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CHARLESTON, S.C. – In just its second season as a program, No. 22 Kennesaw State entered Saturday's game at No. 13 Charleston Southern with the Big South Conference title on the line, but the Buccaneers won their second straight championship with a 28-7 victory on their home field.
 
The Owls (8-3, 3-2) saw both their four-game winning streak and four-game road winning streak snapped in Saturday's regular-season finale. The Bucs (7-3, 4-1) earned the share of the 2016 conference title and secured the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Playoffs.
 
"When you think it about, to say that we're competing for the conference championship on the last Saturday of the season, that is a phenomenal feat," said head coach Brian Bohannon. "Though today didn't go like we wanted, I'm proud of the direction we're headed. And we'll be back."
 
Four turnovers by Kennesaw State that led to 14 points proved costly, including a Red Zone interception in the fourth quarter. The Owls had two other opportunities to cut it to a one-score game, but were denied before halftime, and turned the ball over on downs at the seven-yard line on their first possession of the third quarter.
 
Jake McKenzie rushed 11 times for 52 yards to lead an Owls ground game that was limited to a season-low 172 yards rushing. Kennesaw State entered the game ranked No. 3 nationally in rushing, but faced a CSU defense that was the best in the conference against the run.
 
The Buccaneers set the tone early, driving 14 plays and chewing nearly eight minutes off the clock to grab a 7-0 lead on their opening possession. After a punt and an interception, CSU took advantage of the short field and made it 14-0 late in the first quarter.
 
Kennesaw State's offense found its rhythm with a grueling drive of its own, marching 17 plays in 8:47 to cut the lead in half when Trey White scored from one yard out midway through the second quarter.
 
The teams traded punts again, and CSU threw the dagger with a quick-strike touchdown that made it 21-7 before the break. Darius Hammond, who rushed for 153 yards on 17 carries, scored his second of two touchdowns to make to 28-7 in the fourth quarter.
 
CSU owned a 324-270 advantage in total yards, including a 248-172 edge on the ground.
 
POST-GAME #NESTNOTES
 
8-3, 3-2
Kennesaw State finished its regular season with a program-best eight-win season, including a three-win Big South Conference mark. The Owls 14-8 record over the last two years marks the third-most wins of any Division-I program in its first two seasons. Kennesaw State joined Old Dominion as the only D-I programs since 2008 to post winning seasons in the first two years of existence.
 
EATING UP CLOCK
Kennesaw State's touchdown drive in the first quarter went 17 plays in 8:47, the Owls' longest scoring drive by both number of plays and time consumed this season. Kennesaw State won the time of possession battle Saturday afternoon, marking the ninth time in 11 games the Owls have won that category.
 
SENIORS
Saturday marked the final regular season game for 12 Kennesaw State seniors – Chaston Bennett, Dante Blackmon, Zack Blaylock, Leigh Comfort, Derrick Farrow, Jantzen Jeffrey, Steven Johnson, Malik Letatau, Dustyn Moore, Nick Perrotta, Micah Reed, Trey White.
 
TREY WHITE SCORES AGAIN
Senior QB Trey White 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was his eighth of the season. He has scored at least one TD in all five games that he played. White will finish his career with 11 rushing touchdowns and eight passing. He also became the ninth quarterback in Big South history to surpass 1,000 career rushing yards earlier this season.

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