The Kent State football program represented Kent State Normal College (later Kent State University) in American football during its first decade from 1920 to 1929. The team was known as the Silver Foxes from 1920 to 1926 and as the Golden Flashes from 1927 forward. The team operated as an independent and compiled a record of 10–41–7 for the decade.
The program played its first game in 1920. It did not score any points or, with the exception of a claimed win by forfeit in 1920, win any games in 1920, 1921, or 1922. The 1923 team scored the program's first touchdown, but still failed to win a game. The first victory came in 1925, a 7–6 victory over West Liberty Normal. In 1928, the team had its first winning season, compiling a 4–2–2 record.
The team was initially given the nickname "Silver Foxes" because the school's president, John McGilvrey, raised silver foxes on a ranch adjacent to the campus.
The team had three head coaches during the decade. Paul G. Chandler, the head of the school's education department, was the head coach from 1920 to 1922 and compiled a record of 1–11–1. Frank Harsh was the head coach in 1923 and 1924, compiling a 0–9 record. Merle E. Wagoner took over as head coach in 1925 and remained as head coach for eight years, through the 1932 season.
1920
The 1920 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1920 college football season. In its first season of intercollegiate football, the team compiled a 1–2 record with the sole victory coming by way of a forfeit.
The team was coached by Paul G. Chandler, the head of the school's education department.
Kent State began operating in 1912, and the 1920 football team was the first athletic team to represent the school in any sport. A football team had not been fielded earlier due in part to the fact that few men were enrolled at the school. The 1920 team included the majority of the men who were then enrolled. The surviving members of the 1920 team returned to campus and were honored at a 1970 football game.
The 1921 Kent State yearbook, The Chestnut Burr said the following of the 1920 football team: Last year no one imagined that a foot-ball team was within the possibilities of our college, because we hadn't the first requisite — men. This year we have men enough in school to organize a football team. The boys practiced faithfully and played some good games. One College sent their team here for a scheduled game. When they came they declined to play. Their reason was that the weather was too inclement, but it was not too bad for our boys to play and for our girls to gather en masse to help our boys win by their cheering. It was quite evident to us that the incoming team was scared. They did not expect to find well trained players. When they found men ready to win their ardor cooled and they went home without playing the game.
The Chestnut Burr also described the excitement on campus prior to the first home game against Bowling Green:Probably the most remarkable campaign by the girls was the snake dance throughout the town, one cold, crisp evening before the game with Bowling Green. In and out of shops and movies the screaming and jolly line ran, bellowing forth our yells and songs, which in no small way interpreted our deep loyalty and fighting spirit for K. S. N. C. We did not win the next day but we played fair and square which is really the true test of athletics.1921 Chestnut Burr, p. 139.
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1921
The 1921 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1921 college football season. In its second season of intercollegiate football, the team compiled a 0–2–1 record and was outscored by a total of 20 to 0. Paul G. Chandler was again the head coach.
The Chestnut Burr of 1922 had only a paragraph dedicated to the football team, including the following: "Our football field saw a season of hard use when the fourteen sturdy Kent warriors tackled and charged each other in its tawny dust making the team of 1921. We went against everybody that would play us and because of our showing the best teams in the conference will play us next year. . . . With the increased number of men in school, our veteran players back, and a good number of high school graduates turned this way, we will keep up the good fight of 1920 and '21."
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Roster The following players received letters for their participation on the team: Claude Ryan, Captain; Louis Carnahan, Manager; Richard Renouf; G. A. Damann; L. D. Hibbard; Johnny Schwartz; Russell Hausman; Paul Spangler; Ralph Rogers; Howard Shepherd; J. J. Deetz; Oliver Wolcott; George Pordney; David Beckwith; Harold Pinach; and Howard Evans.
1922
The 1922 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1922 college football season. In its third season of intercollegiate football, all under head coach Paul G. Chandler, the team compiled a 0–7 record and was outscored by a total of 146 to 0. In three seasons under coach Chandler, Kent State did not score a point or win a game on the field, the sole victory coming by forfeit in 1920. Paul Spangler was the team's captain.
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1923
The 1923 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1923 college football season. In its first season under head coach Frank Harsh, the team compiled a 0–5 record, but did score the first touchdown in program history. Harsh was both coach of the football team and the school's director of athletics.1925 The Chestnut Burr, p. 26.
The Chestnut Burr for 1924 summarized the 1923 football season as follows:Victory is not essential to success! . . . This is by way of introducing the 1923 football season at Kent State, the record of which shows no victories, but a season which may well be considered the most successful in school history. There are many reasons why Kent State was not victorious on the gridiron during the past year. The squad was small and without experience. The starting of school one month later than usual prevented the all-important conditioning period. The team that was coached to start the season was early riddled by injuries and withdrawals. Light and inexperienced, the Blue and Gold was forced to meet on the gridiron some of the most formidable elevens in the Ohio Conference. Please don't misinterpret: this is not written as a defense — the 1923 Kent State football team needs no defense. Whatever may have been Coach Harsh's contributions in his first year at the helm of Kent State football, there is no gainsaying that the greatest was "FIGHT." Bruised, battered and beaten, Kent State's gallant warriors of the moleskin never relinquished that "FIGHT" and they were battling in the last minute of the last game with a spirit that augurs nothing but victory in the future. The Silver Foxes of 1923 gave to their school its first touchdown, but they also gave something infinitely more than that. They created a fighting spirit that will live — an undying determination that will make the football record at Kent State in the future a thing of joy. All hail the season of 1923 which witnessed the birth of an unconquerable spirit! Honor the players of 1923 and enshrine them in memory's treasure-house!
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1924
The 1924 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1924 college football season. In its second season under head coach Frank Harsh, Kent State compiled a 0–4 record and was outscored 89 to 0. In two seasons under coach Harsh, the team lost all nine games and scored a total of six points.
The Chestnut Burr for 1925 summarized the 1924 football season as follows:UNWEPT, UNHONORED AND UNSUNG, the football team of Kent State College battered through the 1924 season with no victories. The lusty bark of the Silver Fox pack, however, never lost its strength and even though pitted against superior odds at each fight, defeat was the last word to be said. . . . But now the season is over. Instead of blaming anyone for the results a Kent State is united stronger than ever, greater than before, and the spirit that soothed and sustained the founders lives yet in its students and great things yet will be heard of the college who "always lost."
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1925
The 1925 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1925 college football season. In its first season under head coach Merle E. Wagoner, Kent State compiled a 1–1–3 record and was outscored by a total of 24 to 13. On November 14, 1925, the team won the program's first victory on the field, defeating West Liberty by a 7-6 score. (The program's only prior victory was by default in 1920.)
The Chestnut Burr for 1926 summarized the 1925 football season as follows:Athletics at Kent State were in an unusually depressed condition when Coach Merle Wagoner and Director Frank L. Oktavec came to take charge in the fall of '25. The college had lost 37 consecutive games scoring only one touchdown in all these games. Although Kent won but one game she can boast of going through a whole season with but one defeat. The success of this season cannot be attributed to any one player but we do owe Coach Wagoner much praise for the success of the past season. His general good spirits and his contagious enthusiasm have already won for him the respect of the college men and there is no doubt but what his success for another season will prove just as successful.
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Roster The roster of the 1925 Kent state football team was as follows:1926 The Chestnut Burr, p. 108. Peterka, 185 pounds, fullback and captain Vair, 150 pounds, left end Jennings, 150 pounds, left tackle C. Davis, 180 pounds, right guard Chernin, 155 pounds, center F. Hall, 250 pounds, left guard R. Hall, 240 pounds, right tackle Menough, 145 pounds, quarterback Colville, 165 pounds, left tackle Crosby, 140 pounds, right end Feeley, 165 pounds, right halfback Francis, 175 pounds, left halfback Harvey, 150 pounds, left end Morris, 150 pounds, left guard Levering, 150 pounds, fullback Brown, 144 pounds, center N. McDermott, 144 pounds, quarterback Schwartz, 160 pounds, right halfback Hallihan, 155 pounds, center Spangler, 151 pounds, left guard Barry, 155 pounds, left guard Arnold, 172 pounds, right end A. Davis, 120 pounds, right end Burkett, 120 pounds, right end Deakins, 150 pounds, left guard Dunlevy, 160 pounds, right halfback
1926
The 1926 Kent State Silver Foxes football team represented Kent State during the 1926 college football season. In its second season under head coach Merle E. Wagoner, Kent State compiled a 2–6 record and was outscored by a total of 176 to 35.
In the final game of the season, the Silver Foxes gave up two first-quarter touchdowns to Wilmington College. Kent State came back with touchdowns by Searle and Schwartz, but the extra points were missed and the Silver Foxes trailed, 14-12. With one minute remaining in the game, Joe DeLeone drop-kicked the game-winning field goal. Kent State won by a 15-14 score.
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Roster The following 24 players received varsity letters for their participation in the 1926 football team:1927 The Chestnut Burr, p. 172.
Colville, senior Feeley, senior Rogers, senior Peterka, senior Williamson, senior Gandee, senior Schwartz, senior Donald Menough, Ravenna, Ohio, junior, captain Burkett, junior Levering, junior C. Davis, junior Chernin, junior Thomas, junior A. Davis, junior Vair, sophomore Curtiss, sophomore Searl, sophomore R. Hall, sophomore Spanlger, sophomore Graber, sophomore McDermott, sophomore Dunlavy, sophomore Kelso, freshman M. McDermott, freshman
1927
The 1927 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State during the 1927 college football season. In its third season under head coach Merle E. Wagoner, Kent State compiled a 1–5–1 record and was outscored by a total of 80 to 25.