Top Storylines:
• Kennesaw State football returns to Jacksonville for a rematch of what was one of the top conference games in the country in 2025, taking on Jax State on Friday, Dec. 5 in the 2025 Air National Guard CUSA Football Championship.
• Earning a berth last week, Kennesaw State is looking to capture its fourth conference championship all-time, first Conference USA title and first conference championship overall since 2021 (Big South).
• The Owls earn a spot in the CUSA Championship Game after they won a thrilling, double-overtime game on the road at Liberty. KSU found the endzone twice in overtime before the defense extinguished the Flames in the final drive.
• Separated by only 86 miles, Friday night marks the seventh all-time meeting between the two programs and the second this season.
• The Gamecocks got the upper hand in the first matchup, falling in a high-scoring affair, 35-26, on Nov. 15.
• One-score games are no stranger to the Cardiac Owls, as Kennesaw State has won five one-possession games this season, tied for most in FBS this year.
• In eight conference games, the Owls lead the league in scoring (34.5) and are tied for second in points allowed (25.1).
• Kennesaw State continues to be a force in the trenches, leading Conference USA in team sacks (2.42/game), while ranking second in team tackles for loss 6.6/game), as well as sacks allowed (1.42/game).
• Continuing his CUSA Defensive Player of the Year campaign, r-Sr. LB Baron Hopson earned CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors after setting the program record in solo tackles (12), career-high in total tackles (16) and setting the program record with 120 tackles on the season.
• Also receiving recognition last week was r-Sr. OL JT Pennington, who hauled in his league-leading third CUSA Offensive Lineman of the Week honor. In 71 total snaps and 33 pass blocking, he didn’t allow a sack, hit or hurry.
• r-Sr. WR Gabriel Benyard had a sensational month of November, combining for six touchdown catches and six rushing attempts. The last player to reach those marks in a single calendar month was Ole Miss’ Elijah Moore in October 2020. The last CUSA player all-time to do it was Rice’s James Casey in November 2008.
