1966 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

1966 Kent State Golden Flashes football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record4–6 (2–4 MAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1966 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Miami (OH) + 5 1 0 9 1 0
Western Michigan + 5 1 0 7 3 0
Bowling Green 4 2 0 6 3 0
Ohio 3 3 0 5 5 0
Kent State 2 4 0 4 6 0
Toledo 1 5 0 2 7 1
Marshall 1 5 0 2 8 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1966 Kent State Golden Flashes football team was an American football team that represented Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. In their third season under head coach Leo Strang, the Golden Flashes compiled a 4–6 record (2–4 against MAC opponents), finished in fifth place in the MAC, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 211 to 161.[1][2]

The team's statistical leaders included Don Fitzgerald with 1,245 rushing yards, Ron Swartz with 879 passing yards, and Billy Blunt with 287 receiving yards.[3] Five Kent State players were selected as first-team All-MAC players: defensive end Don Abbott, offensive guard Jon Brooks, halfback Don Fitzgerald, defensive back Lou Harris, and linebacker Bill Landis.[4]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 17Buffalo*L 23–2714,500[5]
September 24at Northern Illinois*W 26–713,129–18,000[6]
October 1Ohio
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 10–1216,500[7]
October 8at Miami (OH)L 0–716,038[8]
October 15Western Michigan
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Kent, OH
L 20–2317,481[9]
October 22at Bowling GreenW 35–1218,751[10]
October 29Toledo
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 28–2014,500[11]
November 5at Louisville*L 20–235,000[12]
November 12at MarshallL 7–165,000[13]
November 19Xavier*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Kent, OH
W 42–144,283[14]
  • *Non-conference game

[15]

References

  1. ^ "2016 Kent State Football Record Book" (PDF). Kent State University. p. D7. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  2. ^ "1966 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  3. ^ 2016 Record Book, p. D17-D19.
  4. ^ 2016 Kent State Football Record Book, p. D42.
  5. ^ "Bulls gore Kent, 27–23, in 2d half". The Plain Dealer. September 18, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Dietrich, Phil (September 25, 1966). "Flash Power Too Much". The Akron Beacon Journal. p. C1. Retrieved December 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Conley, Pataki pace Bobcats' 12–10 win". The Times Recorder. October 2, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Matte leads Redskins to fourth victory". The Lima News. October 9, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Broncos beat Kent, 23–20". Detroit Free Press. October 16, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Kent kills BG title hopes". Dayton Daily News. October 23, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Kent State rolls, 28–20". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. October 30, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Louisville trims Kent State". Lexington Herald-Leader. November 6, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Socha stars as Marshall bops Kent". The Courier-Journal. November 13, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Kent, Fitzgerald run over Xavier". Dayton Daily News. November 20, 1966. Retrieved May 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Schedule/Results (1966 Kent State)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 23, 2025.