KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State football outdueled Delaware, 42-40, in a Saturday afternoon thriller that featured eight lead changes at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium.
The Owls (3-6, 2-3 Conference USA) set the tone early, as reigning CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week Davis Bryson ran the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown.
The Fightin' Blue Hens (4-5, 2-3 CUSA) responded with the next two scores, rattling off a 14-play, 75-play, 7-minute march to a touchdown before a 7-yard interception return made it 15-6.
But no stranger to adversity all season, KSU didn't blink, as the Owls used a 19-yard rush by Boogie Woods III and a 26-yard pass from Rickie Collins to Dylan Gary to setup a Collins 8-yard scamper to make it 15-13.
The defense forced a six-play punt and Brayden Munroe's 26-yard return set up great midfield positioning and the Owls only needed five plays to find the endzone on a 26-yard escape by Woods for his first touchdown of the day and a Kennesaw State lead, 20-15.
The Blue Hens punched back with a touchdown drive of their own before KSU would cap a 15-play, 65-yard drive with a 28-yard field goal from Daniel Kinney.
The KSU defense once again stood tall following a score as Delaware turned the ball over on downs on an incomplete pass on a fourth-and-5 from the KSU 32-yard line. Delaware would complete only two of their five fourth-down attempts on the night.
Entering for an injured Collins, Landon Varnes took the reins after the first quarter and with 1:37 left in the half, led the Owls down the field, thanks largely to a 22-yard pass to Munroe, that finished with Woods finding the endzone on a 1-yard run up the gut for his second rushing touchdown of the day.
Woods has now had two rushing touchdowns in back-to-back games. In his last two games, Woods has 157 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns.
Delaware kicked a buzzer-beating field goal as KSU held a 30-25 lead at the half.
The Blue Hens then got the ball to start the second half, needing just five plays to go 75 yards and take only a one-point lead thanks a failed two-point conversion.
Kinney once again was sure-footed for the Owls on the next drive to retake the lead 33-31 on a 29-yard field goal.
The next lead change came on a 36-yard field goal of Delaware's own with 1:04 left in the third quarter. Kennesaw State's defense would keep them off the scoreboard for the next 15 minutes and 40 seconds.
The Owls offense would capitalize as Varnes found a streaking Reed Jesiolowski down the field on a 63-yard connection to take a 39-34 lead.
Kinney would then connect on the next KSU drive on his third field goal of the night – this one a key 35-yarder – to make it an eight-point game with eight and a half minutes to go.
The two teams traded blows but neither one made much headway until Delaware put together a two-minute drive that found the endzone on a 17-yard pass.
Still needing to convert on a two-point try (having unsuccessfully attempted two previous ones), Delaware quarterback Nick Minicucci was chased out of the pocket by Baron Hopson to his right where his throw on the run was incomplete and the victory was sealed for the Owls.
Varnes finished 19-of-37 for 254 passing yards and a touchdown. Woods led the ground attack with 90 rushing yards and two scores.
Dylan Gary led all KSU receivers with 92 yards, while Jesiolowski tallied 77 yards and Bryson finished with 69 yards.
Bryson finished with a whopping 232 all-purpose yards on the night.
Defensively, Isaac Paul finished with a career-high 10 tackles on the night. Tywon Christopher, Tay'vion Lawson and Baron Hopson all had seven tackles apiece, with Christopher finishing with his first sack of the season.
Jaiden Grimes also finished with three tackles, a 7-yard solo sack and a forced fumble to go along with a gaudy five quarterback hurries.
In total the KSU Defense amassed 11 quarterback hurries, a season-high 3.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss for the game.
Kennesaw State looks to keep the momentum going, heading back on the road to take on Sam Houston on Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and the KSU Owl Network.
Postgame Notes
Team Notes
- Kennesaw State wins its second-straight game.
- Kennesaw State ups its record to 2-3 in Conference USA play.
- Kennesaw State ups its overall record to 3-6.
- Kennesaw State improves to 15-5 (.750) in one possession games at home since 2015 – good for fifth in Division I (FBS/FCS).
- Kennesaw State improves to 11-4 against CUSA foes under head coach Jerry Mack.
- Kennesaw State improves to 1-0 against Delaware all-time.
- Kennesaw State snaps a three-game home losing streak.
- Kennesaw State improves to 8-3 at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium under Mack.
- Kennesaw State captures its 13th victory in 23 games under Mack.
- Kennesaw State returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, marking the first kick return TD since 2024 (vs. UTEP).
- The return marked the second-longest in program history and the longest since Qua Ashley's 97-yard scamper against UTEP in 2024.
- The Owls scored non-offensive touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time since 2024 (Pick-six vs. UT Martin, Kickoff Return TD vs. Jax State).
- Kennesaw State totaled 30 points on 261 yards of offense in the first half, marking the program's most first-half points in its FBS era.
- KSU tallied three rushes of 19+ yards, doing so for the first time this season.
- Kennesaw State finished with a season-high 309 passing yards.
Individual Notes
- Fresh off a Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honor, r-Sr. Davis Bryson returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, the first since Qua Ashley's house call against UTEP in 2024.
- Bryson finished with a career-high seven receptions, 69 receiving yards and a whopping 232 all-purpose yards thanks to a career-high 164 kickoff return yards.
- r-Jr. QB Rickie Collins cashed in his sixth rushing touchdown of the season on an 8-yard scramble with 2:35 left in the first quarter.
- r-So. RB Boogie Woods III found paydirt twice on a 26-yard gash up the middle and again from 1-yard out on fourth down. He finished with 90 rushing on the night.
- Woods has now had two rushing touchdowns in back to back games, marking the first time an Owl has accomplished the feat since Michael Benefield in 2023 (Nov. 4 and Nov. 11).
- Fr. OLB Zay Wilson recorded his first career sack, assisting r-Sr. DL Ugonna Nwoha on a sack late in the second quarter.
- Jr. DL Jaiden Grimes recorded his first sack of the season on a 7-yard loss in the third quarter.
- Jr. TE Reed Jesiolowski hauled in a career-long 63-yard pass from Jr. QB Landon Varnes for his first career touchdown catch.
- The touchdown pass was the first of Varnes' Division I career. Varnes finished 19-of-37 for 254 yards and a passing TD.
- Grimes (1.0), r-Jr. DL Ugonna Nwoha (0.5), Fr. DL Zay Wilson (0.5) and r-So. LB Tywon Christopher (1.0) combined for three sacks against Delaware.
- Wilson finished with a career-high four tackles (three solo) and a QB hurry.
- r-Jr. DB Isaac Paul finished with a career-high 10 tackles including eight solo tackles.
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