Kent State Football: Golden Flashes look to make program history in 2020

How will Kent State football fare in 2020?

Kent State’s path to program history will be tricky given their non-conference slate. The Golden Flahses face two SEC programs and a Big Ten powerhouse as part of their four non-conference schedule.

In addition, they’ll take on their pesky division rivals and some of the best the MAC West has to offer. Can the Flashes make it back-to-back bowl trips for the first time ever?

• Game 1: at Penn State (L) — A trip to Happy Valley to open the season is a brutal way for any team to open a season.
• Game 2: vs. Kennesaw State (W) — After a brutal matchup with Penn State, Kent State should pick up a home win over FCS foe Kennesaw State.
• Game 3: at Kentucky (L) — Not many teams in the country run the ball better than Kentucky, while Kent State is among the worst at stopping the run. Wildcats will roll.
• Game 4: at Alabama (L) – Loss.
• Game 5: at Northern Illinois (W) — Northern Illinois is in a bit of a reboot mode and Kent State will likely enter this matchup desperate. The Flashes should pick up a big win here.
• Game 6: vs. Akron (W) — Kent State likes to refer to the rival Akron Zips as the team down the road. Well, the team down the road is coming off a 0-12 season, which should make this rivalry matchup fun for the Flashes.
• Game 7: at Buffalo (L) — Kent State picked up a massive win over Buffalo to keep their bowl hopes alive last year. In 2020, the Bulls will get revenge at home.
• Game 8: vs. Western Michigan (W) — Western Michigan has built a solid program but is a different team away from home. Flashes get the job done at home.
• Game 9: at Bowling Green (W) — Bowling Green’s had a long few years and things likely won’t get much better in 2020. Flashes win on the road.
• Game 10: vs. Ohio (W) — Ohio is never easy to beat, but Kent State being at home and smelling history should give them the momentum they need to get the job done.
• Game 11: at Miami (OH) (L) – The Miami Redhawks won the MAC a year ago and are poised to repeat. At home, Miami takes the win.
• Game 12: vs. Central Michigan (L) – Kent State could not ask for a more difficult task than conference favorite Central Michigan to end the season. Central wins and ends Kent State’s season here.

Prediction: 5-7, 4-4 MAC

With an elite quarterback in Dustin Crum and a chance to make history, the Golden Flashes have what it takes to do damage in the MAC.

They should be able to string off at least four conference wins, especially against poor Bowling Green and Akron teams. The problem for Kent State is the challenges their non-conference slate possesses.

Kent State has virtually no chance to win on the road at Alabama or Penn State and little to none on the road in Lexington against a strong Kentucky team. That leaves them with a lone projected non-conference victory against Kennesaw State and likely just five wins for 2020.