By: By Jake Dorow
Looking to cap another season of exceeding expectations, No. 22 Kennesaw State heads to No. 13 Charleston Southern Saturday with the Big South Conference title on the line. The Owls, in just their second year as a program, would earn a share of the conference championship with a win over the Buccaneers. Kickoff is 11:45 a.m. and the game is live on ESPN3 and ESPN Radio 1230 The Fan 2.
FIRST & 10
1. Winners of four straight and eight of its last nine, No. 22 Kennesaw State is red-hot as it enters its regular-season finale at No. 13 Charleston Southern.
2. Ranked for the first time in school history and sitting at 8-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, the Owls have a shot to share the conference title with Liberty after being picked third in the Big South preseason poll. The winner of Saturday's game splits the conference title with Liberty.
3. The Owls are one of just five teams in the FCS that remain undefeated on the road this season, joining highly-ranked programs Sam Houston State, North Dakota State, The Citadel and Central Arkansas.
4. In Kennesaw State's four road wins (all over Division I teams), the Owls are out-scoring the opposition 184-126 and averaging 46.0 points. The Owls' turnover margin on the road is +7.
5. Kennesaw State is only team in the nation among the FCS's Top 5 in total offense (5th, 500.5 ypg), scoring offense (5th, 42.1 ppg), rushing offense (3rd, 335.5 ypg) AND pass efficiency (1st, 178.79). The Owls lead the Big South in each category.
6. In four consecutive games, and six times this season, Kennesaw State has surpassed 500 yards of total offense. All-time, the Owls are 8-0 in games with 500+ yards of total offense.
7. On fourth down conversions, KSU has converted eight straight over the last three games and 11 of 13 over the last four games. For the season, the Owls lead the conference and are third in the FCS in fourth-down conversions (77%; 20 of 26).
8. Senior RB
Chaston Bennett continues to emerge as one of the nation's most explosive players. He has scored multiple touchdowns in six straight games to tie the Big South record for consecutive games with multiple TD. He also set a Big South single-season record for most TD receptions by a running back (five). The senior leads the Big South and is tied for seventh nationally with 14 TDs.
9. Bennett has amassed 1,101 all-purpose yards over the last six games (183.5 ypg) and scored a remarkable 13 of his 14 touchdowns in that span.
10. Kennesaw State's defense has stepped up over the last three games, allowing just 9.0 points per game and 224.7 total yards per game in that span. The Owls lead the Big South in rushing defense (118.5 ypg), total defense (321.6 ypg) and scoring defense (21.1).
RANKED!! OWLS APPEAR IN FCS COACHES POLL
- For the first time in program history, Kennesaw State appeared in the Top 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll, coming in at No. 22.
- The Owls sit at 8-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big South and will take on No. 13 Charleston Southern for a share of the Big South Championship.
- Kennesaw State sits ahead of Cal Poly (23), Western Illinois (24) and Illinois State (25) in the poll.
- Big South foe Charleston Southern is in at No. 13 while Liberty, who has at least a share of the Big South title, is receiving votes with 11.
PERFECTION ON THE ROAD
- Kennesaw State is one of just five FCS teams undefeated on the road this season.
- The Owls are averaging an impressive 46.0 points per game on the road and have out-scored their opponents 184-126 away from The Nest.
- Kennesaw State's key on the road has been a fast starts, out-scoring opponents 54-17 in the first quarter and 79-52 in the second.
- In the first half of road games this year, the Owls are out-scoring opponents 133-69.
- The Owls have forced seven interceptions and have recovered three fumbles away from The Nest.
- Kennesaw State has out-gained its opponents on the ground in each road game this season, totaling an impressive +831 rushing yard margin in four road games –an average of +207.8 yards per game.
IT'S HOW YOU FINISH, AND HOW YOU START
- In nine consecutive games, Kennesaw State has scored in the last three minutes of the first half, the first three minutes of the second half OR both.
- The Owls are 8-1 over the last nine games when doing so.
- Head coach Brian Bohannon has always preached an attacking mentality, and that was evident Saturday versus Presbyterian when the Owls – already up 17-3 with just 49 seconds left in the first half – drove 75 yards in 45 seconds for a two-yard touchdown pass from Chandler Burks to Justin Sumpter with four seconds left.
- Chaston Bennett has scored four of these touchdowns to lead the team, while Sumpter has three.
- The Owls have doubled-up twice (a touchdown in the first half's final three minutes AND second half's first three minutes): at Gardner-Webb and vs. Clark Atlanta.
OWLS CAN NOT ONLY FLY, BUT CAN RUN.
- Kennesaw State racked up a record-breaking performance on the ground at Monmouth with a school-record 482 yards. The Owls followed that with 463 yards vs. Clark Atlanta and 343 versus Presbyterian.
- The Owls' rushing attack ranks third in the nation at 335.5 yards per game and ranks first in the Big South in rushing TDs (40).
- The Owls have totaled 400 or more rushing yards four times in program history and have done so three times in 2016. KSU has rushed for over 300 or more yards in 12 of its 21 games in program history.
- Over the last four games, the Owls have totaled 1,591 yards on 222 carries (397.8 ypg) on the ground with 19 scores.
- Kennesaw State has out-gained its opponents on the ground in each of its first 10 games, racking up an impressive +2,160 rushing yard margin –an average of +216.0 per game.
MR. BENNETT PUTTING ON A SHOW
- Senior RB Chaston Bennett scored two more touchdowns last Saturday versus Presbyterian, marking his sixth straight game with two or more scores.
- Bennett tied the Big South record for most consecutive multi-TD games at six. He now shares the record that was first established by Stony Brook's Miquel Maysonet in 2012.
- Bennett has scored 13 touchdowns during his streak (nine rushing, four receiving), and has averaged 25.8 yards on his TD runs -- with three longer than 47 yards, in the six-game span. His four TD catches have been for 43, 61, 36 and 27 yards.
- Bennett, who became just the second running back in Big South history with 100 receiving yards in a game with 110 at Gardner-Webb in Week 8, has set the Big South single-season record for most touchdown receptions by a running back with five in 2016.
- He also owns the Big South career record for TD catches by a running back with seven, while his 583 career receiving yards are third-most in the conference record book.
- Bennett racked up school records rushing yards (179) and all-purpose yards (267) in rout of a 56-0 lopsided victory over Clark Atlanta two weeks ago.
- Bennett has been a force over the last six games, totaling 1,101 all-purpose yards with an average of 183.5 yards per game.
- He also has totaled 600 rushing yards on 37 carries and nine scores along with 10 catches and 250 yards and four scores in the air.
GAMEDAY HASHTAGS/ SOCIAL MEDIA HUBS
Hashtag: #GoKSUOwls
Twitter: @KSUOwlNation; @KennesawStFB; @mikedegeorge; @jdorow19
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Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the signature athletics landmark on the Kennesaw State University campus, is a world-class facility that has been recognized as one of the premier multi-use outdoor athletics venues in the country. In the fall of 2015, it became the official home of Owls football team and is also home to Owls soccer and lacrosse.
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.
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