JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Despite 579 yards of offense, Kennesaw State football fell in a heavyweight Conference USA battle against Jax State, 35-26, on Saturday night at AmFirst Stadium.
The Owls' (7-3, 5-1 CUSA) 579 yards of offense were their most against an FBS opponent in program history as well as their most overall since 2021. The production also marked the most the Gamecocks (7-3, 6-0 CUSA) had relinquished since 2022.
With 32 first downs and 90 offensive plays total, KSU moved the ball efficiently, but four turnovers and ill-timed penalties proved too much to overcome in the affair.
Quarterback
Amari Odom got the Owls on the scoreboard first, capping a 14-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard scamper. Kicker
Daniel Kinney would add the next six points with field goals from 43 and 25 yards out.
Quarterback
Dexter Williams II entered the game in the fourth quarter and powered KSU to 14 points under eight minutes with a 10-yard, toe-tapping touchdown catch from true freshman
Clayton Coppock and a 9-yard rush from Williams himself to climb within six points, 32-26.
Jax State converted a 27-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining in the game to cement the result.
Overall, the Owls got a well-balanced ground attack from
Chase Belcher (62 rushing yards), Odom (51) and
Coleman Bennett (47) as KSU finished with 217 rushing yards on the night.
Odom finished 19-of-31 for 248 passing yards with three interceptions. Williams finished 8-of-13 for 114 yards and one interception.
Gabriel Benyard led the way with 100 receiving yards on the night – his third 100-yard game of the season – en route to breaking the single-season receiving yards record for Kennesaw State (set in 2017 by Justin Sumpter).
Christian Moss finished with 72 receiving yards on four catches while Coppock tallied 48 to lead a receiving corps. that hauled in 362 receiving yards for the game.
Defensively,
Baron Hopson led the way with his seventh double-digit tackling game this season, finishing with 10 total to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss.
Tywon Christopher continues to shine late this season, making nine stops with a TFL as well.
Rounding out the top defensive performances were
Isaac Paul (six tackles) and
Adam Watkins (five).
The Owls return for their home finale and Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 22 against Missouri State at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Postgame Notes
Team Notes
- Kennesaw State dropped to 7-3 on the season and 5-1 in Conference USA play.
- Kennesaw State had its win streak – the longest in Group of Six – snapped at seven and CUSA win streak snapped at five.
- Kennesaw State suffered its first loss in 70 days (first since a 56-9 defeat at then-No. 23/21 Indiana on Sept. 6, 2025).
- Kennesaw State suffered its first Conference USA loss in 350 days (first since a 35-0 defeat at LA Tech on Nov. 30, 2024).
- Kennesaw State moves to 3-3 all-time against Jax State.
- Kennesaw State outgained Jax State, 579-463, on the night.
- The 579 yards of offense are Kennesaw State's most-ever against an FBS opponent (prev. 498 vs. FIU – Oct. 21, 2025) and the most against any opponent since Monmouth – Nov. 20, 2021).
- The 579 yards of offense were the most recorded against Jax State since 2022 (621 yards by Tulsa on Sept. 17).
- The 5-minute, 13-second drive (14 plays) opening drive was the longest opening scoring drive score for the Owls this season.
Individual Notes
- With his third reception in the second quarter, r-Sr. WR Gabriel Benyard set the single-season program record for most receiving yards (668) (prev. 610 yards, Justin Sumpter – 2017).
- Benyard finished with five catches for 100 yards – his third 100-yard game on the year, making him the lone CUSA receiver to cross the century mark three times.
- With a 10-yard completion to Coleman Bennett, in the third quarter, r-So. QB Amari Odom set the single-season passing record, finishing the night with 1,512 (prev. 1,495, Davis Bryson – 2024).
- Fr. WR Clayton Coppock had a career day with 61 total yards on a career-high five receptions and a career-high four carries, also catching a touchdown in his second-straight game.
- R-Sr. LB Baron Hopson had his seventh game of the season with 10+ tackles, also adding 1.5 tackles for loss. Hopson is tied for second nationally for most games with 10+ tackles.
- R-Fr. LB Tywon Christopher tied a career-high with 1.0 tackles for loss, his third game out of the past four with a tackle for loss.
