Score: Kennesaw State 23, Monmouth 13
Records: Kennesaw State (6-2, 2-1), Monmouth (3-6, 1-3)
Key Players: RB
Chaston Bennett (6 carries, 124 yards); QB
Trey White (27-102, 1 TD, 7-14 passing for 114 yards, 1 TD); LB
Anthony Gore, Jr. (10 solo tackles); DB
Taylor Henkle (9 tackles, 1 INT, 2 pass breakups); LB
Kyron Minter (5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 INT)
Key Plays:
Jae Bowen 2-yard TD run;
Kyron Minter (1st quarter INT);
Taylor Henkle (4th quarter INT)
Key Stat: Kennesaw State 12 of 15 on third down conversion attempts
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Head coach
Brian Bohannon has preached to his team and stressed to the media the importance of putting together a championship effort in everything it does.
His Kennesaw State football team has bought into that philosophy, and following a 23-13 victory over Monmouth in a Big South Conference game Saturday at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the Owls (6-2, 2-1) have clinched a winning record in their inaugural season.
After allowing a touchdown on the game's opening drive, the Kennesaw State defense stiffened, keeping the Hawks (3-6, 1-3) scoreless until late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Owls offense to dominate the remainder of the game as it totaled 455 yards and converted 12 of 15 (80 percent) third down opportunities.
Junior running back
Chaston Bennett (6 carries, 124 yards) and
Trey White (27 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD) accounted for 226 of Kennesaw State's 341 yards on the ground as they held the ball for over 35 minutes.
The Owls, who were held without a score on their first two possessions, took control of the game early in the second quarter as they consumed 8:50 off the clock, capping an eight-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard run by running back
Jae Bowen that tied the score at 7-7 with 6:06 remaining in the first half.
The Kennesaw State defense forced the first of two straight 3-and-outs, while the Owls offense recorded back-to-back seven-play drives that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown reception by Bowen and a 37-yard
Justin Thompson field goal as the first half expired and sent KSU into the locker room with a 16-7 lead.
That momentum carried into the third quarter as Kennesaw State took the second half kickoff and drove 58 yards in 11 plays, capping the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run by White.
From there, the Owls' defense took over, stopping the Hawks on downs and forcing a punt before Monmouth was finally able to find the end zone on a 14-yard touchdown pass play from Cody Williams to Ugo Ezemma with 1:03 remaining.
Linebacker
Anthony Gore, Jr. led the Kennesaw State defense with 10 tackles, while safety
Taylor Henkle recorded nine tackles, and interception and two pass breakups. Linebacker
Kyron Minter also had an interception and five tackles, including two tackles for loss.
Quoting Brian Bohannon"Let me first of all say how proud I am of our football team and our football program. You really don't know what the expectations are when you come into a season and you've never had one before. All you're trying to do is get better every week. We have assured ourselves a winning season, and that is a big deal."
Next Game: The Owls conclude their regular-season home schedule on Saturday (Nov. 7) when they host nationally-ranked Charleston Southern at Fifth Third Bank Stadium beginning at 1 p.m. It will mark Senior Day as
Prentice Stone,
Ryan Godhigh,
Brett Gillespie,
Mason Harris and
Chaz Cheeks will be recognized.'
Notes* The Owls improved to 5-0 at home and 4-0 when wearing the combination of black jerseys and black pants.
*
Kyron Minter and
Xavier Harper served as team captains.
* Kennesaw State won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. It marked the seventh time in eight games that KSU has won the coin toss.
* Kennesaw State did not score on its first possession for only the second time in eight games.
* The Owls won the time of possession battle for the sixth time in eight games this season.
* KSU forced at least one turnover for the seventh time in eight games as Kyron Mintor and
Taylor Henkle had interceptions.
* Junior RB running back
Chaston Bennett had 124 yards rushing on six carries to record his second 100-yard rushing game of the year. He had a season-high 155 yards on eight carries at Dayton.
* Junior QB
Trey White's 3-yard TD run in the third quarter was his team-leading ninth touchdown of the season.
* With seven points allowed in the first quarter versus Monmouth, Kennesaw State has allowed just 85 first-half points and is surrendering just 10.6 points in the first. By holding the Hawks scoreless in the third quarter, KSU has allowed just 14 points in third quarter this year, an average of 1.75 points per game.
* Kennesaw State entered the game averaging 319.9 yards rushing and surpassed that total against Monmouth, totaling 341 yards.
Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium is the home of women's soccer, women's lacrosse and football, which will play its inaugural season in 2015.
Keep up with Kennesaw State Athletics by following KSU on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook. You also can follow Kennesaw State football at @KennesawSTFB and The Owls fund on Twitter at @TheOwlsFund. - GOKSUOwls -
Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium is the home of women's soccer, women's lacrosse and football, which will play its inaugural season in 2015.
Keep up with Kennesaw State Athletics by following KSU on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook. You also can follow Kennesaw State football at @KennesawSTFB and The Owls fund on Twitter at @TheOwlsFund. #GoKSUOwls
