Bowling Green 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Western Michigan 0 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1974 Kent State Golden Flashes football team was an American football team that represented Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. In their fourth and final season under head coach Don James, the Golden Flashes compiled a 7–4 record (2–3 against MAC opponents), finished in fourth place in the MAC, and outscored all opponents 254 to 161.[1][2]

The team's statistical leaders included Larry Poole with 1,070 rushing yards, Greg Kokal with 1,265 passing yards, and Ken Dooner with 451 receiving yards.[3][4] Six Kent State players were selected as first-team All-MAC players: defensive back Cedric Brown, tight end Ken Dooner, defensive end Marvin Elliott, defensive lineman Larry Faulk, running back Larry Poole, and center Henry Waszczuk.[5]

After the season on December 23, James resigned and departed for the University of Washington in Seattle.[6][7] He was credited with turning a "mediocre" Kent State program into a MAC power in four years;[8] their 9–2 record in 1973 was the best in program history.[9]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 7at Central Michigan*
W 21–1416,825–18,325[10][11]
September 14at Syracuse*
W 20–1420,798[12]
September 21Ohio
L 0–2015,267[13]
September 28at Eastern Michigan*
W 13–012,000[14]
October 5Western Michigan
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 28–611,357[15]
October 12at Bowling Green
L 10–2610,493[16]
October 19Utah State*
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 24–279,722[17]
October 26Akron*
W 51–1415,200[18]
November 2at Marshall*
W 35–79,121[19]
November 9at No. 13 Miami (OH)
L 17–197,400[20]
November 16Toledo
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 35–147,400[21]
  • *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. ^ "1974 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. ^ "1974 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 coach is Huskies' choice". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 23, 1974. p. 19.
  7. ^ "UW: Kent State's James". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 24, 1974. p. 12.
  8. ^ "James: Challenge excites me". Akron Beacon Journal. (Ohio). December 24, 1974. p. B4.
  9. ^ "Rose Bowl in James' plans at UW". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. December 24, 1974. p. 13.
  10. ^ "Kent Survives, 21–14". The Lansing State Journal. September 8, 1974. p. C1.
  11. ^ "Final 1874 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  12. ^ "Kent State dumps Orange". Star Gazette. September 15, 1974. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Kent Attack Dies Without Kokal". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 22, 1974. pp. B1, B8 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Record FG Helps Kent Sink EMU". Detroit Free Press. p. 6E – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Kent offense too much for Western". Battle Creek Enquirer. October 6, 1974. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "BG dims Flashes MAC title hopes". Journal News. Hamilton, Ohio. October 13, 1974. p. C3 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Ags Grind Out 27-24 Win Over Kent State". The Herald Journal. Logan, Utah. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Ray Yannucci (October 27, 1974). "Kokal, Dooner Set Records In Flashes' Rout Of Zips". Akron Beacon Journal. pp. D1, D8 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Strat Douthat (November 3, 1974). "Kent State Stomps Thundering Herd". The Raleigh Register. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Poole paces Kent State". The Journal News. November 17, 1974. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Kent 35 Toledo 14". News Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. November 17, 1974. p. 6D – via Newspapers.com.


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