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Kent State vs. Ohio

Kent State and Ohio first met in 1962 and have played 63 times; officially, Ohio leads 40–⁠21–⁠2; as played, 39–⁠22–⁠2. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Ohio 8–⁠2, and Ohio has won the last 3. Kent State forfeited the 1967 game. This page counts every game as it was played.

Official series
Ohio leads 40–⁠21–⁠2
Kent State wins on file
22
Ohio wins on file
39
Ties
2
First meeting
1962
Longest streak
6 Ohio
Current streak
3 Ohio
Last 10 meetings
Ohio 8–⁠2
Most recent
2026

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1960s2–⁠5–⁠1
1970s4–⁠6
1980s4–⁠6
1990s2–⁠7–⁠1
2000s5–⁠5
2010s3–⁠7
2020s2–⁠3
Average margin
14.9 points; 24 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Kent State
9–⁠22–⁠1 Kent State’s record at home
At Ohio
17–⁠13–⁠1 Ohio’s record at home
Shutouts
8

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Kent State’s biggest win2013: Kent State 44, Ohio 13by 31 points
  2. Ohio’s biggest win2002: Ohio 50, Kent State 0by 50 points
  3. Upset1974: Ohio 20, Kent State 0Ohio had a 21% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset1988: Ohio 21, Kent State 14Ohio had a 22% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset1985: Ohio 33, Kent State 23Ohio had a 25% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsKent StateSeriesOhio
1964–⁠1967Leo Strang2–⁠1–⁠1Bill Hess
1968–⁠1970Dave Puddington0–⁠3Bill Hess
1971–⁠1974Don James2–⁠2Bill Hess
1975–⁠1977Dennis Fitzgerald1–⁠2Bill Hess
1991–⁠1993Pete Cordelli0–⁠3Tom Lichtenberg
1995–⁠1997Jim Corrigall0–⁠2–⁠1Jim Grobe
1998–⁠2000Dean Pees0–⁠3Jim Grobe
2001–⁠2003Dean Pees2–⁠1Brian Knorr
2005–⁠2010Doug Martin3–⁠3Frank Solich
2013–⁠2017Paul Haynes1–⁠4Frank Solich

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Kent State’s side (Strang 2–⁠1–⁠1 against Hess). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Kent State and Ohio, 1962 on130015001700197019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Eugene Jarvis Kent State30 carries, 230 yards, 2 TD2007 Rushing
Dante Cephas Kent State13 catches, 246 yards, 1 TD2022 Receiving
Najah Pruden Kent State7 catches, 200 yards, 2 TD2005 Receiving
Kalvin McRae Ohio28 carries, 200 yards, 2 TD2005 Rushing

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

Every game

Oct 3, 2026Ohio 13, Kent State 10at Kent State
Nov 6, 2024Ohio 41, Kent State 0at Kent State
Oct 7, 2023Ohio 42, Kent State 17at Ohio
Oct 1, 2022Kent State 31, Ohio 24at Kent State
Oct 23, 2021Kent State 34, Ohio 27at Ohio
Oct 19, 2019Ohio 45, Kent State 38at Ohio
Oct 6, 2018Ohio 27, Kent State 26at Kent State
Oct 21, 2017Ohio 48, Kent State 3at Ohio
Oct 22, 2016Ohio 14, Kent State 10at Kent State
Nov 10, 2015Ohio 27, Kent State 0at Ohio
Aug 30, 2014Ohio 17, Kent State 14at Kent State
Nov 19, 2013Kent State 44, Ohio 13at Ohio
Nov 23, 201223Kent State 28, Ohio 6at Kent State
Oct 1, 2011Ohio 17, Kent State 10at Ohio
Nov 26, 2010Kent State 28, Ohio 6at Kent State
Oct 24, 2009Kent State 20, Ohio 11at Ohio
Oct 11, 2008Ohio 26, Kent State 19at Kent State
Sep 29, 2007Kent State 33, Ohio 25at Ohio
Oct 28, 2006Ohio 17, Kent State 7at Kent State
Sep 24, 2005Ohio 35, Kent State 32at Ohio
Oct 30, 2004Kent State 42, Ohio 16at Kent State
Nov 8, 2003Kent State 37, Ohio 33at Ohio
Oct 19, 2002Ohio 50, Kent State 0at Kent State
Oct 27, 2001Kent State 24, Ohio 14at Ohio
Oct 14, 2000Ohio 44, Kent State 7at Kent State
Oct 2, 1999Ohio 31, Kent State 3at Ohio
Nov 21, 1998Ohio 31, Kent State 21at Kent State
Aug 28, 1997Ohio 31, Kent State 7at Ohio
Oct 19, 1996Ohio 24, Kent State 15at Kent State
Sep 16, 1995Ohio 28, Kent State 28at Ohio
Oct 22, 1994Kent State 24, Ohio 0at Kent State
Oct 16, 1993Ohio 15, Kent State 10at Ohio
Sep 12, 1992Ohio 27, Kent State 14at Kent State
Oct 26, 1991Ohio 45, Kent State 40at Ohio
Oct 20, 1990Kent State 44, Ohio 15at Kent State
Oct 21, 1989Ohio 37, Kent State 14at Ohio
Oct 22, 1988Ohio 21, Kent State 14at Kent State
Oct 24, 1987Kent State 24, Ohio 10at Ohio
Nov 1, 1986Kent State 17, Ohio 13at Ohio
Nov 2, 1985Ohio 33, Kent State 23at Kent State
Oct 20, 1984Kent State 19, Ohio 7at Ohio
Oct 22, 1983Ohio 21, Kent State 20at Kent State
Nov 20, 1982Ohio 24, Kent State 20at Ohio
Nov 21, 1981Ohio 20, Kent State 7at Kent State
Oct 4, 1980Kent State 15, Ohio 14at Kent State
Sep 29, 1979Ohio 43, Kent State 13at Ohio
Sep 30, 1978Kent State 20, Ohio 14at Kent State
Oct 1, 1977Kent State 44, Ohio 23at Ohio
Sep 18, 1976Ohio 14, Kent State 12at Kent State
Sep 27, 1975Ohio 23, Kent State 21at Ohio
Sep 21, 1974Ohio 20, Kent State 0at Kent State
Sep 22, 1973Kent State 35, Ohio 7at Ohio
Sep 23, 1972Kent State 37, Ohio 14at Kent State
Sep 25, 1971Ohio 37, Kent State 21at Ohio
Sep 19, 1970Ohio 24, Kent State 14at Kent State
Sep 20, 1969Ohio 35, Kent State 0at Ohio
Sep 28, 1968Ohio 31, Kent State 7at Kent State
Sep 30, 1967Kent State 21, Ohio 14forfeitedat Ohio
Oct 1, 1966Ohio 12, Kent State 10at Kent State
Oct 2, 1965Kent State 27, Ohio 10at Ohio
Oct 3, 1964Kent State 3, Ohio 3at Kent State
Oct 5, 1963Ohio 20, Kent State 0at Ohio
Sep 29, 1962Ohio 21, Kent State 0at Kent State

Every game is listed as played on the field; a game one side later forfeited is marked “forfeited”; the official series above counts them the NCAA’s way.