1977 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

The 1977 Kent State Golden Flashes football team was an American football team that represented Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. In their third and final season under head coach Dennis Fitzgerald, the Golden Flashes compiled a 6–5 record (5–4 against MAC opponents), finished in sixth place in the MAC, and were outscored by all opponents by a combined total of 241 to 200.[1][2]

1977 Kent State Golden Flashes football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record6–5 (5–4 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRon Blackledge (1st season)
Home stadiumDix Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Miami (OH) $ 5 0 0 10 1 0
Central Michigan 7 1 0 10 1 0
Ball State 5 1 0 9 2 0
Bowling Green 4 3 0 5 7 0
Eastern Michigan 4 3 0 8 3 0
Kent State 5 4 0 6 5 0
Western Michigan 3 5 0 4 7 0
Northern Illinois 2 5 0 3 8 0
Toledo 2 7 0 2 9 0
Ohio 0 8 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The team's statistical leaders included Tom Roper with 630 rushing yards, Mike Whalen with 534 passing yards, and Kim Featsent with 549 receiving yards.[3][4] Five Kent State players were selected as first-team All-MAC players: wide receiver Kim Featsent, offensive tackle Tom Jesko, linebacker Jack Lazor, placekicker Paul Marchese, and defensive lineman Mike Zele.[5]

Dennis Fitzgerald resigned as Kent State's head coach in March 1978 to accept a position as an assistant coach at Syracuse. In three years as Kent State's head coach, he compiled an 18–16 record.[6]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10Illinois State*W 33–14
September 17at No. 12 Colorado*L 0–4246,164
September 24Ball State
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 13–12
October 1at OhioW 44–23
October 8at Western MichiganW 20–16
October 15Bowling Green
L 10–14
October 22at Eastern MichiganW 29–13
October 29Northern Illinois
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 18–21
November 5Central Michigan
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 10–49
November 12Miami (OH)
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 0–255,421[7]
November 19at ToledoW 23–12
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

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  1. ^ "2016 Kent State Football Record Book" (PDF). Kent State University. p. D7. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  2. ^ "1977 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. ^ "1977 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 Names Blackledge". The Cincinnati Enquirer. April 5, 1978. p. B3.
  7. ^ John Seaburn (November 13, 1977). "Kent falls; only foes give 'toot'". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. D1, D6 – via Newspapers.com.