KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State football jumped out with a 16-play, 74-yard touchdown drive to open the game, but was constrained to just 130 yards the rest of the way, falling 34-10 to Louisiana on Saturday night at Fifth Third Stadium.
 
In just their 10th loss at home in program history, the Owls (0-2) came out of the gate with a rushing touchdown from 3 yards out for redshirt senior Preston Daniels – his eighth of his career.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) responded with a 7-plus-minute scoring drive of their own that ended with a field goal in the second quarter.
 
The pivotal moment came at the end of the first half when Louisiana was able to score 17 points in the final six minutes, which was aided by a blocked punt. Kennesaw State would counter UL's two touchdowns in the third quarter with a 30-yard field goal by redshirt junior Austin Welch (improving to 4-for-4 on the season), as the game fell out of reach.
 
Offensively, redshirt junior Tykeem Wallace and redshirt senior Michael Benefield led the way. Wallace hauled in two passes for 34 yards, while Benefield took nine carries for 31 yards on the ground.
 
Defensively, four Owls tied the team lead with six tackles on the game – redshirt junior Sidney Porter, redshirt sophomore Jayven Williams, redshirt freshman JeRico Washington, Jr., and redshirt freshman Isaac Paul.
 
Kennesaw State will head back on the road before getting its first bye week of the 2024 season. The Owls will fly 2,100 miles to take on San Jose State on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on TruTV, streamed on Max and always available on the KSU Owl Network.   

Postgame Notes 

Team Notes 

• Kennesaw State set its all-time attendance record at 11,040 inside Fifth Third Stadium. 

• Kennesaw State's first drive of the game was a 16-play, 74-yard march that took 8:32 off the clock. It marks the first time the Owls have scored on an opening possession in the first two games of a season since 2019. 

• Kennesaw State's 16-play drive was its longest scoring drive since Oct. 22, 2022 against Tennessee Tech (17 plays). 

• Kennesaw State fell to 0-2 for just the fourth time in 10 seasons. 

• Kennesaw State moved to 8-2 in home openers in program history, dropping its first home-opener since 2016 and snapping a seven-game win streak in home-openers. 

• Kennesaw State dropped to 44-10 at home and 28-5 against non-conference foes at Fifth Third Stadium.

• Kennesaw State moved to 0-2 against opponents from the Sun Belt Conference. 

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Individual Notes 

• R-Sr. TE Preston Daniels scored the opening touchdown on a 3-yard rush, giving him eight career rushing touchdowns. 

• R-So. WR Destun Thomas hauled in a 19-yard pass in the first quarter, marking his first collegiate reception of his career.

Multimedia 

Postgame Press Conference (Coach Bohannon, Sidney Porter, Preston Daniels)