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Press Conference Clip (Players)
 
 
KENNESAW, Ga. – Junior QB Chandler Burks rushed for a career-high four touchdowns and threw for another to lead Kennesaw State to a 52-21 victory over Monmouth Saturday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Stadium as the Owls captured their first Big South Conference title and secured an automatic berth to the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs.
 
Burks carried 20 times for a 131 yards and the Kennesaw State defense forced a program-record tying five turnovers to help extend the Owls (10-1, 5-0) record-winning streak to 10 games and conclude an undefeated regular-season slate at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
 
Kennesaw State will celebrate the victory and prepare for Sunday's announcement of the 24-team playoff field that will be announced live on ESPNU at 11 a.m. The Department of Athletics and football program will host a watch party inside the KSU Convocation Center beginning at 10 a.m. Free t-shirts provided by Auxiliary Services and Fifth Third Bank will be distributed to the first 100 KSU students with a valid ID, along with a free breakfast courtesy of University Dining.

Kennesaw State became just the second team since 2008 to reach the FCS playoffs in its third year, joining Old Dominion, which accomplished the feat in 2011.
 
The Owls had their offense rolling early, scoring on five of their first six possessions, and finished the game with 519 total yards, including 405 on the ground.
 
With the score tied 14-14 early in the second quarter sophomore RB TJ Reed ran 10 yards for a score that gave the Owls a 21-14 lead as they went on to score 38 of the game's final 45 points.
 
In a week that The Turnover Plank received significant national coverage, the defense made sure that the raucous Fifth Third Bank Stadium crowd would receive face time with the popular turnover symbol as the Owls recovered three fumbles and recorded two interceptions. The five turnovers led to 21 KSU points.

"Before the game I just told our 14 seniors that this was our last regular season game, but let's not make it our last game of the season," senior linebacker Izzy Sam said. "We went out there and just played with so much effort, attitude and toughness, things that our coach preaches to us and we came out with a win. If feels so good that I get another game with my guys and we get to keep playing."
 
Burks had a pair of 1-yard rushing touchdowns and scored on runs of one and 17 yards. The redshirt-junior quarterback capped a big first half when he hooked up with wide receiver Justin Sumpter on a 36-yard pass play with :25 remaining in the second quarter.

The 17-yard touchdown run came late in the third quarter that ended a 12-play, 96-yard drive that took 5:59 off the clock and gave the Owls a 45-21 lead.
 
"There is something about our offense that we don't seem to flinch. No moment is too big for us and we know we have to go out there and make plays," Burks said in reference to the 96-yard drive. "We set ourselves up in practice for those type of opportunities and we work on third downs. That is one of our heavy emphasis on Wednesdays. All those things we practice, so coming out on Saturdays it's just executing and making plays. It wasn't anything the guys weren't prepared for."
 
Redshirt freshman Bryson Armstrong led the defense with 10 tackles (8 solo), collected a sack, had a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Anthony Gore, Jr. and Taylor Henkle recovered fumbles, while Anthony Gore, Jr. and Paris Bostick had interceptions.    
 
Redshirt-freshman Shaquil Terry began the Owls' offensive barrage, igniting the crowd with a 45-yard touchdown run to cap a three-play, 65-yard drive that tied the score 7-7 with 6:59 remaining in the first quarter.

NOTES

• The victory extends the Owls' school-record winning streak to 10.
• The 10-1 overall record and 5-0 mark in Big South play are also program-bests.
• The 10 wins mark a KSU program-record for most wins in a single season – previous, 8-3 in 2016.
• The victory gives Kennesaw State its first championship and FCS Playoff berth in its three-year history.
• The Owls finished the regular season a perfect 6-0 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
• Kennesaw State's victory over Monmouth snapped the Hawks' seven-game winning streak, the longest in Big South history dating back to 2014.
• The Owls joined Old Dominion as the only two Division-I programs (since 2008) to secure winning seasons in each of the programs' first three years. KSU's 24 wins over its first three seasons are second most by a start-up D-I FCS team since 2008 – Old Dominion went 27-8.
• The Owls scored 21 points off five Monmouth turnovers and now hold a plus-110 margin (121-10) in turnover scoring for the season.  
• KSU did not commit a turnover versus the Hawks, marking the fourth time in its last five games that it did not give the ball away.  
• The Owls' 35 points are the most scored in a half this season. Kennesaw State scored 34 versus Texas Southern (October 7) and the 52 points are most in program history against a Big South opponent. The previous record was 49 versus Monmouth on Oct. 29, 2016.   
• The nation's top rushing team, KSU rushed 63 times for 405 yards. It marks the eighth straight game and ninth time this season the Owls have surpassed 300 yards on the ground. 
• Junior DB Nic Snowden (fumble recovery), redshirt freshman DB Bryson Armstrong (fumble recovery), junior Auzoyah Alufohai (fumble recovery), junior linebacker Anthony Gore, Jr. (interception) and senior linebacker Paris Bostick (interceptions) produced turnovers for the Owls.
• With a career-high tying four rushing touchdowns and a TD pass, redshirt junior quarterback Chandler Burks accounted for five scores to establish a single-game record. 

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 become the official home of Owls football team and is home to Owls soccer and lacrosse as well.
 
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.