By: Michael Goss
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Kennesaw State football dropped its second-round contest, 32-31, at East Tennessee State on Saturday evening in Johnson City, Tenn. In a game that saw multiple lead changes, ETSU scored a touchdown with 35 seconds remaining to take the final lead before the clock expired.
Kennesaw State finished the year with 11 wins for the fourth consecutive season (excluding the spring 2021 shortened season).
Brian Bohannon tied the Big South record for career wins (63) and led the team to its third Big South Conference Championship in the last five years.
The Owls (11-2) were led by quarterback
Jonathan Murphy who went 6-for-14 passing with 125 yards and two touchdowns. Murphy also rushed for 164 yards on 28 carries and added two rushing touchdowns. The quarterback set season-highs in both passing and rushing yards during the contest.
Senior linebacker
Evan Thompson put himself on top of the KSU record books after his performance on Saturday. Thompson recorded 11 tackles against ETSU, pushing his season total to 118. With 118 total tackles, the senior broke
Bryson Armstrong's school record (114) for most tackles in a single season.
Each defense had its way in the first quarter of the game. The quarter saw a three-and-out from each team and four total punts. The scoreless first quarter was only the third time this season KSU's offense did not put points on the board during the first 15 minutes of play.
The Buccaneers (11-1) drove down the field at the start of the second quarter when freshman cornerback
Chance Gamble picked off a pass from the ETSU quarterback. The interception marked the first of his career and gave the Owls the ball on their own 14-yard line.
After ETSU struck first, Murphy and the Owls answered immediately. On the third play, Murphy found
Iaan Cousin streaking up the middle of the field for a 50-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown tied the score at 7-7 and was Cousin's second receiving score of the year.
The Buccaneers converted on a 47-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead into halftime. The three-point deficit was only the second time this season KSU went into the half trailing and was the first since week two at Georgia Tech.
ETSU scored on its first possession of the second half to extend its lead to 17-7. However, Murphy and the Owls responded with a scoring drive of their own. On the seventh play of the drive, the quarterback found
Kyle Glover for a 22-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 17-14. The touchdown catch was Glover's first of the season.
After the Owls' defense forced a quick three-and-out, the offense moved its way down the field to give KSU its first lead of the game. The drive accumulated 13 plays and 55 yards as it took five minutes and 38 seconds off the clock. Murphy capped off the possession with a one-yard touchdown run to give Kennesaw State a 21-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
A third down sack by a company of KSU defenders forced a second-consecutive three-and-out. The Kennesaw State offense proceeded to continue its second-half dominance and drove 53 yards down field for another touchdown strike. Murphy found the end zone on a nine-yard rushing score to push the score to 28-17.
ETSU scored two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to take the lead with 35 seconds remaining. The loss ended the Owls' 10-game win streak which was the second-longest in program history.
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