GAME 10: Kennesaw State (6-4, 2-3) at Presbyterian (1-9, 0-5)
DATE: Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m.
LOCATION: Bailey Memorial Stadium | Clinton, S.C.
WATCH: Big South Network
LISTEN: Audio | Brian Giffin (PxP) | Tutan Reyes (Analyst) | Art Eckman (Sideline)
LINKS: Big South Network | Live Stats | Game Notes (KSU) | Game Notes (Presbyterian) | Twitter | #WitnessKSU
MEDIA: Media Center | Information Guide | Roster | Owls Insight Podcast
SERIES HISTORY: First Meeting
LAST MEETING: First Meeting

THIS WEEK: Kennesaw State concludes its inaugural season on Saturday (Nov. 21) when it visits Presbyterian at Bailey Memorial Stadium in Clinton, S.C. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
 
WATCH LIVE: The Owls-Blue Hose game can be seen on the Big South Conference Network with Eric Thacker handling the play-by-play and John Orck providing analysis.
 
LISTEN LIVE: A live audio broadcast with Brian Giffin, Tutan Reyes and Art Eckman describing the action will also be available at KSUOwls.com.
 
NATIONAL POLLS: Kennesaw State appeared among teams receiving votes for three weeks during its inaugural season. The Owls made their debut in the FCS STATS poll on Oct. 19 after receiving two votes. They garnered two votes again on Oct. 26 before earning a season-high five votes on Nov. 2.
 
WHAT'S ON THE LINE: A win would give the Owls a 3-3 record and first Big South Conference road victory.  A win would also give KSU a 7-4 record, marking the third best mark by a debuting FCS program since 2008. Of the 11 FCS programs to start football in that time period, only Mercer (10-2 in 2013) and Old Dominion (9-2 in 2008) have produced a better first-year record. Mercer played its inaugural season as a member of the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League, while Old Dominion competed as an FCS Independent.   
 
PROTECTING THE NEST: Kennesaw State was successful in its inaugural season protecting its home field. The Owls went 5-1 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium with their lone loss coming on Saturday (Nov. 7) when they fell 28-14 to No. 13/15 Charleston Southern.
 
ATOP THE PERCH: With the exception of the first season of Big South football in 2002, Kennesaw State's six wins are tied for the most by a program in its first season in the Big South. The Owls have clinched a winning season in their first year of existence, and join Coastal Carolina (2003), VMI (2003) and Monmouth (2014), who all won six games during their respective inaugural seasons in the Big South.
 
SETTING A STANDARD: KSU became the first newcomer to the league to win its first-ever conference game when the Owls defeated Gardner-Webb, 12-7, on Oct. 17. When including 2002, KSU is just the second team on the list, as GWU won its debut Big South game.
A Look Ahead: Head coach Brian Bohannon and his staff will take a week off before heading out on the recruiting trail in advance of National Signing Day on Feb. 3, 2016.
 
SPRING PRACTICE: The Owls will open spring practice on Feb. 29 and will hold their second Black and Gold Game on Mar. 26 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
 
2016 SCHEDULE
Home: Sept. 3, East Tennessee State; Sept. 10, Point; Oct. 8, Missouri S&T; Oct. 15, Presbyterian; Oct. 29, Liberty; Nov. 5, Clark-Atlanta.
Away: Sept. 24: at Duquesne; Oct. 1, at Furman; Oct. 22, at Charleston Southern; Nov. 12, at Gardner-Webb; Nov. 19, at Monmouth.
 
SCOUTING PRESBYTERIAN
• Presbyterian is 1-9 overall and 0-5 in Big South Conference action after suffering a 21-16 loss to Monmouth on Saturday. 
• The Blue Hose enter this week seventh in scoring offense (12.4) and total offense (220.8). Presbyterian is sixth in rushing offense (136.3) and seventh in passing offense (84.5).
• Defensively, Presbyterian is fourth in the Big South in scoring defense (21.7 ppg.), fifth in total defense (374.5 ypg.), seventh in rushing defense (200.8) and fourth in pass defense (173.7).
• Redshirt sophomore Darrell Bridges leads the Blue Hose and ranks fourth in the Big South Conference in all-purpose yards, 101.0 yards a game.
• Head coach Harold Nichols is in his seventh season at Presbyterian and has guided the Blue Hose to a 16-60 record.
 
COASTAL CAROLINA REVIEW  
• The Owls suffered their second straight loss to a ranked opponent, falling 45-13 at No. 4 Coastal Carolina.
• Chanticleers QB Alex Ross completed 20-of-27 passes for 262 yards and Big South Conference single-game record five touchdowns, including four in the first half.
• Kennesaw State surrendered a season-high 451 yards to the Chanticleers.
• Redshirt freshman QB Chandler Burks threw a 9-yard TD pass on his first career pass attempt.
• Redshirt freshman QB Jake McKenzie made his first career start and connected on 8-of-20 passes for a career-high 136 yards.
• The Owls were flagged 10 times for 98 yards.
 
TAYLOR HENKLE TWO-TIME BIG SOUTH FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Redshirt freshman Taylor Henkle has twice earned Big South Conference Freshman of the Week honors, earning the honor in back-to-back weeks (Nov. 2 and Nov. 9). He recorded nine solo tackles, two pass breakups and a late-game interception that sealed a 23-13 Big South Conference win over Monmouth (Oct. 31) before totaling 10 solo tackles and intercepting two passes versus Charleston Southern on Saturday (Nov. 7). 
 
DERRICK FARROW NAMED TO CFPA FCS WATCH LIST: Kennesaw State junior Derrick Farrow was one of 32 defensive backs named to the 2015 FCS Defensive Awards Watch List, the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) announced on Wednesday (Nov. 4). The list includes 32 defensive backs, 32 linebackers, and 34 defensive linemen from the Football Championship Subdivision. All FCS players are eligible for awards at their respective positions, and are not preemptively eliminated from consideration. The award winners will be announced January 13, 2016.
 
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 6-4, while East Tennessee State is 1-9, while Finlandia is 3-7 and Lyon College is 0-11.
 
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Kennesaw State set the Big South single-game record for total offense with 699 yards versus Point (Oct. 10), bettering the old mark of 695 set by Charleston Southern vs. West Virginia Wesleyan in 2015. KSU amassed 391 rushing yards and 308 passing yards, 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).

GROUND FORCE
• Kennesaw State leads the Big South with 295.2 rushing yards per game, currently the second-highest per game average in league history.
• The Owls are seeking to become just the second Big South team to average 300 rushing yards a game, and trail the single-season record of 357.5 rushing yards per contest set by VMI in 2008.
• KSU is on pace for 3,291 rushing yards this season, which would be the fifth-highest single-season total in Big South history.
• The Owls have rushed for more than 300 yards in a game five times this season; the conference record for most 300-yard rushing games is
eight (VMI - 2008).
 
WHITE WHIMS
• With 809 yards rushing and 1,022 yards passing, QB Trey White is on the verge of becoming the Big South Conference's first 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard passer.
• White is the first QB in Big South history to rush for three touchdowns in a game twice in the same season (Week 2 vs. Edwards Waters and Week 8 at Liberty). His nine rushing scores this season are tied for second-most in a season by a Big South QB and three away from tying the league single-season mark of 12 (VMI's Tim Maypray in 2008).
• White is just the second quarterback in Big South history to record a 3-TD rush game and 3-TD pass game in the same season, joining Coastal Carolina's Tyler Thigpen, who achieved the feat in 2005.
• White is the Big South's top rushing quarterback this season with 809 yards (third overall).
 
JUST FOR KICKS: Freshman PK Justin Thompson tied the Big South single-game record with four field goals versus Gardner-Webb on Oct. 17. It was the second time this season Thompson made four
field goals in a game, previously accomplishing the feat versus Shorter (Sept. 19), becoming just the third kicker in league history with multiple 4-field goal efforts. Liberty's Matt Bevins did it a record four times in his career, while VMI's Matt Sharpe achieved it twice in 2003.
 
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 26 pass for 525 yards and three touchdowns. He is currently averaging 20.2 yards a reception to rank ninth 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.
 
National Team Rankings
• Kennesaw State ranks second in the FCS in third down conversion percentage (51.8 percent), first in yards per pass completion (19.00), second in sacks allowed (0.50), fifth in rushing offense (295.2) and 16th in time of possession (32.52).
• Defensively, the Owls are ninth in the FCS in passing yards allowed (156.8) and 21st in total defense (312.6).
 
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)
• 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
 
Quick Strike Offense
• The Owls have scored on the first drive in seven of their 10 games, scoring five touchdowns and making a field goal. KSU was held without a score on its first possession versus Gardner-Webb (Oct. 17), Monmouth (Oct. 31) and Coastal Carolina (Nov. 14).
• KSU has scored on its first offensive play of a game three times. QB Trey White and WR Justin Sumpter hooked up on 55-yard scoring play versus Edward Waters (Sept. 12), RB Chaston Bennett ran 80 yards for a TD on KSU's opening play from scrimmage at Dayton (Sept. 26) and White hooked up with Bennett on a 79-yard pass play to open the game versus Charleston Southern (Nov. 7).
 
Ball Hawks
• The Owls' defense has forced at least one turnover in eight of 10 games this season.
• Kennesaw State has scored a defensive (3) or special teams (1) touchdown in three times this season (at ETSU, vs. Edward Waters, vs. Shorter).
 
Scoring Fraternity
• Thirteen different players have scored a touchdown for the Owls this season. Junior QB Trey White leads KSU with nine touchdowns.
 
First and Third
• The Kennesaw State defense has been dominant in the first and third quarters of games this season. The Owls have allowed a total of 31 points (3.4) in the first quarter and 21 points (2.3) in the third quarter through nine games.
• KSU has held its opponents scoreless in the first quarter in four of nine games. Even better, the Owls have blanked their opponent in seven of nine games in the third quarter.
• The Oct. 17 game versus Gardner-Webb marked the first time this season that KSU has held an opponent scoreless in the first half.
• The only scores in the third quarter against Kennesaw State were touchdowns by Dayton (Sept. 26), Liberty (Oct. 24) and Charleston Southern (Nov. 7).
 
Opening Act
• The Owls are averaging 19.5 points in the first half through their first nine games, while their defense is surrendering just 11.8 points in the first half and 7.6 points in the second half.
• KSU is outscoring its opponents 176-106 in the first half and 123-69 in the second half. Overall, the Owls have outscored their opponents, 299-174.
 
Stopping the Run
• Kennesaw State has held eight of its nine opponents to under 200 rushing yards, and two teams have failed to gain 100 yards rushing.
 
Air Defense
• Seven different players have intercepted a pass for Kennesaw State, including Taylor Henkle, who has to lead the Big South Conference and rank 16th in the FCS.
• KSU's defense has four times recorded two interceptions in a game (at ETSU, at Dayton, versus Monmouth and Charleston Southern)
• The defense has also twice recorded four sacks in a game (Shorter, at Dayton) and has at least one sack in eight of nine games.
 
WINNING RETURNS: 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. 
 
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 four seniors on the Kennesaw State roster include 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) was the first recruit to verbally commit and sign with Kennesaw State. He committed in in the summer of 2013 and signed an NLI on Feb. 5, 2014. Burks was one of 29 players who were part of the initial signing class.
 
KENNESAW STATE-ALABAMA STATE AGREE TO 4-YEAR SERIES:
Kennesaw State and Alabama State agreed to a four-year series that will run 2017 and run through 2020. The two teams will meet play at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in 2017 and 2019 and in Montgomery, Ala. in 2018 and 2020.   

Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium is the home of women's soccer, women's lacrosse and football, which will play its inaugural season in 2015.
 
Keep up with Kennesaw State Athletics by following KSU on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook. You also can follow Kennesaw State football at @KennesawSTFB and The Owls fund on Twitter at @TheOwlsFund.