By Don Stone, KennesawStateSports.com, FootballAtlanta.com
In a matchup of conference unbeatens under the lights at Fifth Third Stadium, Kennesaw State made a clear statement Thursday night. The Owls controlled both lines of scrimmage and used a balanced offensive attack to roll past Louisiana Tech 35-7, improving to 5-2 on the season.
Conference USA likes to schedule games in the middle of the week to get more TV coverage. They refer to it as Weekday CUSA. But, it’s definitely a grind for coaches who depend on routine having to shuffle around everything they normally do. Thursday nights like this one are closer to normal with the ACC and NFL having done that for years. But, when you get to the Tuesday and Wednesday night games, that’s when it gets difficult. Jerry Mack will find out about those first hand with a pair of them coming up next.
When this game started, it first appeared like it was going to be a Bulldog blowout. LA Tech moved the ball quickly downfield to go up 7-0. And the Owls couldn’t get out of their own way with penalties and terrible starting position with multiple drives starting inside their 10. Eventually KSU started to move the ball and the defense slowed down the numerous third and long conversions.
Kennesaw State answered emphatically with 35 unanswered points, flipping the game’s momentum before halftime and continuing to dominate throughout. The crowd, decked out in Luau Lounge – KSU Hawaiian Shirts from the giveaway, were having a good time.
Quarterback Dexter Williams II in his first start for the Owls was the driving force, throwing for 284 yards and four touchdowns. His connections included a 6-yard touchdown pass to true freshman Clayton Coppock to tie the game, followed by touchdowns to Jordan Jackson (29 yards), Lyndon Ravare (7 yards), and Coleman Bennett (50 yards) who broke tackles on a highlight-reel reception late in the fourth quarter. His 27 completions set a new Kennesaw State single-game record, while his four touchdowns tied the KSU record. KSU’s 290 passing yards set a new program record for passing yards in a conference game
RB Bennett also contributed with 73 yards rushing, complementing the team’s balanced offensive attack that amassed over 400 total yards.
Defensively, the Owls made key plays, including interceptions by Kody Jones and Antonio Stevens, helping stifle a Bulldog offense that struggled to recover after losing starting quarterback Blake Baker to injury.
Head coach Jerry Mack was pleased with his team’s resilience and execution. “Our guys dominated the second half and played one play at a time like it was 0-0. That’s the mindset we asked for, and they delivered,” Mack said. “We showed why we were No. 1 in scoring touchdowns in the red zone last year by consistently getting it into the end zone tonight.”
Mack also highlighted the team’s growth and culture. “We have a lot of new guys still learning our expectations, so it’s important we keep coaching them every day. Tonight was a great example of that paying off.”
With the win, Kennesaw State improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Conference USA play and remains in first place tied with WKU (3-0) and Jax State (2-0).
Louisiana Tech fell to 4-2 and 2-1 in the conference.
The Owls now look ahead with confidence as they maintain their 4-0 undefeated streak, their longest since 2021.
The game was not only a testament to Kennesaw State’s talent but their resiliency and ability to adjust and perform under pressure against a strong, physical opponent. The Owls’ blend of effective offense and stout defense proved too much for the Bulldogs to overcome on this night.
As I mentioned the Owls now reset their timing with back-to-back Tuesday games. KSU travels to Miami for a Conference USA game with FIU on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and KSU Owls app.