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
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Record	6–5 (5–4 MAC)
Head coach	Dennis Fitzgerald (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Ron Blackledge (1st season)
Home stadium	Dix Stadium
Seasons ← 1976 1978 →

1977 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	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

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 10	Illinois State*	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	W 33–14
September 17	at No. 12 Colorado*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	L 0–42	46,164
September 24	Ball State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	W 13–12
October 1	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	W 44–23
October 8	at Western Michigan	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI	W 20–16
October 15	Bowling Green	Dix Stadium Kent, OH (rivalry)	L 10–14
October 22	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	W 29–13
October 29	Northern Illinois	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	L 18–21
November 5	Central Michigan	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	L 10–49
November 12	Miami (OH)	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	L 0–25	5,421	^[7]
November 19	at Toledo	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 23–12
*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. "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.