Kennesaw State sends message in 1-point loss to ACC opponent

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Kennesaw State didn’t get the win it had hoped for Friday night, but the Owls showed their second season at the FBS level was going to have a different feel.

Kennesaw State took ACC opponent Wake Forest to the limit in the first game under new coach Jerry Mack before losing 10-9 at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.

The different came down to the kicking game. The Owls missed an extra-point attempt and a field-goal attempt and failed to score in the second half. There were more mistakes and missed assignments in the second half, which Mack said will be addressed this week.

“The second half, we just didn’t show up like we should have,” Mack said. “And special teams-wise, we’ve got to make those extra points. We’ve got to make those field goals. If we make those, we’re probably up in the fourth quarter instead of trying to play catch-up.”

After last season’s two-win record, Owls were picked to finish last in Conference USA. Their effort in the season opener may cause some reexamination among observers.

Senior running back Coleman Bennett said, “I don’t think we’ve proved anything yet. We want to get that win, but I think we can say we’ve got something coming, and we’re a team to look for the rest of the season.”

Kennesaw State showed early that it was game for a fight.

Wake Forest scored easily on its first drive, covering 75 yards in 14 plays and taking 7:02 to get Robby Ashford over from the 2.

KSU then emerged with its new offense in turbo drive, which caught Wake Forest off-guard and kept the Deacons off-balance. With Dexter Williams II running the offense, the Owls drove 75 yards in 10 plays — in only 3:17 — and scored when running back Coleman Bennett escaped for a 19-yard touchdown run. But kicker Britton Williams miss the extra-point attempt to the left to leave the Owls down 7-6.

The KSU defense slowed Wake Forest the remainder of the half and forced the Deacons to punt five times. Kennesaw State sacked Ashford four times in the opening half, one each by Rod Daniels, Tylon Dunlap, Kody Jones and Donovan Westmoreland.

Kennesaw State had a chance to take the lead early in the second quarter after the defense forced a three-and-out. The Owls drove to the Wake Forest 18, where Britton missed wide right on a 36-yard field-goal attempt.

“That was very important,” Bennett said. “Coach was talking about you’re always going to have some type of adversity, and when adversity hits, it’s all about how you respond. So being able to come back and punch them in the mouth, it was a tribute to what Coach has been teaching us.”

KSU took the lead on the first possession of the second half. Sparked by a 23-yard pass from Williams to Gabriel Benyard, the Owls drove to the 11 before calling on freshman kicker Daniel Kinney to boot a 29-yarder with 9:45 left and a 9-7 lead.

Wake Forest regained the lead when it drove to the 6, thanks largely to a 41-yard pass from Ashford to Karate Brenson. Kennesaw State’s defense forced the Deacons to settle for Connor Calvert’s 22-yard field goal and a 10-9 lead.

Wake Forest had a chance to add to the lead. The Deacons drove to the KSU 27, where they faced fourth-and-1. Ashford’s keeper was stonewalled at the line, and when he tried to squirt out, he was stopped by Milon Jones.

KSU had three other possessions; two ended in punts, the other on downs with 1:51 remaining.

Williams was effective at quarterback, completing 12 of 33 passes for 149 yards and rushing 14 times for 44 yards. Bennett carried 17 times for 66 yards, and Alexander Diggs ran 11 times for 39 yards. Gabriel Benyard caught five passes for 103 yards. Punter Joshua Huiet averaged 45.2 yards per kick, with two traveling more than 50 yards.