Texas A&M is 3-0 and ranked No. 7.
Iowa is 3-0 and ranked No. 5.
Maryland is 3-0, and although not ranked, the Terrapins notched a quality victory over West Virginia on the opening week of the season.
Those are Kent State’s three non-conferences opponents. For a program that entered the 2021 season with its highest expectations in decades, the out-of-conference slate has been nothing but brutal for the Golden Flashes. Kent State hung with Texas A&M and Iowa for a half before letting the top 10 opponents cruise to victory as the game progressed.
Now, the Golden Flashes turn their focus to Maryland, which is one of five unbeaten squads in a loaded Big Ten East.