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)
Defensive coordinatorJon Heacock
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 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.

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

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 Buffalo
ESPNUW 23–714,373
September 2912:00 pmBall State
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
CSS/ESPN+W 45–4321,657
October 61:00 pmat Eastern Michigan
W 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. 25
ESPN+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. 18
ESPN2L 37–44 2OT18,132
January 69:00 pmvs. Arkansas State*No. 25
ESPNL 13–1737,913
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

See also: 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP—————————RVRV25231825—
Coaches—————————RVRVRV2519RVRV
HarrisNot released———RVRVRV251823Not released
BCSNot released—————231725Not released

Game summaries

Towson

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

See also: 2012 Towson Tigers football team

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

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

See also: 2012 Kentucky Wildcats football team

@ Buffalo

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

See also: 2012 Buffalo Bulls football team

Ball State

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

See also: 2012 Ball State Cardinals football team

@ Eastern Michigan

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

See also: 2012 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

@ Army

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

See also: 2012 Army Black Knights football team

Western Michigan

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

See also: 2012 Western Michigan Broncos football team

@ #15 Rutgers

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

See also: 2012 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

Akron

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

See also: 2012 Akron Zips football team and Wagon Wheel (trophy)

@ Miami (OH)

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

See also: 2012 Miami RedHawks football team

@ Bowling Green

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

See also: 2012 Bowling Green Falcons football team and Battle for the Anniversary Award

Ohio

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

See also: 2012 Ohio Bobcats football team

#19 Northern Illinois (MAC Championship Game)

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

See also: 2012 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

Arkansas State (GoDaddy.com Bowl)

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

See also: 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl and 2012 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team

References

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


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