1974 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

1974 Kent State Golden Flashes football
Conference Mid-American Conference
Record 7–4 (2–3 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Dick Scesniak (4th season)
Defensive coordinator Dennis Fitzgerald (4th season)
Home stadium Dix Stadium
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.

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. 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.

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

Schedule

Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source
September 7 at Central Michigan* W 21–14 16,825–18,325
September 14 at Syracuse* W 20–14 20,798
September 21 Ohio L 0–20 15,267
September 28 at Eastern Michigan* W 13–0 12,000
October 5 Western Michigan
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 28–6 11,357
October 12 at Bowling Green L 10–26 10,493
October 19 Utah State*
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 24–27 9,722
October 26 Akron*
W 51–14 15,200
November 2 at Marshall* W 35–7 9,121
November 9 at No. 13 Miami (OH) L 17–19 7,400
November 16 Toledo
  • Dix Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 35–14 7,400
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game