Kent State fell short to Northern Illinois in the Golden Flashes' bid for a Mid-American Conference Championship, which would have been their first conference title since 1972.
Senior Quarterback Dustin Crum led an inspired second-half comeback, but Northern Illinois prevailed 41-23 in the Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship game played at Ford Field in Detroit.
The Golden Flashes wore gold helmets with the logo of the 1972 team on Saturday. The 1972 squad had been the lone Mid-American Conference champion in program history; several members of that team attended this year's championship game.
For full championship game coverage, stay tuned to KentStateSports.com, @KentStFootball and @KentStAthletics.
The Mid-American Conference Eastern Division champion Golden Flashes (7-6) accepted a bid to take on Wyoming (6-6) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern and will air on ESPN and the Kent State Radio Network.