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RICHMOND, Ky. – Kennesaw State football fell to Eastern Kentucky in a hard-fought contest by a score of 45-38 on Saturday afternoon inside Roy Kidd Stadium.

The KSU (5-6, 1-4 ASUN Conference) offense collected a season-high 437 rushing yards and averaged 7.6 yards-per-rush against the Colonels (7-4, 3-2 ASUN). This marked the first time since the 2021 Big South Championship that Kennesaw State surpassed the 400 rushing-yard mark (Nov. 20, 2021, vs. No. 24 Monmouth).

Isaac Foster scored one rushing touchdown and ran for 148 yards in the contest for the most single-game rush yards by a KSU player this season. This was Foster's third career 100-yard rushing game and first of 2022. He also ended the afternoon with one reception for 13 yards.

Jonathan Murphy tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns in the contest. The quarterback finished with 66 rushing yards on 16 carries. Murphy also went 5-of-13 though the air with 112 passing yards and one touchdown.

Other offensive notables were Preston Daniels who added 71 rushing yards and a 19-yard touchdown catch and Yesiah Clemons who finished with a career-high 64 rushing yards on eight attempts.

Defensively, the Owls were led by William Jenkins who recorded a career-high eight tackles (four solo) and freshman Joe Williams who posted six tackles (two solo) in his first career start.

Carlos Allen registered the only sack of the afternoon for the Kennesaw State defense which resulted in a nine-yard loss. Allen finished with two tackles (one solo).

Late in the third quarter, Connor Cummins blasted a KSU record 50-yard field goal. His kick broke a previous record of 48 yards set last season by Nathan Robertson at Robert Morris (Nov. 6, 2021). Cummins ended the afternoon with eight points kicking.  

Eastern Kentucky scored on the first offensive play of the game with an 80-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Higgins. However, the Colonels missed a PAT to hold the score at 6-0.

KSU answered and took the lead six plays later. Murphy kept the ball on the option and ran 35 yards to the back of the end zone for his longest rush of the season. Cummins converted the PAT to give KSU an early 7-6 advantage.

On the ensuing drive, the Colonels threated in the red zone but the Kennesaw State defense stood strong and held its opponent to a field goal.

Down 9-7, Murphy instrumented a 10-play scoring drive as he marched the Owls 87 yards down field to retake the lead. With the ball on the EKU seven-yard line, the quarterback juked around multiple defenders before lunging inside the pylon. The touchdown was Murphy's second of the afternoon and gave KSU a 14-9 lead.

Eastern Kentucky scored 21 unanswered points and held a 30-14 lead midway through the third quarter.

The offense was able to pull within striking distance when Foster exploded down the right side of the field for a 43-yard touchdown run. The rushing score was the 10th of Foster's career and pulled the game to 30-21 in favor of EKU.

The Kennesaw State defense forced a punt on Eastern Kentucky's next drive that gave KSU the ball on its own 10.

The offense followed by grinding out a seven-play drive to pull the score within six. Cummins nailed a KSU record 50-yard field goal to cut the deficit, 30-24.

An EKU touchdown pass extended the Colonels' lead to 14, but Murphy and the offense would not go quietly. On the eighth play of the drive, the quarterback found Preston Daniels streaking down the middle of the field for a 19-yard touchdown catch. The receiving score was the first of Daniels' KSU career and pulled the Owls within seven, 38-31.

The back-and-forth continued with EKU scoring on a 65-yard passing touchdown, but the Owls responded with another score of their own. Murphy dove into the end zone from three yards out for his third rushing score of the afternoon, moving the score to 45-38.

KSU's defense forced a punt to give the offense the ball back with 3:57 remaining in the game. The Owls drove 48 yards before turning the ball over on downs to end the contest.
 
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