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KENNESAW, Ga. – The No. 10 Kennesaw State football team scored a last-second touchdown to secure a 34-30 win against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon inside Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The win marked the 10^th consecutive victory over a team from North Carolina and improved head coach Brian Bohannon's Big South Conference record to 26-8.

Offensively, the Owls (7-1, 4-0 Big South Conference) were led by sophomore quarterback Xavier Shepherd who went 12-for-14 passing with a career-high 209 yards and four touchdowns. Shepherd became the first quarterback in KSU history to throw four touchdown passes in a single game. He also added 68 rushing yards on 18 attempts.

Evan Thompson led the Owls defense, tying the school record for total tackles in a game with 16 (10 solo). He also added one quarterback hurry and one tackle-for-loss. Thompson is the only player in KSU history to record 10+ tackles in four consecutive games.

Set up by a great kickoff return, the Kennesaw State offense was in good field position to start its final drive. The Owls used the passing attack to get the ball down to the GWU 15-yard line on just two plays. Shepherd then found Xavier Hill once more on a 15-yard touchdown pass to give the Owls a 34-30 lead with 11 seconds remaining in the game. This was the third KSU scoring drive under one minute in the game.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (3-5, 1-3) struck on their second possession. Gardner-Webb drove down the field on a 12-play, 56-yard drive to break the scoreless tie. Cornerback Je'Cory Burks broke up a third-down pass attempt in the end zone to bring the Gardner-Webb field goal unit onto the field. The Runnin' Bulldogs connected on a 36-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

A KSU three-and-out gave Gardner-Webb another chance to add to the score. The Runnin' Bulldogs put together a five-play, 78-yard drive to extend the lead to 10-0. The drive concluded on a 28-yard rushing touchdown by Narii Gaither. This would mark the first time in the 2021 season the Owls trailed an FCS opponent by 10 or more.

The Owls answered back with a 39-yard field goal by Nathan Robertson. The drive was highlighted by a 30-yard rush by Shepherd to get the offense into enemy territory. After today's game, Robertson has 193 career points kicking. He is only seven shy of becoming the 12^th placekicker in Big South history to reach the 200-point milestone.

The KSU defense would step up after the field goal late in the second quarter. A tackle-for-loss by freshman Garland Benyard put the Runnin' Bulldogs in a third-and-long situation. The Owls would force a punt and get the ball back with 1:45 left in the first half.

Shepherd led the offense down the field on a 10-play, 83-yard drive and threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Hill with 16 seconds left on the clock. The sophomore reeled in an incredible reception, which marked the first touchdown catch of his career. This sent both teams into the half tied at 10.

After a Thompson fourth-down stop it only took the offense two plays to score, after Shepherd connected with Gab. Benyard on a 30-yard touchdown reception. The touchdown drive took 39 seconds and marked the second scoring drive of under one minute by the Owls this season. The score was now tied 17-17 late in the third quarter.

Later, Shepherd found senior receiver Caleb O'Neal for a 51-yard touchdown pass. The drive lasted only 41 seconds and marked the second scoring drive under one minute for the Owls in the game and third on the season. The touchdown reception also marked the longest of O'Neal's career.

Gardner-Webb would go three-and-out on its next drive after the KSU defense stood strong. Shepherd was then able to get the offense into Runnin' Bulldog territory, but the drive would stall out on the GWU 26-yard line. Robertson was called on again to attempt a 43-yard field goal to make it a two-score game. The senior would deliver and increase the Owls' lead to 27-17 with 7:30 remaining in the game.

Fisher and the Runnin' Bulldogs answered on their next drive to bring the score to 27-24. A conversion on fourth-and-14 got the ball all the way down to the KSU one-yard line. Gardner-Webb would punch it in on a one-yard rush on the very next play.

A quick three-and-out by the Owls gave Gardner-Webb the ball back with 2:23 remaining. Another fourth down conversion put the Runnin' Bulldogs deep into Owls' territory. Fisher would find Gaither for a 33-yard touchdown pass to take a 30-27 lead with only 36 seconds remaining in the game. The Owls' would block the PAT to keep it a three-point game.

The score marked the latest, game-winning, touchdown drive in Kennesaw State history. With the win, the Owls have now won nine consecutive games inside Fifth Third Bank Stadium and 17 in a row during the month of October. The team has now secured its fourth consecutive start with a record of 7-1.

Kennesaw State is back in action next Saturday, Nov. 6 in Moon Township, Pa. The Owls will take on the Robert Morris Colonials at Joe Walton Stadium with a kickoff set for 12:00 p.m.  

Post-Game Notes

• KSU is off to its fourth consecutive 7-1 start.
• Head coach Brian Bohannon improves his conference record to 26-8 in the Big South.
• The Owls have now won 17 consecutive games in the month of October.
• Xavier Shepherd became the first quarterback in school history to pass for four touchdowns in one game.
• Kennesaw State has won nine consecutive games inside Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
• Evan Thompson tied the record for most total tackles in a game with 16 and became the first player in Owl history to tally 10+ tackles in four consecutive games.
• Gabriel Benyard became the first true freshman to start at slot-back for KSU since the inaugural season in 2015.
• KSU has 10 consecutive victories over teams from the state of North Carolina.
• Shepherd's 209 passing yards set a new career high for the sophomore and is the first time the Owls have had a 200+ yard passer since 2019.
• The Owls' offense has rushed for 150+ yards in 67 consecutive games.

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