Brotherhood in the Horseshoe: Former Eagles Set for Kent State-Ohio State Matchup

Five former St. Edward Eagles will be connected across opposite sidelines when Kent State visits sixth-ranked Ohio State at noon Saturday, Sept. 19, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Kent State head coach Mark Carney ’98 will lead a Golden Flashes program featuring Brandon White ’26 and Nate Gregory ’25, while Deontae Armstrong ’24 and Mason Wilhelm ’26 represent the Green and Gold on Ohio State’s roster. More than 100,000 fans are expected for the nationally televised game on FOX, giving the former Eagles a prominent stage for their St. Edward reunion.

Carney’s path from St. Edward quarterback to an NCAA Division I head coach represents another chapter in the school’s football tradition. He took control of a Kent State program in 2025 after it had gone winless the previous season and directed a five-win improvement in his first year. Now in his second season, Carney has the Golden Flashes at 1-1 after a season-opening loss at South Carolina and a 36-15 victory over Wofford. Kent State scored 22 points in the fourth quarter of that win, building momentum ahead of its trip to the Horseshoe.

White, a 5-foot-8, 190-pound freshman running back who wears No. 22, begins his college career under a coach who shares his St. Edward background. White rushed for 1,822 yards and 23 touchdowns during his senior season with the Eagles, finished with 2,348 all-purpose yards and recorded 10 games with at least 100 rushing yards. He also earned first-team All-Northeast Lakes District honors. Gregory, a 5-foot-11, 235-pound redshirt freshman linebacker, joined Kent State after beginning his college career at Coastal Carolina, where he appeared in four games and made two tackles. The 2024 Ohio Division I Defensive Player of the Year is listed as No. 35 and is recovering from surgery, continuing his rehabilitation rather than preparing to play Saturday.

Armstrong and Wilhelm continue St. Edward’s growing presence in Columbus. Armstrong, a 6-foot-7, 310-pound junior offensive lineman, was part of three consecutive Division I state championship teams with the Eagles. He has spent the past several seasons developing in Ohio State’s offensive line room and provides size, experience and depth. Wilhelm, listed as No. 68, is a 6-foot-3, 309-pound freshman in his first season with the Buckeyes. He played right guard and contributed at defensive tackle during his final season in Lakewood. The son of former Ohio State national champion and NFL linebacker Matt Wilhelm, Mason Wilhelm is now beginning his own college career in Columbus.

Both teams enter the matchup with 1-1 records. Ohio State returns home after a 24-23 loss at Texas in which the Buckeyes carried a 23-3 lead into the fourth quarter before the Longhorns completed their comeback. Ohio State will try to regain momentum before beginning Big Ten play. Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between the two Ohio programs, all in Columbus. The Buckeyes won the previous matchups in 2002, 2007 and 2014.

The scoreboard will separate Kent State and Ohio State, but St. Edward’s Brotherhood will connect the five former Eagles. Carney, White and Gregory give Kent State three ties to the school, while Armstrong and Wilhelm carry that tradition on the Ohio State sideline. Their different paths, from coaching and early college development to rehabilitation and competition in the trenches, show the reach of St. Edward football. Before wearing blue and gold or scarlet and gray, each wore the Green and Gold, and Saturday will bring that shared foundation to one of college football’s largest stages.