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
MAC Championship Game, L 37–44 ^2OT vs. Northern Illinois
GoDaddy.com Bowl, L 13–17 vs. Arkansas State
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	East Division
Record	11–3 (8–0 MAC)
Head coach	Darrell Hazell (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Brian Rock (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Jon Heacock (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Dix Stadium
Seasons ← 2011 2013 →

2012 Mid-American Conference football standings
v t e
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

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	7:00 pm	No. 7 (FCS) Towson*		Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN3	W 41–21	15,121
September 8	7:30 pm	at Kentucky*		Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	CSS/ESPN3	L 14–47	48,346
September 19	7:00 pm	at Buffalo		University at Buffalo Stadium Amherst, NY	ESPNU	W 23–7	14,373
September 29	12:00 pm	Ball State		Dix Stadium Kent, OH	CSS/ESPN+	W 45–43	21,657
October 6	1:00 pm	at Eastern Michigan		Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI		W 41–14	6,011
October 13	12:00 pm	at Army*		Michie Stadium West Point, NY	CBSSN	W 31–17	30,022
October 20	3:30 pm	Western Michigan		Dix Stadium Kent, OH		W 41–24	16,128
October 27	3:30 pm	at No. 18 Rutgers*		High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ	SNY	W 35–23	49,345
November 3	2:00 pm	Akron		Dix Stadium Kent, OH (Battle for the Wagon Wheel)	STO	W 35–24	18,265
November 10	1:00 pm	at Miami (OH)		Yager Stadium Oxford, OH		W 48–32	13,301
November 17	12:00 pm	at Bowling Green	No. 25	Doyt Perry Stadium Bowling Green, OH (Battle for the Anniversary Award)	ESPN+	W 31–24	16,002
November 23	11:00 am	Ohio	No. 23	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPNU	W 28–6	18,230
November 30	7:00 pm	vs. No. 19 Northern Illinois	No. 18	Ford Field Detroit, MI (MAC Championship Game)	ESPN2	L 37–44 ^2OT	18,132
January 6	9:00 pm	vs. Arkansas State*	No. 25	Ladd–Peebles Stadium Mobile, AL (GoDaddy.com Bowl)	ESPN	L 13–17	37,913
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Source: Schedule

Rankings

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV	RV	25	23	18	25	—
Coaches	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV	RV	RV	25	19	RV	RV
Harris	Not released						—	—	—	RV	RV	RV	25	18	23	Not released
BCS	Not released							—	—	—	—	—	23	17	25	Not released

Game summaries

Towson

	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.

@ Kentucky

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

@ Buffalo

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

Ball State

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

@ Eastern Michigan

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

@ Army

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

Western Michigan

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

@ #15 Rutgers

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

Akron

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

@ Miami (OH)

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

@ Bowling Green

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

Ohio

	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)

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	Total
#19 Huskies	3	14	10	7	3	7	44
#18 Golden Flashes	10	0	3	21	3	0	37

Arkansas State (GoDaddy.com Bowl)

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