2018 Kennesaw State Owls football team

2018 Kennesaw State Owls football
Conference Big South Conference
Ranking
STATS No. 3
FCS Coaches No. 2
2018 record 5–1 (1–0 Big South)
Head coach Brian Bohannon (4th season)
Offensive coordinator Grant Chesnut (4th season)
Defensive coordinator Brian Newberry (4th season)
Home stadium Fifth Third Bank Stadium
(Capacity: 8,318)
2018 Big South football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 3 Kennesaw State  1 –0     5 –1  
Campbell  0 –0     5 –1  
Monmouth  0 –0     3 –2  
Charleston Southern  0 –0     1 –3  
Gardner–Webb  0 –0     1 –5  
Presbyterian  0 –1     2 –2  
Rankings from STATS FCS Poll

The 2018 Kennesaw State Owls football team represents Kennesaw State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They are led by fourth-year head coach Brian Bohannon and play their home games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia as fourth-year members of the Big South Conference.

Previous season

The Owls finished the 2017 season 12–2, 5–0 in Big South play to win the Big South conference championship.[1] The Owls received the Big South's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs, their first trip to the playoffs in school history.[2][3] In the first round of the playoffs, the Owls defeated Samford in a rematch of their only regular season loss and marked the school's first ever playoff win.[4] In the second round, the Owls upset No. 3 seed Jacksonville State to advance to the quarterfinals.[5] In the quarterfinals, despite a furious second half comeback, they lost to Sam Houston State.[6]

On January 9, 2018, head coach Brian Bohannon was named the American Football Coaches Association's Coach of the Year.[7][8]

Preseason

Big South poll

In the Big South preseason poll released on July 23, 2018, the Owls were predicted to finish as Big South champions.[9]

Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1Kennesaw State107 (17)
2Monmouth82 (1)
3Charleston Southern75
4Gardner–Webb52
5Campbell36
6Presbyterian26

Preseason All-Big South team

The Big South released their preseason all-Big South team on July 23, 2018, with the Owls having fourteen players selected along with two more at three positions on the honorable mention list.[10] Quarterback Chandler Burks was named preseason offensive player of the year and linebacker Bryson Armstrong was named the preseason defensive player of the year.

Award watch lists

Award Player Position Year
Walter Payton Award[11] Chandler Burks QB SR
Buck Buchanan Award[12] Bryson Armstrong LB SO

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 307:00 p.m.at Georgia State*No. 5
ESPN+L 20–2423,088
September 67:00 p.m.at Tennessee Tech*No. 7
ESPNUW 49–104,118
September 156:45 p.m.Alabama State*No. 7
ESPN+W 62–138,799
September 226:00 p.m.Clark Atlanta*No. 5
  • Fifth Third Bank Stadium
  • Kennesaw, GA
ESPN+W 70–136,009
September 296:00 p.m.Samford*No. 4
  • Fifth Third Bank Stadium
  • Kennesaw, GA
ESPN3W 24–106,304
October 62:00 p.m.PresbyterianNo. 4
  • Fifth Third Bank Stadium
  • Kennesaw, GA
ESPN3W 56–06,414
October 131:30 p.m.at Gardner–WebbNo. 3
ESPN3
October 276:00 p.m.at Charleston Southern
ESPN+
November 32:00 p.m.Campbell
  • Fifth Third Bank Stadium
  • Kennesaw, GA
ESPN+
November 1012:00 p.m.at Monmouth
ESPN3
November 173:00 p.m.vs. Jacksonville State*

Game summaries

at Georgia State

Kennesaw State at Georgia State
1 234Total
No. 5 Owls 7 760 20
• Panthers 0 14010 24
  • Date: August 30
  • Location: Georgia State Stadium
    Atlanta, GA
  • Game start: 7:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:16
  • Game attendance: 23,088
  • Game weather: 83°F • S 6 • Mostly sunny
  • Referee: Marshall Lewis
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Matt Stewart, Wayne Gandy, Jael Rucker
Overall record Last meeting Result
First meeting

at Tennessee Tech

Kennesaw State at Tennessee Tech
1 234Total
• No. 7 Owls 7 14217 49
Golden Eagles 3 007 10
  • Date: September 6
  • Location: Tucker Stadium
    Cookeville, TN
  • Game start: 7:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:02
  • Game attendance: 4,118
  • Game weather: 74°F • 10 mph • Early rain
  • Referee: D. Whitehead
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2017 KSU, 27–14

Alabama State

Alabama State at Kennesaw State
1 234Total
Hornets 3 370 13
• No. 7 Owls 14 28200 62
  • Date: September 15
  • Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium
    Kennesaw, GA
  • Game start: 6:45 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:06
  • Game attendance: 8,799
  • Game weather: 78°F • 6 mph • Light rain
  • Referee: Jeff Page
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Brian Katrek, Tutan Reyes, Chris Mooneyham
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2017 KSU, 20–14

Clark Atlanta

Clark Atlanta at Kennesaw State
1 234Total
Panthers 13 000 13
• No. 5 Owls 14 212114 70
  • Date: September 22
  • Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium
    Kennesaw, GA
  • Game start: 6:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:03
  • Game attendance: 6,009
  • Game weather: 88°F • 6 mph • A few clouds
  • Referee: Douglas Mercer
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Brian Katrek, Tutan Reyes, Chris Mooneyham, Lauren Hoffman
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2016 KSU, 56–0

Samford

Samford at Kennesaw State
1 234Total
Bulldogs 3 007 10
• No. 4 Owls 7 773 24
  • Date: September 29
  • Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium
    Kennesaw, GA
  • Game start: 6:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 2:41
  • Game attendance: 6,304
  • Game weather: 83°F • 6 mph • Partly Cloudy
  • Referee: Stephen Hazle
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Brian Giffin, Brandon Joseph, Nathan McCreary
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–1 2017 FCS Playoffs KSU, 28–17

Presbyterian

Presbyterian at Kennesaw State
1 234Total
Blue Hose 0 000 0
• No. 4 Owls 14 14217 56
  • Date: October 6
  • Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium
    Kennesaw, GA
  • Game start: 2:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 2:51
  • Game attendance: 6,414
  • Referee: Marcus Woods
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Brian Katrek, Tutan Reyes, Chris Mooneyham, Lauren Hoffman
Overall record Last meeting Result
2–1 2017 KSU, 28–0

at Gardner–Webb

Kennesaw State at Gardner–Webb
1 234Total
No. 3 Owls - --- 0
Runnin' Bulldogs - --- 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–0 2017 KSU, 17–3

at Charleston Southern

Kennesaw State at Charleston Southern
1 234Total
Owls - --- 0
Buccaneers - --- 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–2 2017 KSU, 38–0

Campbell

Campbell at Kennesaw State
1 234Total
Fighting Camels - --- 0
Owls - --- 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
First meeting

at Monmouth

Kennesaw State at Monmouth
1 234Total
Owls - --- 0
Hawks - --- 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
3–0 2017 KSU, 52–21

vs. Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State vs Kennesaw State
1 234Total
Gamecocks - --- 0
Owls - --- 0
Overall record Last meeting Result
1–0 2017 FCS Playoffs KSU, 17–3

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final 
STATS FCS 5 7 7 5 4 4 3  
Coaches 5 8 8 5 4 3 2

References

  1. ↑ Bednarowski, John. "Kennesaw State romps Monmouth for Big South title". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  2. ↑ "Big South Conference - Kennesaw State Draws Samford in FCS Playoffs". bigsouthsports.com. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  3. ↑ Bednarowski, John. "Kennesaw State making playoff debut with chance at revenge". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  4. ↑ "Samford vs. Kennesaw State - Game Recap - November 25, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  5. ↑ "Kennesaw State stuns No. 3 seed Jacksonville State in FCS second round". FOX Sports. 2017-12-02. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  6. ↑ "Kennesaw State vs. Sam Houston State - Game Recap - December 9, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  7. ↑ Bednarowski, John. "Kennesaw State's Brian Bohannon voted FCS Coach of the Year by AFCA". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  8. ↑ "FB: Bohannon Named 2017 AFCA FCS Coach of the Year - Kennesaw State University". Kennesaw State University. Retrieved 2018-01-17.
  9. ↑ "Kennesaw State Voted 2018 Preseason Football Favorite". bigsouthsports.com. Big South Conference.
  10. ↑ "Burks, Armstrong Headline 2018 Preseason All-Conference Team". bigsouthsports.com. Big South Conference.
  11. ↑ "FCS football: 2018 Walter Payton Award watch list". August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  12. ↑ "FCS football: 2018 Buck Buchanan Award watch list announced". August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ "2018 Football Schedule". ksuowls.com. Kennesaw State University. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
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