Venue & Game Details
Stadium: Dix Stadium (Capacity: 25,319)
Location: Kent, Ohio
Kickoff Time: 2:30 PM ET
Broadcast: ESPN+
Weather Forecast (Kent, OH)
Conditions: Mostly sunny, mild fall afternoon
Kickoff Temp: 66°F (19°C)
Wind: 6–8 mph (NE)
Precipitation: 0% chance
Impact: Ideal football weather; no major weather-related effects expected.
Injury Report
Massachusetts Minutemen
RB Rocko Griffin – Questionable (lower body)
S DD Snyder – Questionable
CB TJ Magee – Questionable
OL Zachary Franks – OUT (season)
DL Joshua Nobles – OUT (season)
WR T.Y. Harding – OUT (season)
Kent State Golden Flashes
QB Dru DeShields – Questionable (undisclosed)
DB A’tiq Muhammad – Questionable
OL Hudson Chasko – OUT (season)
OL Nate Cross – OUT (season)
(Both teams are banged up, with UMass missing key linemen and Kent State uncertain at QB.)
Key Player Matchups
QB AJ Hairston (UMass) vs. Kent State Secondary
Hairston: 290 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 47.5% completion.
Kent State Pass Defense: Allowing 262.7 YPG (#122 FBS).
RB Juwuan Price (UMass) vs. Kent State Front Seven
Price: 54 yards on 6 carries vs. WMU, showing burst.
Kent State Run Defense: 179.4 YPG allowed (#114 FBS).
QB Devin Kargman (Kent State) vs. UMass Secondary
Kargman: 74 yards, 1 INT vs. Oklahoma; backup if DeShields can’t go.
UMass Pass Defense: Allowing 223.5 YPG (#74 FBS).
WR Jacquon Gibson (UMass) vs. CB Montre Miller (Kent State)
Gibson: 288 yards, 1 TD, 6 catches for 70 yards vs. WMU.
Miller: Veteran corner, tasked with limiting UMass’ top target.
RB Gavin Garcia (Kent State) vs. UMass Linebackers
Garcia: 175 yards on 59 carries.
UMass Run Defense: Allowing 251.5 YPG (#135, last in FBS).
Recent Team Form
Massachusetts Minutemen
Last game: Lost 21-3 to Western Michigan.
Offense: 244.8 YPG (#135), 11.0 PPG (#135).
Defense: 466.2 YPG allowed (#130), 39.5 PPG allowed (#133).
Strength: Few penalties (38.4 YPG, #20 nationally).
Weakness: Worst scoring offense in FBS, porous run defense.
Kent State Golden Flashes
Last game: Lost 44-0 to Oklahoma.
Offense: 315.8 YPG (#121), 16.4 PPG (#128).
Defense: 474 YPG allowed (#131), 36.2 PPG allowed (#130).
Strength: Low penalty count (38.8 YPG, #21 nationally).
Weakness: Red-zone offense (75% scoring, #118 nationally).
Series History
All-Time Record: Series tied 1-1.
First Meeting: 2014 – UMass won 40-17 (at Kent).
Last Meeting: 2015 – Kent State won 15-10 (at Amherst).
At Kent: UMass leads 1-0.
Notable: This is the first meeting in 10 years.
Betting Trends
UMass:
1-4 ATS this season.
3 of 5 games Over.
0-10 SU in last 10 games.
Kent State:
2-3 ATS this season.
3 of 5 games Over.
1-9 SU in last 10 games.
Head-to-Head:
Series tied 1-1.
Last meeting (2015) went Under (15-10).
Historical Betting Results
2015: Kent State -3, covered (15-10).
2014: UMass +7, upset win (40-17).
Projected Score: Kent State 24, UMass 17
Game Odds
Massachusetts Minutemen 49.5
Kent State Golden Flashes – 1.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, October 10, 2025
