Kent State football has a chance to make program history in 2020 if it’s able to put together a second straight year of at least six wins and get back to a bowl.
For the first time in program history, the Kent State Golden Flashes will enter a new season as defending bowl champions.
In 2019, Kent State reached their fourth bowl game in program history and, for the first time, left with a victory as they defeated first round draft pick Jordan Love and Utah State in the Frisco Bowl.
The Golden Flashes historic season came as a surprise to many as the team was coming off a 2-10 campaign in 2018 and had their backs pushed against the wall in 2019 as they entered their Nov. 14 contest with Buffalo 3-6.
Under young head coach Sean Lewis, the Golden Flashes did the unthinkable: they won their final three regular season games, including mounting an 18-point fourth quarter come back to beat Buffalo in a game that would’ve ended Kent State’s bowl hopes.
In 2020, Kent State will have a chance to make more history as they look to earn back-to-back bowl bids for the first time in school history.
All of the Golden Flashes’ bowl appearances have been widely spread out. Their first bowl appearance came in 1954, followed by bids in 1972, 2012 and 2019.
For the first time, however, they enter 2020 with nothing but confidence and hope that repeated success can occur in Kent, Ohio.
Here’s a closer look at what may be in store for Lewis and the Kent State Golden Flashes in 2020.