Nov. 26, 2022 was 1,050 days prior to Oct. 11, 2025. Those 1,050 days represent what was seemingly a never-ending timespan between FBS victories for the Kent State Golden Flashes football program.
Last
time Kent State defeated an FBS or MAC opponent, the head coach was Sean Lewis, who has since operated as Colorado’s offensive coordinator and is currently in year two as San Diego State’s head coach. Kent State has cycled through multiple frontmen since, already concluding the Kenni Burns era after a 1-23 record, which saw an 0-22 mark vs. FBS programs and a 1-1 showing against the FCS. During the spring, Burns was dismissed and replaced by offensive coordinator Mark Carney, who currently operates in the interim role.
Burns’ sudden termination led to a mass exodus of last year’s starters in the transfer portal, but those who stayed finally reaped the benefits for believing in a program which faced more recent on-field adversity than anybody else in the FBS. The Golden Flashes didn’t just end the 1,050-day skid Saturday — they took a sledgehammer and shattered it. Kent State decisively annihilated UMass 42-6 to notch that coveted FBS win and claim a tally in the conference standings. It marked the program’s largest margin of victory since the 2021 Wagon Wheel game vs. Akron.
“Obviously pleased with the result,” Kent State interim head coach Mark Carney said. “Really proud of this locker room and the way they stayed together through adversity and challenge and it’s really good to get this one.”
The dominant wire-to-wire victory — ignited by Da’Realyst Clark’s game-opening 91-yard kickoff return touchdown — was especially cleansing to the longtime roster members who suffered 23 defeats in a 24-game span, battle tested by countless shutouts and 40+ point thrashings to other opponents. Kent State finally handled an opponent in the same manner it was thrown around in the past two years, representing a true changing of the guard in the program.
“I’m just honestly blessed,” outside linebacker CJ Young said. “We haven’t won a MAC game in a thousand some days. I was taken aback. Last time I won a game I was a freshman here and now I’m a senior. So it’s like a dream honestly playing in that kind of game, being in that role of playing and winning that game.”
The MAC is as wide-open as ever, as all 13 teams currently have at least three losses. We’ve seen several double-digit underdogs pull off upsets, ranging from Ball State stunning Ohio to Western Michigan and Bowling Green both knocking off Toledo.
Kent State is currently 2-4 overall and 1-1 in MAC play at the midpoint of the regular season. The Golden Flashes dropped a heartbreaker to Buffalo where they led with under 70 seconds remaining in the contest. Now with a dominant win in the books, Kent State believes it can be the disruptor in this conference of parity.
“I believe in this locker room and I believe we can beat anybody on our schedule,” Carney said.
