by Opening the 2026 season on a scorching hot day that ended up being the hottest game in the history of Williams-Brice Stadium, the Kent State Golden Flashes were trounced by the South Carolina Gamecocks 57-0. The Gamecocks ran all over the Flashes, combining for 286 yards and four touchdowns.
“Obviously a disappointing loss. South Carolina’s a really good football team,” head coach Mark Carney said in the postgame press conference. “Whether they’re 57 points better than us is my question. I thought offensively, second down was our bugaboo.”
Although Carney is right, finding traction offensively was troublesome for KSU; the Flashes’ defense still showed glimpses of strength and even got to junior quarterback LaNorris Sellers at times.
However, the biggest factor in Saturday’s game wasn’t just the on-paper differences between an SEC competitor like South Carolina and a Mid-American Conference dark horse like Kent State. Simply put, when a Midwestern, Ohio-based team goes down to The Sandstorm in 100 degree weather, there’s not much your offensive line can do.
“We felt it[the heat]. Hard to simulate this kind of environment in practice,” Carney said. “I thought our guys did well coming into the week with hydration. We lost a couple of guys in the second half to some cramps, but I thought we were ready for it.”
With the offensive line struggling, to the tune of four tackles for loss and a handful of blown plays, redshirt junior quarterback Dru DeShields was facing all kinds of heat-from the atmosphere and the Gamecock defensive line. Leaving during the third quarter, DeShields finished with 100 total yards of offense and completing 60% of his passes.
“I thought Dru played well. Accuracy, we still need to work on,” Carney said. “Probably could’ve been more aggressive. If I didn’t feel like the mismatch in the trenches was such a big part, I probably would’ve been a little bit more aggressive in those situations.”
After the game opened with a trade of punts between the two teams, the Gamecocks opened the floodgates late in the first quarter with a seven-yard touchdown run from redshirt sophomore running back Matt Fuller. The drive was full of big gains on the ground, including a 42-yard burner to open the drive from Fuller.
Following that, the Gamecocks scored touchdowns on seven consecutive drives. Junior quarterback LaNorris Sellers was lights out after facing some early adversity, completing 19 of 23 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns.
“We’ve got to tackle better. They caught us in a couple of one-on-one situations and double-moved us. That receiver, Eight [senior Nyck Harbor], all of those guys, they’re real good players,” Carney said. “I think our corners are good; we just got caught in the moment or two.”
The Flashes will return to Dix Stadium for their home opener on September 12 against an FCS program in Wofford. The Terriers opened the season with a win against The Citadel and are currently leading Gardner-Webb as of 5:17 p.m. on Saturday.
With all the momentum that will be behind the Flashes for their 2026 home kickoff, Carney is looking to have all of KSU’s units ready to put a bad game in the rearview mirror.
“Tackling on defense and execution in the throw game on offense,” Carney said.
