GAME 6: Kennesaw State (4-1, 0-0) vs. Gardner-Webb (2-3, 1-0)
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Fifth Third Bank Stadium | Kennesaw, Ga.
WATCH: ESPN3 | Evan Lepler (PxP) | Renaldo Wynn (Analyst)
LISTEN: Audio | Brian Giffin (PxP) | Tutan Reyes (Analyst) | Art Eckman (Sideline)
LINKS: ESPN3 | Live Stats | Game Notes (KSU) | Game Notes (Gardner-Webb) Twitter | #WitnessKSU
MEDIA: Media Center | Information Guide | Roster | Owls Insight Podcast | Owls Insight Episode 11
SERIES HISTORY: First Meeting
LAST MEETING: First Meeting

GAMEDAY CENTRAL





THIS WEEK: After posting a 4-1 non-conference record, Kennesaw State will begin testing itself against the Big South Conference when it opens league play by hosting Gardner-Webb Saturday (Oct. 17) at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
Through their first five games, the Owls have outscored their opponents 215-81 and in their four victories have won by an average margin of 34.5 points (188-50).
 
KSU DEBUTS ON ESPN3: Saturday will mark the first time that Kennesaw State will appear on ESPN3. It is the first of two KSU contests that will air on the platform. Evan Lepler will handle the play-by-play duties and Renaldo Wynn will contribute analysis.
 
LISTEN LIVE: Fans can also listen to a live audio broadcast of the game with Brian Giffin, Tutan Reyes and Art Eckman describing the action on KSUOwls.com. 
 
HALL OF FAME GAME: The Kennesaw State Department of Athletics will add to its Hall of Fame when it inducts Dr. Tom Keene and the 1995 NCAA Division II national championship softball team. Keene served as a professor and chair at Kennesaw State for more than 40 years, including nine years as chair of the Kennesaw State Athletics Board, while also serving as a leader in KSU's transition from Division II to Division I.
 
In its first season competing at the NCAA Division II level, Kennesaw State made an immediate impact by posting an impressive 53-5 record and claiming a national championship. It was the first of back-to-back title seasons for the Owls, led by NCAA Division II Coach of the Year Scott Whitlock.

COUNTRY ARTIST CANAAN SMITH TO PERFORM: The Department of Athletics is pleased to announce that country artist Canaan Smith will be performing a pregame concert in the green lot on Saturday (Oct. 17) morning prior to kickoff between Kennesaw State and Big South Conference foe Gardner-Webb.

The concert will be performed in the green lot at 11 a.m., which will take place shortly after the Owl Walk at 10:45 p.m. The concert, which is presented by Carl Black of Kennesaw, Kennesaw State Athletics and the Kennesaw State Alumni Association, will be free of charge and all are welcome. Fans can also stop by Carl Black of Kennesaw off Barrett Parkway for a chance to win meet and greet passes.
 
PROTECTING THE NEST: Kennesaw State will attempt to remain unbeaten at home when it hosts Gardner-Webb on Saturday. The Owls are currently 3-0 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium following wins over Edward Waters, Shorter and Point.
 
Owls Play at FCS Level: Kennesaw State plays at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. KSU joined the Big South Conference as an associate member on Sept. 4, 2013.
 
A Look Ahead: The Owls will continue Big South Conference play next Saturday (Oct. 24) when it visits Liberty. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. 
 
SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB
• Gardner-Webb is currently 2-3 overall and 1-0 in Big South Conference action after opening league play with a 34-20 upset victory over No. 15 Liberty.
• Sophomore QB Tyrell Maxwell led the Runnin' Bulldogs to the win after rushing for a career-high 173 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, and passed for 105 yards and another score. The performance earned him Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
• Gardner-Webb junior linebacker Chad Geter also had a big game against the Flames as he tallied a team-high 10 tackles (seven solo) with tackles-for-loss and one sack. He was named the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his effort.
• Gardner-Webb is averaging 254.2 yards a game and 16.6 points a contest to rank sixth in the Big South Conference.
•Defensively, the Runnin' Bulldogs rank third in total defense (303.4 ppg.) and fourth in scoring defense (19.8 ppg.).
• Maxwell is averaging 97.8 rushing yards a game to lead Gardner-Webb and rank third in the Big South Conference
• Geter also tops the defense with 50 tackles (29 solo), including nine tackles for loss and one sack, while recording three quarterback hurries and fumble recovery.
• Head coach Carroll McCray is in his third season at Gardner-Webb and has led the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 13-16 record. In his eighth season overall as a head coach, McCray has compiled 29-52 (.358) record. He has previous head coaching stops at North Greenville (2012) and Austin Peay (2003-06).
 
POINT REVIEW  
• The Owls (4-1) entertained the home crowd with big plays and sustained drives during a 56-17 win over point on Saturday (Oct. 10). KSU passed for a season-high 308 yards and rushed for 391 while holding a nearly 13-minute time of possession advantage.
• Junior RB Chaston Bennett electrified the partisans with 160 all-purpose yards (70 rushing, 90 receiving) while scoring a KSU single-game season high three touchdowns. Bennett scored on runs of 13 and 14 yards, and had a 69-yard touchdown reception.
• QB Trey White also had his best passing day as an Owl connecting on 9-of-14 passes for 239 yards and three first-half touchdowns. White had scoring tosses of 43 (Darnell Holland), 69 (Bennett) and 19 (Justin Sumpter) yards.
• RB Jae Bowen scored on a 49-yard run, his longest of the season, late in the second half, while Jake McKenzie relieved White in the third quarter and had a 13-yard TD run, and running back Che Darious Robinson scored on a 3-yard run for his first career touchdown.
• The 699 yards of total offense put up by the Owls against Point rank as the seventh-highest output by an FCS team this season.
• The 391 rushing yards by Kennesaw State on Saturday tie for 11th for most yards rushing by an FCS team this season and is the second-most yards on the ground by Owls. KSU rushed for 416 yards in its inaugural game at East Tennessee State
 
DEBUT PROGRAMS IN 2015: Kennesaw State is one of four institutions who have debuted football in 2015. Along with the Owls, East Tennessee State (FCS), Finlandia University (Division III), located in Hancock, Mich. and Lyon College (NAIA) in Batesville, Ark. started football programs this fall. The Owls are off to a 4-1 start. East Tennessee State is currently 0-5, while Finlandia is 1-5 and Lyon College is 0-6.
 
WINNING MENTALITY: Kennesaw State has opened the year and program history with a 4-1 start, becoming the second FCS program since 2008 to win four of its first games during its inaugural season. Mercer also posted a 4-1 record in its debut season of 2013.
 
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Kennesaw State set the Big South single-game record for total offense with 699 yards this past Saturday against Point. The Owls bettered the old mark of 695 set by Charleston Southern against West Virginia Wesleyan on Oct. 15, 2005. KSU amassed 391 rushing yards and 308 passing yards against the Skyhawks, becoming just the second team in Big South history with 300 rushing and 300 passing yards in the same game. The first was Coastal Carolina in 2006 against Gardner-Webb (332 rush, 306 pass).
 
National Team Rankings
• Kennesaw State ranks first in the FCS in third down conversion percentage (56.9 percent), yards per pass completion (25.21), second in rushing offense (34.16 per game), team passing efficiency (184.54), seventh in points per game (43.0), ninth in total offense (482.8) and 14th in red zone efficiency (91.3 percent; 21-of-23).
• The Owls are the only team at the FCS level to not allow a sack.
• The KSU defense ranks seventh in passing yards per game (147.0), , eighth in total defense (286.8) and scoring defense (16.2 ppg.), and 11th in first downs allowed (73).
 
BIG PLAY J: Redshirt-freshman Justin Sumpter has shown a knack for coming up with big catches early in his first season. The Owls' WR has caught 10 pass for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He is currently averaging 29.6 yards a reception to rank third in the country in yards per reception. Sumpter has three catches of 46 or more yards, including a 69-yard TD reception in the inaugural game at East Tennessee State.
 
Team Notes
• Kennesaw State is the only FCS program since 2008 to score 50-plus points in each of its first two games (56 at East Tennessee State, 58 versus Edward Waters) and three of its first five (56 versus Point)
• The 56 points scored by the Owls in their opener at East Tennessee State are the most scored by a debuting Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program dating back to 2008, and the 40-point margin of victory is the second largest during that time.
• Kennesaw State is the sixth different program to win its first game as a member of the Big South Conference
• Kennesaw State is one of just three FCS programs since 2008 to begin its history 3-0, joining Mercer (4-0; 2013) and Old Dominion (3-0; 2009)
• The Owls are the first team in Big South Conference history to begin a season 3-0 in their first year in the conference
 
Quick Strike Offense
• The Owls have scored on the first drive in each of their first five games, scoring four touchdowns and making a field goal. KSU added to the streak when QB Trey White and RB Darnell Holland connected on a 43-yard pass play on the team's eighth play of the game.
• KSU has twice scored on its first offensive play of a game. QB Trey White and WR Justin Sumpter hooked up on 55-yard scoring play versus Edward Waters on Sept. 12, and RB Chsaton Bennett ran 80 yards for a TD on KSU's opening play from scrimmage at Dayton (Sept. 26).
 
Ball Hawks
• The Owls' defense has forced at least one turnover in all five games this season.
• Kennesaw State has scored a defensive (3) or special teams (1) touchdown in three of its first five games.
 
Full House
• Eight different players have scored a touchdown for the Owls this season.
 
Opening Act
• The Owls are averaging 28.2 points in the first half through their first five games, while their defense is surrendering just 10.8 points in the first half and 5.4 points in the second half.
 
Ground Attack
• Kennesaw State leads the Big South with 341.6 rushing yards per game, currently the second-highest per game average in league history. The record is 357.5 rushing yards per contest set by VMI in 2008.
• The Owls are on pace for 3,757 rushing yards this season, which would be the third-highest single-season total in Big South history.
• KSU has rushed for more than 300 yards in a game four times this season; the conference record for most 300-yard rushing games is eight (VMI - 2008).
 
Stopping the Run
• Kennesaw State has rushed for 325 or more yards in four of its five games and has held four of its five opponents to under 200 rushing yards, and two teams have failed to gain 100 yards rushing.
 
Scoring Defense
• The Owls have held four of their five opponents to under 20 points. Dayton (31) is the only team to score more than 20 points against Kennesaw State.
 
Air Defense
• Seven different players have intercepted a pass for Kennesaw State
• KSU's defense has twice recorded two interceptions in a game (at ETSU and at Dayton)
• The defense has also twice recorded four sacks in a game (Shorter, at Dayton) and has at least one sack in all five games.
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: KSU has wasted little time introducing itself to its opponents. The Owls have outscored their opponent 68-10 in the first quarter through their first five games. KSU scored a season-high 35 points in the first 15 minutes versus Edward Waters. Meanwhile, Kennesaw State has allowed just one first-quarter TD (at Dayton) and twice held opponents (Edward Waters, Shorter) scoreless in the first quarter.
 
WINNING RETURNS: Through its first five games, KSU has four TD returns by its defense and special teams. When redshirt freshman LB Dez Billingslea returned a fumble 65 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game against Shorter (Sept. 19), it was the third of the season for the Owls and tied a Big South Conference single-season record. 
 
JUST FOR KICKS: Freshman placekicker Justin Thompson tied a Big South Conference single-game record with four (42, 26, 40, 28) made field goals versus Shorter on Saturday (Sept. 12), including the game-winner with under two minutes remaining. He has 41 points (26 PATs and five made field goals.
 
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE HONORS: Kennesaw State junior defensive back Derrick Farrow became the first Owl to earn a Big South Conference honor when was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14 following an impressive performance versus Edward Waters on Sept. 12. Farrow was a disruptive and dominating force during the Owls' 58-7 victory as he recorded a team-high five tackles and three forced fumbles, including one that led directly to a touchdown and one that prevented a score.
 
A NIGHT OF FIRSTS: The Owl's 56-16 win over East Tennessee State on Sept. 3 marked a night of firsts in the history of the Kennesaw State football program. Here is a list of a few of the firsts:
 
• First Offensive Play: Trey White 4-yard rush
• First Touchdown: Trey White 6-yard run (1st quarter)
• First Passing Touchdown: White 69 yards to Justin Sumpter (3rd quarter)
• First Defensive Tackle: Taylor Henkle (1st quarter)
• First Defensive Touchdown: Nick Perrotta 19-yard INT return (2nd quarter)
 
INAUGURAL GAME OFFENSIVE NOTES:
• Kennesaw State had five touchdown drives of 50 or more yards, including four of 65 yards or more
• The 56 points are the most scored by a debuting FCS program dating back to 2008, and the 40-point win is the second largest during that same time period. KSU is one of just two teams to open against another FCS program among 10 institutions that have started a program. Charlotte, which debuted as an FCS program and has since moved to the FBS level, defeated Campbell, 52-7, in 2013.
• The 56 points by the Owls tied for the fifth most scored in FCS play during the opening weekend and led Big South Conference teams
• The 512 total yards gained led Big South Conference teams and KSU's 416 yards rushing were the third-highest total nationally
 
INAUGURAL DEFENSIVE GAME NOTES:
• Redshirt junior defensive lineman Nick Perrotta had a game-changing 19-yard interception return for a TD late in the second quarter that gave the Owls a 21-13 lead. He finished with four tackles, including two for loss.
• Kennesaw State limited ETSU to 98 rushing yards (2.6 yards per carry)
• Redshirt senior defensive lineman Mason Harris tied for the team lead with seven tackles, including three for loss and a sack for 10 yards. He also had two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
• Redshirt freshman Taylor Henkle tied for the team lead with seven tackles, including one for loss, and had a pass breakup. He also recorded the first defensive tackle in program history.
• Redshirt defensive back Dante' Blackmon had four tackles and returned an interception 23 yards.
 
SMASHING DEBUT: Kennesaw State is the sixth different program to win its first game as members of the Big South Conference, joining Gardner-Webb and Elon in 2002, Coastal Carolina in 2003, Stony Brook in 2008 and Monmouth in 2014. Meanwhile, the Owls' 56 points at East Tennessee State was the most scored by a Big South member in a season opener against an FCS opponent, and the fourth-most points scored overall in an opening game of a season since the league's formation in 2002.
 
OWLS FLY INTO BIG SOUTH RECORD BOOK: One game into its history, Kennesaw State immediately wrote itself into the Big South Conference record book. The Owls' 416 yards and six touchdowns rushing in their debut game against East Tennessee marked just the 10th time in league history that a football member gained at least 415 yards on the ground with six rushing TDs. The last to do it was Presbyterian on Sept. 6, 2014 against Bluefield (523/7). KSU's performance was just the fifth such effort against an FCS opponent.
 
THE SENIORS: The five seniors on the Kennesaw State roster include Chaz Cheeks (DL, Gainesville, Ga. / Georgia Tech), Brett Gillespie (OL, Kennesaw, Ga. / North Greenville), Ryan Godhigh (RB, Acworth, Ga. / Harrison HS), Mason Harris (DL, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. / South Carolina) and Prentice Stone (Marietta, Ga. / Eastern Kentucky). 
 
TRYOUT TO THE TWO-DEEP: A handful of players who took part in tryouts over the last year and a half, have made significant impressions on the coaching staff and earned their way onto the two-deep. Redshirt senior offensive lineman Brett Gillespie, redshirt junior defensive lineman Nick Perrotta, redshirt sophomore linebacker Izzy Sam and redshirt senior Ryan Godhigh were part of the initial tryout on March 22, 2014. Additionally, redshirt senior PJ Stone (wide receiver) and redshirt freshman defensive back Shawn Reynolds have gone from tryout hopefuls to earning spots on the Owls two-deep.
 
LEADING THE WAY: Redshirt freshman quarterback Chandler Burks (Douglasville, Ga. / South Paulding HS) became the first recruit to verbally commit to Kennesaw State when he let head coach Brian Bohannon know of his intentions to attend KSU in the summer of 2013. He also was the first signee after inking his name to a National Letter-of-Intent on Feb. 5, 2014. Burks was one of 29 players who were part of the initial signing class.
 
A GLANCE AT THE SCHEDULE: Kennesaw State will face a challenging schedule during its inaugural season. Six of the Owls' 10 opponents posted winning records in 2014, including five of six Big South Conference teams. Non-conference foe Dayton (8-3), along with Big South rivals Liberty (9-5), Monmouth (6-5), Charleston Southern (8-4), Coastal Carolina (12-2) and Presbyterian (6-5) all were on the plus side of the win-loss ledger a year ago.
 
SCOUTING THE BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE: The Big South Conference is considered one of the country's top NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conferences According to HERO Sports, the Big South Conference is ranked second among the 13 conferences, behind only the Missouri Valley Conference, home to four-time defending national champion North Dakota State. STATS FCS has listed the Big South as the fourth-best conference, trailing the Missouri Valley, Colonial Athletic Association and Big Sky Conference. The Big South Conference has had two teams advance to the FCS playoffs in each of the last three seasons.
 
KENNESAW STATE-ALABAMA STATE AGREE TO 4-YEAR SERIES:
Kennesaw State and Alabama State jointly announced on Monday (Aug. 31) an agreement on a four-year series that will begin in 2017 and run through 2020. The two teams will meet for the first time on Sept. 16, 2017 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium before switching venues to The New ASU Stadium on Sept. 15, 2018. The remaining two games will be played Sept. 14, 2019 in Kennesaw before wrapping up the current agreement on Sept. 19, 2020 in Montgomery, Ala.