With win Saturday, Kennesaw State would be only team with no CUSA loss
The Cinderella season for Kennesaw State keeps growing in scope. With the goal of bowl eligibility achieved, the Owls are threatening to win the Conference USA championship in only their second season at the FBS level.
Kennesaw State can take a huge step toward a league title Saturday when they travel 86 miles to play Jacksonville State, its closest conference opponent. The two teams are tied with 6-0 league records and while a win won’t clinch the CUSA title, it will go a long way toward determining who will play for it in the conference championship game Dec. 5.
“You put yourself in a position to go out there and compete and play meaningful football late in November,” Kennesaw State coach Jerry Mack said. “That’s what these guys have worked for the entire year.”
This isn’t normal.
Kennesaw State has won seven in a row and joined Notre Dame this season as the first FBS team to win seven consecutive games after opening the season with two losses since Washington State did it in 2016.
The last time two CUSA teams with perfect conference records met this late in the season was 2012.
The game is of such consequence that ESPNU transferred it from an afternoon time slot to the 8 p.m. featured spot. The game is approaching a sellout.
“It’s going to be a great atmosphere,” Mack said. “It’s obvious that ESPN got wind of it.”
Mack knows this will be KSU’s biggest conference test to date. Jacksonville State (6-3), in its first season under coach Charles Kelly, features the best running attack in CUSA, thanks to running back Cam Cook, who has carried for 1,179 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Gamecocks also bring a fierce defense that ranks second in the league against the run, allowing 137.4 yards.
“Those guys are probably the most aggressive and the hardest hitters I’ve seen across the board at any level this year,” Mack said. “When they get to the football, they have bad intentions, and that is really impressive in this day and age where a lot of guys don’t like to tackle. They do not have an issue with that.”
The Kennesaw State defense showed up in Saturday’s 24-21 win over New Mexico State. The Owls had two interceptions and forced the Aggies to try a long field-goal attempt at the horn. The effort was needed when the normally reliable KSU offense failed to score a point in the second half.
“Our defensive line was disruptive and created havoc throughout the entire game,” Mack said. “That was a big key to our being able to win the game.”
Linebacker Elijah Hill was CUSA Freshman of the Week. He had 1½ sacks and three tackles for loss and scored the sixth-best overall defensive grade (77.8%) among FBS freshmen last week. He leads all freshman in the nation with 6½ sacks.
The offense ran out of the gate to score 24 fast points, but could not tack on. Quarterback Amari Odom threw for three touchdowns, but had two interceptions — one in the end zone on the 12th play of a drive that could have put the game away.
“We made a couple of adjustments, and we were able to go down the field with a drive. We just didn’t end in the right way,” Mack said. “What we have to do is make sure we continue to add some volume to our game plan and continue to show the teams different looks, which presents — hopefully — more issues for the opponent at the end of the day. At the end of the day is all about execution.”
KSU center Josiah Chenault was named Offensive Lineman of the Week for the second time. He recorded the seventh-best pass blocking grade (83%) for centers in the nation. He allowed no sacks, quarterback hits, hurries or pressures in 78 snaps.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
