KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State football jumped out to a 21-0 lead and withstood a late push to thump Arkansas State, 28-21, on Saturday night at Fifth Third Stadium at Walens Family Field.
Igniting the Owls' (2-2) offensive explosion was quarterback Amari Odom, who set a plethora of records en route to 409 yards of total offense and two touchdowns responsible for.
His first strike came on a 54-yard connection to wideout Gabriel Benyard in the first quarter, before handing the ball off the Alexander Diggs, who scurried in from 7 yards out just four minutes later.
Still in the first quarter, Odom capped an eight-play, 82-yard march with a 14-yard rush of his own to make it 21-0 after one.
The Kennesaw State defense was incredibly stout against the Red Wolves (1-3). Until the final two drives of the first half, the Owls had suffocated Arkansas State to the tune of just 70 yards of offense.
ASU would break through on the scoreboard with two seconds remaining in the half.
After intermission, KSU withstood another touchdown from the Red Wolves, but then responded with running back Coleman Bennett's second rushing touchdown of the season – a 10-yard punch in the third quarter.
Arkansas State would score one more time, but the Owls' defense forced two critical three-and-outs late to secure the win.
Defensively, KSU was led by linebacker Baron Hopson, who turned in a career-high 14 tackles, followed by linebacker Garland Benyard and defensive lineman Donovan Westmoreland, who both finished with six tackles.
Defensive back Caleb Offord also forced his first career fumble, which was recovered by defensive lineman Tylon Dunlap.
On the offensive side, the Owls were unstoppable at times. Behind Odom's 308 passing yards, eight KSU receivers caught passes on the night.
Gabriel Benyard earned his program-record-breaking fourth 100-yard receiving game with 114 yards on six catches. Christian Moss also hauled in six catches for a career-high 84 receiving yards
On the ground, the Owls rushed for 189 yards total behind 101 from Odom, 52 from Bennett, 32 from Diggs and 14 more from Chase Belcher.
The Owls remain at home when they begin Conference USA play on Saturday, Sept. 27 against Middle Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the KSU Owls app. Tickets can be purchased at KSUOwls.com/tickets.
Postgame Notes
Team Notes
- Kennesaw State improves to 2-2.
- Kennesaw State improves to .500 or better for the first time since 2023 (1-0).
- Kennesaw State improves to .500 or better through the first four games of the season for the first time since 2021 (3-1).
- Kennesaw State improves to 48-13 inside Fifth Third Stadium at Walens Family Field.
- Kennesaw State improves to 30-6 against non-conference foes inside Fifth Third Stadium.
- Kennesaw State moves to 1-2 against Sun Belt Conference teams.
- Kennesaw State moves to 1-0 against Arkansas State.
- Kennesaw State's 21 points in the first quarter is its most since Nov. 11, 2023 (21 vs. Virginia-Lynchburg).
- The 21-point first quarter is KSU's most against a Division I opponent since April 3, 2020 (21 vs. Robert Morris).
- Kennesaw State forced its first turnover of the 2025 season on a forced fumble in the second quarter. It snapped a three-game turnover draught for the Owls.
- Kennesaw State had three players rush for a touchdown for the first time since Oct. 22, 2022 (3 vs. Tennessee Tech).
- Kennesaw State's 30 first downs are its most in a game since Oct. 6, 2018 vs. Presbyterian.
- Kennesaw State's set a new program record with 17 passing first downs Saturday, breaking the previous mark of 11 (Sept. 24, 2016 at Duquesne).
Individual Notes
- R-Sr. WR Gabriel Benyard hauled in his second TD reception of the season and the 10th touchdown reception of his career on a 54-yard connection on the first drive of the game from r-So. QB Amari Odom.
- Odom also broke the Kennesaw State single-game record for completions with 25, achieving the benchmark on the opening drive of the second half. He tied the mark in the first half alone with 17 (three times, last by Davis Bryson vs. FIU in 2024).
- Odom broke the Kennesaw State single-game total offense mark with 409 combined yards (308 passing, 101 rushing), surpassing the previous mark of 371 (Jonathan Murphy vs. Furman –Sept. 16, 2023)
- The 54-yard strike was the longest TD pass for the Owls against a Division I opponent since 2022 (Nov. 5 vs. UT Martin – 61 yards from Xavier Shephard to Blake Bohannon).
- The 54-yard touchdown is the longest TD pass for the Owls since 2023 (Aug. 31 vs. Tusculum – 55 yards from Jonathan Murphy to Blake Bohannon).
- Odom also tied the single-game passing yards mark of 308 set by Jonathan Murphy vs. Furman in 2023. He became the second Owl to eclipse 300 passing yards in a game.
- Finishing with 101 yards rushing, Odom also became just the 15th Owl all-time and first since 2022 to throw for 100+ yards and rush for 100+ yards in a single-game (Xavier Shephard – Oct. 22, 2022). He surpassed his previous career high for rushing yards in the first quarter (prev. 22 vs. Merrimack – Sept. 13, 2025)
- Gabriel Benyard collected 114 receiving yards Saturday, marking his KSU program-record fourth game with at least 100 receiving yards – breaking a tie with Justin Sumpter (2015-18).
- Benyard also tallied 56 punt return yards, the most in a game by an Owl since he did it against Charleston Southern on Oct. 29, 2022 (117).
- r-Sr. WR Christian Moss also hauled in a career-high 84 receiving yards on six catches (prev. 68 vs. Merrimack - Sept. 13, 2025).
- R-Jr. RB Alexander Diggs scored the second touchdown of his career on a 7-yard scamper to the right side in the first quarter. It's his first rushing TD since Oct. 28, 2023 (Lincoln (CA)).
- R-Sr. RB Coleman Bennett scored his second rushing touchdown of the season and the 10th of his career on a 10-yard escape in the third quarter.
- R-Sr. DB Caleb Offord forced the first fumble of his career in the second quarter and was recovered by teammate r-Sr. DL Tylon Dunlap – his first career recovery.
- R-Sr. LB Baron Hopson broke his career high with team-high 14 tackles on the night (prev. 13 vs. UTSA – Aug. 31, 2024).
- R-So. DL Donovan Westmoreland broke his career high with six tackles (prev. 5 at Wake Forest – Aug. 29, 2025).
Multimedia
Postgame Press Conference (Coach Mack, Amari Odom, Baron Hopson)
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