Kent State takes another hit on its brutal non-conference schedule.
Kent State is renowned for brutal non-conference scheduling, typically allotting one home game against FCS competition and three road games against some of the best teams college football has to offer.
The Golden Flashes already tested their mettle against a ranked Texas Tech team and fell in 62-14 fashion. On Saturday, they traveled to Tallahassee for the first time to battle a much-improved No. 7 Florida State. While both Kent State and Florida State look like far more advanced products than they were last season, the Seminoles’ progress showed more in a 66-10 shellacking.
Kent State suffered its third 56+ point defeat in the last two years, similarly falling by wide margins to Tennessee and Penn State in a brutal 2024 non-conference gauntlet. The Golden Flashes are now one of two FBS teams, along with Georgia State, to yield 60 points twice in the young 2025 season.
Florida State wasted no time in concocting a 14-0 lead, as Gavin Sawchuk and Thomas Castellanos ran in touchdowns within the first seven minutes of action. However, Kent State provided a spectacular answer as Dru DeShields — starting his second collegiate game at quarterback — rolled out in a disguised run. That allowed DaShawn Martin to slip free for an opening downfield past every Seminole defender. DeShields then perfectly placed a deep ball on the run and Martin finished with a one-play, 75-yard touchdown.
Trailing 14-7 in the first quarter was as good as things got for Kent State. Florida State cashed in touchdowns on each of its first five drives, exiting the period with a commanding 35-7 advantage. The Seminoles never even punted the contest. There were nine touchdowns, one field goal, one interception, and the final drive featured a turnover on downs with 26 seconds remaining. Florida State managed 66+ points for the second-consecutive contest after dropping 77 on its FCS opponent in Week 2.
Florida State’s 775 yards of offense were the third-most in program history and the most since 1995. However, the Seminoles did set a program record with 498 rushing yards on the Flashes, averaging 9.2 yards per carry during the rampage. Nobody produced 100 yards but eight Seminoles reached 30 and six eclipsed 40 in an all-out team effort. Conversely, Kent State generated just 206 yards of offense with Martin’s touchdown responsible for a significant chunk. The Golden Flashes rushed for 43 yards with two sacks factoring into the total, finishing below 100 rushing yards for the third time this season.
Florida State (3-0, 0-0 ACC) remains one of 30 unbeaten FBS teams after its first-ever matchup vs. Kent State. Kent State (1-3, 0-1 MAC) drops its third-straight game and still is deprived of an FBS victory since Nov. 26, 2022. However, the grind continues for interim head coach Mark Carney and the Golden Flashes. After facing current No. 12 Texas Tech and current No. 8 Florida State, Kent State prepares for No. 7 Oklahoma next week in perhaps the toughest non-conference slate in college football.
Category: General Sports
