Josh Heupel: “I’m still a child at heart”
ABC cameras caught Tennessee coach Josh Heupel celebrating a touchdown on the sidelines against NC State, and he talks about balancing fun with serious work.
The Tennessee football team has entered the 2024 college football season at full steam.
The Vols (2-0), ranked No. 9, opened the season with a 69-3 win over Chattanooga and then beat No. 23 NC State 51-10 in Week 2. Now Josh Heupel and Co. will turn their attention to Kent State before playing the SEC portion of their schedule on the road at No. 13 Oklahoma.
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The Golden Flashes (0-2) are coming off a 23-17 loss at home to FCS St. Francis (Pennsylvania), which followed a 55-24 loss to Pitts earlier in the season. Despite that, and with the Sooners looming in Week 4, fans shouldn’t expect Heupel, quarterback Nico Iamaleava or the Vols to take their foot off the gas.
Iamaleava has played well in two games, posting 525 passing yards for five touchdowns and two interceptions, as well as 12 rushes for 71 yards and another touchdown. The Vols defense limited a potent Wolfpack offense to 143 yards and 10 points in Week 2.
Given that this is the first meeting between the two teams, Vols fans may be wondering where exactly Kent State is located.
Here’s everything you need to know about Kent State, including location, conference, and more:
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Where is Kent State?
Tennessee’s Week 3 opponent, Kent State, is located in Kent, Ohio – about 39 miles southeast of Cleveland.
What conference does Kent State play in?
Kent State was founded in 1910 and plays in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), of which it has been a member since the 1951-52 academic year. The Golden Flashes were previously a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference from 1932-1951.
Why is Kent State known as the “Golden Flashes”?
According to the university’s website, Kent State’s first official nickname was “Silver Foxes,” named after a silver fox farm adjacent to campus co-owned by university president John McGilvery. In 1926, a contest for a new name was won by “Golden Flashes,” beating out finalists “Silver Foxes,” “Hurricanes” and “Warriors.”
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What is Kent State’s mascot?
Flash the golden eagle has been Kent State’s mascot since 1994, although golden eagles have been used as Kent State’s mascots since the 1920s. Previous Kent State mascots include:
- 1950s: Golden Retriever named Golden Flasher
- 1960s-70s: Grog, the caveman from the popular comic “BC”
- 1970s: Rider and horse in western style (also called Golden Flasher)
- Late 1970s-80s: Golden Retriever renamed “MAC the Flash”
- 1980s: “People who walk around in clothes covered in lightning” with various names, including Freddie Flash, Golden Flash, Flashman and Captain Flash
Did Nick Saban attend Kent State?
One of the Vols’ greatest nemesis, former Alabama football coach Nick Saban, attended Kent State. Saban, a native of Fairmont, West Virginia, graduated in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He also earned his master’s degree in health and physical education from Kent State in 1975.
He is responsible for the longest winning streak in the history of the Third Saturday in October rivalry, winning 15 consecutive games from 2007 to 2021.
Saban played safety on the Golden Flashes football team from 1970 to 1972, winning the team’s first conference championship in 1972. He received three awards in football and one in baseball. Kent State coach Don James hired Saban as a graduate assistant, and he was eventually inducted into the Kent State Varsity K Hall of Fame in 2015.
