Kennesaw State University Athletics

Kennesaw State Football: The Best Start-Up in College Football History

February 13, 2013 - The Beginning

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved Kennesaw State University's request to begin an NCAA Division I football program. The decision came after KSU completed a six-year process of studies, student voting and fundraising with the goal of creating Kennesaw State football.

KSU athletics held a press conference the following day with the official announcement.

March 24, 2013 - We Got Our Guy

Kennesaw State was proud to announce Georgia Tech assistant coach Brian Bohannon as the first head coach in program history. "Let me start by saying how excited I am to be the first-ever Kennesaw State head football coach," Bohannon said. “Kennesaw State is a special place with a great student body, administration and faculty, and I am just excited about the opportunity." More info

February 5, 2014 - The First Signee

In a beginning of firsts for Kennesaw State football, the Owls inked their first recruiting class - led by quarterback Chandler Burks from South Paulding High School. KSU signed 29 to the roster that included 14 all-state selections. More info

January 28, 2015 - The First Schedule

After adding Shorter University to the 2015 slate, Kennesaw State football completed its first full schedule in team history. KSU would begin its football program inside the Big South Conference. The inaugural season was set to begin on Sept. 3 in Johnson City, Tenn. against East Tennessee State. More info

September 3, 2015 - The First Game, The First Win

In front of a strong contingent of traveling KSU fans, the Black and Gold went on the road at ETSU and delivered a decisive 56-16 win over the Buccaneers. Game Recap

September 12, 2015 - Welcome to Fifth Third Stadium

In front of a sold-out crowd at Fifth Third Stadium, Kennesaw State football ushered in a decade of home dominance in earnest, defeating Edward Waters 58-7. KSU went 5-1 inside its friendly confines in the inauagural campaign. Game Recap

Fall 2017 - Turnover Plank

After two winning seasons in 2015 and 2016, Kennesaw State football was on the rise. The team received national recognition for the emergence of ‘Turnover Plank.' Owl student-athlete Tanner Jones introduced the now-KSU (and national) treasure to the team during the 2017 season, where it was adopted as a reward for KSU players that forced a turnover in games. Hero Sports placed ‘Plank’ on its list of top FCS traditions shortly thereafter.

October 30, 2017 - Week 1 of 62

In the 2017 week nine FCS Coaches and STATS FCS polls, Kennesaw State broke into the top 25 for just the second time in the program's three-season history. Beginning at No. 25, the Owls would start a remarkable streak of making 62 consecutive top 25 polls including 1,784 days and 54 games. In its first 98 weeks as a program, KSU was featured in 65 percent of the polls.

November 18, 2017 - Champions.

Following a 9-1 start to the 2017 season including an undefeated conference record, Kennesaw State rolled into Fifth Third Stadium to face Monmouth with the Big South Championship on the line. The Black and Gold rose to the occasion and routed the Hawks, 52-21, for the team's first conference title in just three years of existence. Game Recap

2017 FCS Playoffs - Winning and Advancing

KSU made its mark in its first FCS postseason game, toppling #14 Wofford, 28-17. But what the Owls did next was even more impressive. On Dec. 2, 2017, Kennesaw State football was officially placed on the map after defeating #3 Jacksonville State on the road, 17-7. The Owls became the first team in the history of the FCS playoffs to advance to the third round of the tournament within three years of existence. Samford Game Recap | JSU Game Recap

November 10, 2018 -Back to Back

It's tough to win one conference title. It's even tougher to win two, much less back-to-back. But Kennesaw State did just that in 2018 - capturing its second Big South crown in just four seasons of competition by routing Monmouth, 51-14, on the road. The Owls did not surrend a conference game in 2018 and went back to the FCS playoffs where they defeated Wofford once again, 13-10. 2018 Big South Title Recap | Wofford Game Recap

November 17, 2018 - Game of the Year

Not forgotten in the 2018 season - or anytime soon, for that matter - was Kennesaw State football's slugfest against familiar foe Jacksonville State. But this time, inside the home of the Atlanta Braves: Truist (then: SunTrust) Park. The FIVE-OVERTIME battle saw over 900 combined yards of offense but the Owls came out victorious, 60-52, following a Bryson Armstrong interception that sealed the victory. It was later named the 2018 FCS Game of the Year. Game Recap

2019 - Back to the Postseason

A third-straight 11-win season was in store for Kennesaw State in 2019 and secured the Owls' third-straight trip to the FCS playoffs. KSU slated to face a team it had played the past two FCS playoffs in Wofford, but this time on the road. The Owls rose to the occasion once again and defeated the Terriers, 28-21. With the win, the Owls secured their fourth postseason victory in just five seasons. Game Recap

2019 - Simply the Best

Kennesaw State's 2019 postseason victory at Wofford solidified the Black and Gold as the ‘Best Startup in College Football History,’ having won 48 games in its first five seasons of competition. KSU football is the ONLY college football program in NCAA Division I history to have three-consecutive 11-win seasons in its first five years of competition.

November 20, 2021 - Leaving on Top

Prior to the fall 2021 season, it was announced that Kennesaw State football would be leaving the Big South to join the Atlantic Sun Conference for football, aligning with the other sponsored KSU teams. The message from Coach Bohannon was simple: to leave the Big South the right way. The team did just that, boasting a 10-1 record and 7-0 in conference games, including a familiar rout of Monmouth, 49-17, to capture the conference crown on their way out the door. KSU went on to defeat Davidson, 48-21, in the first round of the FCS postseason. 2021 Big South Title Recap | Davidson Game Recap

October 22, 2022 - Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)

In the midst of their first season in the Atlantic Sun Conference for football, Kennesaw State athletics announced a move to Conference USA and NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision on Oct. 22, 2022. The move would go into effect on July 1, 2024 where KSU football would prepare for its first FBS schedule in just its 10th season of compeition. The Owls are set to become the 10th full member of the conference. More info

April 29, 2023 - The First NFL Draft Pick

With the opening pick in the seventh round of the 2023 National Football League Draft, the Chicago Bears selected KSU defensive lineman Travis Bell. With the selection, Bell became the first Kennesaw State Owl to be taken in the annual draft. More info

Fall 2023 - Setting the Standard

In its final season as an FCS program, Kennesaw State sought to raise the bar in several areas in 2023 and did just that: setting not one but TWO attendance records inside Fifth Third Stadium during the fall. For Homecoming against Tennessee State on Oct. 7, the Owls hosted 10,436 fans - breaking the previous mark of 10,108 for the season opener vs. Tusculum.

October 6, 2023 - Enhancing The Nest

Kennesaw State launches the public phase of $200 million fundraising campaign. It includes a new 44,000-square-foot operations center near the stadium that will provide players and coaches with a state-of-the-art facility to prepare for the next level of competition in Conference USA. More info

February 7, 2024 - The Best Class

The Owls began 2024 on fire with the completion of the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history. 23 players in total were inked to the roster including the program's first four-star and a team-record nine three-stars. More info

August 31, 2024 - The Next Chapter

Kennesaw State kicked off its FBS era inside the Alamodome against UTSA.

September 7, 2024 - The First FBS Home Game

For the first time ever, KSU football welcomed an FBS team to Fifth Third Stadium when it hosted the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.

October 4, 2024 - Welcome to Conference USA

The Owls hosted Jax State for their first CUSA contest and the first nationally-televised game in the history of Fifth Third Stadium on CBS Sports Network.

October 23, 2024 - A Stunner at Fifth Third Stadium

Facing an unbeaten team with College Football Playoff aspirations, Kennesaw State shocked the college football world and defeated Liberty, 27-24, at Fifth Third Stadium. The win gained national recongition and marked the program's first victory over an FBS team.

December 1, 2024 - Jerry Mack Named Head Coach

Former Jacksonville Jaguars running backs coach Jerry Mack was named the second head coach in the history of Kennesaw State football as the program embarked on a new chapter.

2025 - A New Era

Season tickets are available for the 2025 season by calling 470-578-OWLS or emailing Shawn Betz at sbetz1@kennesaw.edu.