By: Austin Williams
The Kennesaw State Owls are back on the road for another Conference USA matchup against the Miners of UTEP, set for Saturday, Nov. 9 at 4:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Scroll below for what to watch for during today's contest.
Owls Rushing Game Keeps Rolling
The Owls' running attack has become more consistent as the season continues, as they have earned more than 130 rushing yards in each of their past four games. Redshirt senior Michael Benefield has come on strong down the stretch of the season and now leads the Owls in rush yards with 394 and a 37-yard rushing touchdown against Western Kentucky last week. Redshirt sophomore Qua Ashley is the lightning to Benefield's thunderous running style, and both have brought great qualities to this Owl running game. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Davis Bryson has also utilized his scrambling ability in the past two games for the Owls by earning a 20-yard rushing touchdown against the Hilltoppers late in the fourth quarter and a clutch 15-yard scramble that helped seal a win against the Liberty Flames.
The UTEP Miners' rushing defense is in the middle of the road in CUSA and is currently ranked sixth in the conference. They give up an average of 177.7 rushing yards per game, have 18 rushing touchdowns against them this season and allow an average of 4.4 yards per carry. It is vital for the Owl offense to continue its consistent rushing attack and find ways to put pressure on the Miners defense.
Uncertainty Opens Opportunity for Owls
The UTEP offense ranks eighth in total offense in CUSA and has rotated through multiple quarterbacks this season. The Owl defense has seemingly become more aggressive as the season continues, as the Owls have earned seven sacks and 23 tackles for loss in their past four games. While UTEP does have an impressive running back in Jevon Jackson, who has 582 rushing yards and averages 4.3 yards rushing, the Owls have an opportunity to make the Miner offense one-dimensional. The Owl rushing defense ranks fifth in the conference. If they can force UTEP into uncomfortable passing situations by controlling the line of scrimmage, KSU can cause some havoc for the Miner quarterback.
Ball Control and Time of Possession
The Owl offense ranks fourth in CUSA in time of possession, averaging a little over 30 minutes of ball control a game. This bodes well for a heavy ground attack that the KSU offense utilizes and will need in its repertoire to keep the UTEP offense waiting on the sideline. The Miners rank eighth in time of possession, averaging 27 minutes of ball control a game, and this will most likely be what the game will come down to.
This matchup will be decided by time of possession, field position and defense. The Owls are in a good position to lean on their running attack and control the time of possession. KSU still has the statistically best punter in CUSA in redshirt freshman Jacob Ulrich, who can pin the Miner offense in uncomfortable situations. If the Owls can control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and keep UTEP out of KSU territory, they have a good shot at earning another win in their inaugural FBS season.
