It seems to be a yearly tradition now that Ohio State invites one of the five Ohio MAC teams into Ohio Stadium to beat up on. This year it's Kent State, and there is a particular, cruel twist on this year's game. Ohio State is coming off of a loss. They don't lose often, and when they do, it can get scary for the team across the field. Let's look at some numbers and historical facts.
Tale of the tape - Ohio State offense vs Kent State defense
2026 (national rank) | Kent State | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 36.0 (128) | 39.5 (19) |
Yards per game | 409.0 (114) | 521.5 (15) |
Yards per play | 6.5 (126) | 7.7 (17) |
Rushing yards/attempt | 5.2 (124) | 5.0 (52) |
Passing yards/attempt | 6.6 (107) | 10.3 (14) |
Red zone efficiency | 85.7% (120) | 70% (56) |
Turnovers per game | 1.0 (75) | 1.0 (47) |
Tale of the tape - Kent State offense vs Ohio State defense
2026 (national rank) | Kent State | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 18.0 (122) | 13.5 (35) |
Yards per game | 316.0 (120) | 250.5 (29) |
Yards per play | 5.3 (111) | 3.6 (12) |
Rushing yards/attempt | 4.3 (82) | 2.9 (44) |
Passing yards/attempt | 8.0 (106) | 4.3 (5) |
Red zone efficiency | 100% (1) | 75% (103) |
Turnovers margin | 2.0 (104) | 1.5 (46) |
Series history
This is the fourth all-time meeting between Kent State and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes taking each of the first three. Every time these two teams have played, Ohio State has gone on to make it to the National Championship game. Last time the Golden Flashes came to Columbus was in 2014, with the Buckeyes coming off of a loss to Virginia Tech. 12 years later, they are coming off of a loss once again.
Winning ways
Ohio State is looking to avoid a 1-2 start. They have not been below .500 at any point since losing to Florida in the 2011 Gator Bowl to end the season 6-7. They haven't been under .500 during the regular season since losing to Miami to open the 1999 season. They haven't been under .500 after more than one game since they went 4-7 in John Cooper's first season in 1988.
Battle for Ohio
Ohio State is 50-1 against current FBS teams from the state of Ohio. They have won 43 straight games against in-state rivals dating back to an 1897 loss at Cincinnati. Kent State, which plays in the MAC with five other Ohio schools, is 120-236-10 against teams from the Buckeye State.
Ohio State is 40-1 against current members of the MAC. They have won 37 consecutive games against MAC competition dating back to an 1894 loss to Akron. Kent State is 1-25 against current members of the Big Ten. Their one win was at Rutgers in 2012. They have lost their last 12 games against Big Ten competition.
This is the first time that Ryan Day has faced Mark Carney as a head coach. They have never coached against each other in any capacity.
Ohio State has won 66 consecutive games against non-power conference teams dating back to a 1990 loss to Air Force in the Liberty Bowl. Kent State has lost 32 consecutive games against power conference opponents and has lost 20 consecutive games against ranked teams. Those streaks date back to a 2012 win at No. 18 Rutgers. That Rutgers team is the only ranked team the Golden Flashes have ever beaten.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on FOX Big Noon Kickoff. Ohio State is playing on Big Noon for the 31st time. They are 26-4 in that time slot. They have won five consecutive Big Noon games, dating back to a 2024 loss to Michigan. Kent State is playing on Big Noon for the first time.
Odds, similar games, and prediction
Ohio State is a 52.5-point favorite on Saturday in Ohio Stadium, according to DraftKings. There have been two recent games where they were favored against a MAC team by a similar spread. In 2024, they beat Akron 52-6 as a 48.5-point favorite, and in week 1 of this season, they beat Ball State 56-3 as a 49.5-point favorite.
This game will not be close. If it is, take the anger of Buckeye Nation coming off of the loss to Texas, and multiply it by 100. The only purpose this game serves for Ohio State is getting reps for as many players as they can as they get ready for a grueling Big Ten schedule. They come out with a point to prove and win the game 59-0.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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