Everything Kent State Coach Said —Carney Breaks Down Blowout Loss to South Carolina: Heat, Turnovers, and Trench Mismatches
On the Loss Itself
Head coach Carney, formerly Charlotte’s offensive coordinator, pointed to several factors behind the defeat, particularly Kent State’s struggles on second down — the Golden Flashes converted just 4 of 10 third-down attempts, including a rough 1-of-4 mark in the second half. Carney reflected candidly afterward: “Obviously, it was a disappointing loss. South Carolina is a really, good football team. You know, are they 57 points better than us? That is my question. I thought offensively, second down was our Bugaboo. I thought we were efficient on first down. We did some good things on third down, but second down wasn’t our best down.”
Battling Historic Heat
Saturday’s matchup was the hottest game in Williams-Brice Stadium history, with temperatures hitting 95 degrees at kickoff and climbing to 99 by the second half, producing a heat index of 111 degrees. Both teams agreed to trim the fourth quarter to 10 minutes to wrap up faster — surpassing the previous stadium heat record of 94 degrees, set against Old Dominion in 2024.
For a team based in northeast Ohio, the conditions were especially foreign. Carney acknowledged the toll: “We felt it. The weather in any game is a great equalizer. It’s hard to simulate this kind of environment in practice. I thought our guys did well coming into the week hydrating. We lost a couple guys there in the second half to some cramps, but I thought we were ready for it.”
A Controversial Fumble Ruling
Kent State appeared poised to capitalize on a turnover in the second quarter. With South Carolina leading 15-0, quarterback LaNorris Sellers connected with DJ Black on a 16-yard completion to the 23-yard line, but Black fumbled during the play. What looked like a Kent State recovery amid a chaotic scrum was instead ruled a South Carolina recovery at the 24-yard line. Carney relayed the explanation he received from officials: “They said they blew it dead.”
A Conservative Approach on Fourth Down
Carney admitted he typically would have played more aggressively on fourth down, but South Carolina’s size advantage along the defensive line changed his calculus — Kent State didn’t attempt a single fourth-down conversion all game, punting on every occasion instead. He explained his thinking: “Probably have been a little bit more aggressive in those situations. I think we had three fourth-and-1s near midfield in the first half. If I didn’t feel the mismatch in the trenches, I would have probably would have been a little bit more aggressive in those situations. We weren’t good enough as far as staying on the field and executing. And I think South Carolina did a great job of that.”
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