By Don Stone, KennesawStateSports.com, FootballAtlanta.com
Kennesaw State ended its long nightmare away from home Tuesday night, pounding FIU 45-26 at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in Miami to break a 13-game road losing streak and stay in a tie for first place in Conference USA with Jax State.
The Owls (5-2, 3-0 C-USA) dominated both sides of the ball, piling up 498 yards of offense and scoring touchdowns on drives of 80, 88, and 75 yards. Head coach Jerry Mack’s squad improved to 3-0 in league play and won on the road for the first time since 2022.
Quarterbacks Amari Odom and Dexter Williams II led a balanced, explosive attack. Odom went 10-of-15 passing for 205 yards and one touchdown—along with a two-yard scoring run—to give KSU early control. Williams added a 70-yard strike to Christian Moss in the third quarter and later rushed for a two-yard touchdown that sealed the victory.
Coleman Bennett’s 76-yard reception from Odom in the second quarter was the longest catch of his career. Running backs Alexander Diggs (69 yards, one touchdown) and Chase Belcher (65 yards, one touchdown) helped the Owls rack up a season-high 214 rushing yards. Gabriel Benyard paced the receivers with five catches for 97 yards, while Moss added two receptions for 93 yards and Bennett finished with 76.
Linebacker Baron Hopson anchored the defense with 12 tackles, his fourth straight double-digit performance. Tywon Christopher added seven stops and a tackle for loss, and Caleb Offord broke up two passes in coverage. KSU’s defense recorded two sacks and limited FIU to just 6-of-15 on third down conversions, creating consistent pressure on Panthers quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who was sacked twice while throwing for 296 yards.
The win marked Kennesaw State’s first road victory as an FBS program and extended its overall win streak to five games—the longest since 2021. The Owls also became the first team in program history to complete multiple 70-yard passes in a single game.
Kennesaw State returns home next Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. to host UTEP in a nationally televised game on ESPNU.