Golden Flashes Picked Fourth in MAC East
7/23/2019 9:00:00 AM | Football
DETROIT, Mich. – Second-year head coach Sean Lewis has already changed the perception of the Kent State football program, as it was announced that the Golden Flashes have been picked to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference East Division during the league's media day at Ford Field. This is the highest the Flashes have been ranked in the annual preseason poll, which is voted on by members of the league's media contingent, since 2013.
Led by second-year head coach Sean Lewis, Kent State returns nine starters on offense, which is expected to be led by redshirt junior Woody Barrett. The dual-threat quarterback accounted for nearly 3,000 yards of total offense during the inaugural season of the FlashFAST era. Senior Jo-El Shaw also returns in the backfield after pacing the team with 657 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground last year.
Senior Mike Carrigan, redshirt junior Antwan Dixon and sophomore Isaiah McKoy, Barrett's top three targets in 2018, highlight a talented receiving corps. Senior Nate Warnock, who was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, leads an offensive line that returns five starters.
Six starters return on the defensive side of the ball, including its top three leading tacklers from a season ago in junior Keith Sherald Jr., graduate student Matt Bahr and senior Jamal Parker.
A pair of All-MAC performers return in the kicking game. Sophomore Matthew Trickett earned first team honors and connected on 82.4 percent of field goals in 2018. Redshirt junior Derek Adams appeared in just four games last season after being a second-team selection in 2017 and has boomed three punts of 70 or more yards during his career.
In the East Division, Ohio was a unanimous selection and totaled 144 points. Following the Bobcats, the Miami RedHawks finished second with 107 points, while defending MAC East Champion Buffalo finished third with 100 points. Kent State finished fourth with 62 points, followed by Akron and Bowling Green.
In the West Division, Toledo was selected first with 127 total points. Following the Rockets, Western Michigan finished second with 112 points, while defending MAC Champion Northern Illinois was third with 103 points. Eastern Michigan ranked fourth with 83 points, followed by Ball State and Central Michigan.
The 2019 season kicks off on Thursday, August 29 as the Flashes travel to Arizona State to take on the Sun Devils at 10 p.m. ET. The 2019 Marathon MAC Football Championship Game is Saturday, December 7 at Noon ET on ESPN or ESPN2 from Ford Field.
Team (First Place Votes) Points
MAC East Division        Â
Ohio (24)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 144
2.  Miami                        107
3.  Buffalo                       100
4.  Kent State                  62
5.  Akron                          54
6.  Bowling Green          37
MAC West Division
Toledo (15) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 127
Western Michigan (5)Â Â Â 112
Northern Illinois (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 103
Eastern Michigan              83
Ball State                           43
Central Michigan (1) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 36
2019 MAC Championship Game Winner: Ohio (13); Toledo (7); Western Michigan (2); Northern Illinois (1); Central Michigan (1).
