Kennesaw State jumps on Arkansas State early, hangs on for 28-21 win

After opening the season with a pair of losses, Kennesaw State now finds itself in a place they haven’t enjoyed since joining the FBS last season, a team with a .500 record.

Thanks to Amari Odom, who threw for one touchdown and ran for another, the Owls were able to jump on Arkansas State early and hold on for a 28-21 win Saturday night at Fifth Third Stadium.

With the victory, Kennesaw State is not only 2-2 on the season, but it matched its win total of a season ago (2-10), with another week to go in September.

Odom rolled up a single-game school-record 409 total yards, passing for 308 yards and adding 101 on the ground. He finished 25-for-34 passing, setting another single-game school record, this one for completions.

In the first quarter, Odom connected with Garland Benyard on a 54-yard touchdown pass and later in the quarter added a 14-yard scoring run as the Owls scored on their first three possessions.

The Red Wolves rallied with a touchdown pass by Jaylen Raynor in the second quarter and a TD run by Raynor early in the third to get within 21-14, but the Owls answered with a 56-yard drive that ended with Coleman Bennett’s 10-yard touchdown run.

Again, Arkansas State drew within seven points at 28-21 when Raynor hit Kenyon Clay for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Red Wolves gained a total of 18 yards on their three remaining possessions.