KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State football remained perfect at home, outlasting Middle Tennessee for its third-straight win and Conference USA lid-lifter, 24-16, on Saturday night at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium.
The Owls (3-2, 1-0 CUSA) once again jumped out to an early 21-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring their first two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the game.
The first touchdown connection came on a double pass that had wideout Christian Moss throw to tight end Gerard Bullock Jr. for a 13-yard touchdown. KSU followed that up just four minutes later with a 53-yard pass from quarterback Amari Odom to Chase Belcher.
The Blue Raiders (1-4, 0-1 CUSA) would get on the board on a 34-yard field goal with 3:43 left in the first quarter.
But that proved to be just enough time for Kennesaw State to reach paydirt again, this time on a foot-dragging 29-yard catch by Gabriel Benyard in the back of the endzone from Odom.
In addition to his two touchdown passes, Odom finished 11-of-17 for 162 yards on the night. Benyard hauled in a team-best four passes for 41 yards, while running back Coleman Bennett rolled up 101 yards on the ground in just 12 carries (8.4 yards per carry) – his first 100-yard rushing effort with the Owls.
The rest of the game would be a defensive battle as Middle Tennessee would hold possession of the ball for a whopping 28:52 over the final three quarters.
But the defense never broke, only bent, yielding just two touchdowns (one in the second quarter and one in the fourth) in those nearly 30 minutes of action.
Included in the effort, the Owls forced two key turnovers – a first-quarter fumble that was forced by Marcus Patterson and recovered by Tylon Dunlap and a drive-stopping interception at the 1-yard line in the second quarter by Five Hamilton.
Also huge in the effort was the play of defensive back Caleb Offord, who finished with three pass breakups – none more important than the two he had on the final drive of MTSU.
Baron Hopson once again led the way with 11 tackles, while Alexander Ford and Garland Benyard finished with six apiece. Offord finished with five on the night, while Patterson, Donovan Westmoreland, Hamilton and Milon Jones all totaled four stops on the night.
Kennesaw State football will now enter its bye week before returning for the four-game homestand finale on Thursday, Oct. 9 against Louisiana Tech. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU and the KSU Owls App.
Postgame Notes
Team Notes
- Kennesaw State improves to 3-2 on the season
- Kennesaw State improves to 1-0 in Conference USA play.
- Kennesaw State wins its third-straight game – its first three-game winning streak since 2022 (Oct. 22-Nov. 5).
- Kennesaw State improves to 3-0 at home this season.
- Kennesaw State moves to 49-13 all-time inside Fifth Third Stadium.
- Kennesaw State moves to 19-8 all-time against conference foes inside Fifth Third Stadium.
- Kennesaw State moves to 1-1 against Middle Tennessee.
- Kennesaw State poured in 21 first quarter points for the second-straight game. It tied the program record for most points in a single quarter in a conference game and was the first time since April 3, 2021 (vs. Robert Morris).
- After a three-game drought, Kennesaw State has now forced three turnovers in two games, forcing a fumble and hauling in an interception on the night.
- Kennesaw State's three passing touchdowns were its most in a game since Nov. 6, 2021at Robert Morris.
- Kennesaw State improved to 22-2 all-time when an Owl quarterback throws for multiple touchdowns.
- Saturday marked the first game since Aug. 31, 2019 (vs. Point) when multiple Owls threw a passing touchdown.
- Kennesaw State's 74 tackles set a new program record for a conference game, surpassing the previous mark of 72 at Campbell (Nov. 9, 2019)
Individual Notes
- R-So. QB Amari Odom tied his career high with two passing touchdowns on the night (prev. 2 at Richmond, Sept. 7, 2024*)
- R-Jr. DL Marcus Patterson forced his first fumble of his career on MTSU's first drive of the game, getting recovered by r-Sr. DL Tylon Dunlap – the third of his career and second of the season.
- R-Sr. WR Christian Moss became the first Owl in program history to throw and catch a touchdown pass in their career when he completed the double-pass from 13 yards out to Gr. TE Gerard Bullock Jr. in the first quarter.
- Sr. RB Chase Belcher hauled in his first touchdown reception as an Owl and third of his career on a 53-yard pass from Odom in the first quarter.
- R-Sr. WR Gabriel Benyard hauled in his third touchdown reception of the season and 11th of his career on a 29-yard pass from Odom in the first quarter.
- Benyard became just the third player in program history to eclipse 3,000 career all-purpose yards, adding 71 Saturday for a career total of 3,038.
- R-So. DB Five Hamilton stopped a touchdown late in the first half, hauling in his second career interception on the 1-yard line.
- R-Sr. LB Baron Hopson was credited with 11 tackles against the Blue Raiders. He became the first Owl to collect at least 10 in back-to-back games since Donelius Johnson last season (14 last week vs. Arkansas State)
- Fr. WR Clayton Coppock hauled in the first two catches of his career, amassing 19 yards.
- R-Sr. RB Coleman Bennett rushed for 101 yards against the Blue Raiders, his first triple-digit game in an Owl uniform. It's the 60th 100-yard rushing game in KSU history.
Multimedia
Postgame Press Conference (Coach Mack, Five Hamilton, Coleman Bennett)
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