# 2024 Kennesaw State Owls football team

The 2024 Kennesaw State Owls football team represented Kennesaw State University in Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls were led by Brian Bohannon in his tenth year as the head coach. The Owls played home games at Fifth Third Stadium, located in Kennesaw, Georgia.
The 2024 season was Kennesaw State's first year in Conference USA since transitioning from the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

## Offseason
### Transfers
#### Outgoing

| Player | Position | Destination |
| Andre Craig | WR | Alabama |
| Chance Gamble | CB | Georgia Southern |
| Deontre Morris | S | Georgia Southern |
| Carlos Allen Jr. | DL | Houston |
| Christopher Cain | IOL | Unknown |

#### Incoming

| Player | Position | Previous School |
| Mason Bowers | IOL | Coastal Carolina |
| Austin Welch | PK | Eastern Kentucky |
| Tylon Dunlap | DE | Georgia State |
| Earl Woods III | QB | Jacksonville State |
| Qway McCoy | S | Louisiana-Monroe |
| Destun Thomas | WR | Memphis |
| Jacob Kettels | OT | Montana State |
| Donovan Westmoreland | DE | South Carolina |
| Jackson Manning | TE | UMass |
| Christopher Townsel | CB | USF |
| Christian Moss | WR | Virginia Tech |

## Preseason
### C-USA media poll

The Conference USA preseason media poll was released on July 19. The Owls were predicted to tenth (last) in the conference.
Media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Liberty | 197 (18) |
| 2 | Western Kentucky | 173 (2) |
| 3 | Jacksonville State | 166 |
| 4 | Middle Tennessee | 98 |
| 5 | New Mexico State | 97 |
| 5 | Sam Houston | 97 |
| 7 | Louisiana Tech | 88 |
| 8 | FIU | 81 |
| 9 | UTEP | 76 |
| 10 | Kennesaw State | 27 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 3:30 p.m. | at UTSA* | AlamodomeSan Antonio, TX | ESPN+ | L 16–28 | 25,911 |
| September 7 | 7:00 p.m. | Louisiana* | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | ESPN+ | L 10–34 | 11,040 |
| September 14 | 7:00 p.m. | at San Jose State* | CEFCU StadiumSan Jose, CA | TruTV | L 10–31 | 11,090 |
| September 28 | 6:00 p.m. | UT Martin* | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | ESPN+ | L 13–24 | 10,847 |
| October 4 | 7:00 p.m. | Jacksonville State | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | CBSSN | L 24–63 | 10,029 |
| October 15 | 8:00 p.m. | at Middle Tennessee | Johnny "Red" Floyd StadiumMurfreesboro, TN | CBSSN | L 5–14 | 10,200 |
| October 23 | 7:00 p.m. | Liberty | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | CBSSN | W 27–24 | 8,209 |
| October 30 | 7:30 p.m. | at Western Kentucky | Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY | ESPN2 | L 14–31 | 14,547 |
| November 9 | 4:00 p.m. | at UTEP | Sun BowlEl Paso, TX | ESPN+ | L 35–43 $^{2OT}$ | 14,728 |
| November 16 | 3:00 p.m. | Sam Houston | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | ESPN+ | L 17–23 $^{OT}$ | 7,736 |
| November 23 | 3:00 p.m. | FIU | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | ESPN+ | W 27–26 | 6,210 |
| November 30 | 3:00 p.m. | at Louisiana Tech | Joe Aillet StadiumRuston, LA | ESPN+ | L 0–33 | 14,686 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Game summaries
### at UTSA

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| UTSA –24 | 48.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| Roadrunners | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at Alamodome • San Antonio, Texas
* Date: August 31st
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: None (played indoors)
* Game attendance: 25,911
* Referee: Gary Leeper
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Jack Benjamin (play-by-play) and LaDarrin McLane (analyst)
| Statistics | KENN | UTSA |
| First downs | 15 | 17 |
| Total yards | 253 | 416 |
| Rushing yards | 51 | 76 |
| Passing yards | 202 | 340 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 14–28–0 | 28–38–0 |
| Time of possession | 29:00 | 31:00 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 14/28, 202 yards, 1 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Qua Ashley | 10 carries, 26 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Qua Ashley | 1 reception, 51 yards |
| UTSA | Passing | Owen McCown | 28/38, 340 yards, 3 TD |
| UTSA | Rushing | Robert Henry | 6 carries, 30 yards |
| UTSA | Receiving | Devin McCuin | 11 receptions, 79 yards, 2 TD |

### vs Louisiana

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Louisiana –14.5 | 46.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ragin Cajuns | 0 | 20 | 14 | 0 | 34 |
| Owls | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
at Fifth Third Bank Stadium • Kennesaw, Georgia
* Date: September 7th
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 78 °F (26 °C)
* Game attendance: 11,040
* Referee: Marshall Lewis
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Jay Walker (play-by-play), Cody Junot (analyst) and Dawson Eiserloh (sideline)
| Statistics | ULL | KENN |
| First downs | 21 | 12 |
| Total yards | 454 | 204 |
| Rushing yards | 257 | 111 |
| Passing yards | 197 | 93 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 17-22-0 | 7-13-0 |
| Time of possession | 32:04 | 27:56 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Louisiana | Passing | Ben Wooldridge | 15/19, 189 yards, 1 TD |
| Louisiana | Rushing | Zylan Perry | 10 carries, 10 yards, 1 TD |
| Louisiana | Receiving | Jacob Bernard | 4 receptions, 84 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 7/13, 93 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Michael Benefield | 9 carries, 31 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Tykeem Wallace | 2 receptions, 34 yards |

### at San Jose State

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| San Jose State –16.5 | 41.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Spartans | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at CEFCU Stadium • San Jose, CA
* Date: September 14, 2024
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 79 °F (26 °C)
* Game attendance: 11,090
* Referee: Michael Cuttone
* TV announcers (TruTV): Ari Wolfe (play-by-play) and Darius Walker (analyst)
| Statistics | KENN | SJSU |
| First downs | 10 | 18 |
| Total yards | 192 | 417 |
| Rushing yards | 64 | 62 |
| Passing yards | 128 | 355 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–25–2 | 26–39–0 |
| Time of possession | 33:50 | 26:10 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 14/22, 128 yards, 1 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Michael Benefield | 12 carries, 33 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Qua Ashley | 4 receptions, 51 yards |
| San Jose State | Passing | Emmett Brown | 26/38, 355 yards, 4 TD |
| San Jose State | Rushing | Jabari Bates | 11 carries, 61 yards |
| San Jose State | Receiving | Nick Nash | 17 receptions, 225 yards , 3 TD |

### vs UT Martin (FCS)

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| UT Martin –1.5 | 45.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Skyhawks (FCS) | 0 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| Owls | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
at Fifth Third Stadium • Kennesaw, GA
* Date: September 28th
* Game time: 6:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 72 °F (22 °C)
* Game attendance: 10,847
* Referee: Rodney Burnette
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Stan Lewter (play-by-play), Nolan Alexander (analyst) and Jade Barkett (sideline)
| Statistics | UTM | KENN |
| First downs | 16 | 13 |
| Total yards | 292 | 215 |
| Rushing yards | 160 | 66 |
| Passing yards | 132 | 149 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13–23–1 | 17–35–2 |
| Time of possession | 31:11 | 28:49 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| UT Martin | Passing | Kinkead Dent | 13/23, 132 yards, 1 INT |
| UT Martin | Rushing | Patrick Smith | 24 carries, 123 yards, 2 TD |
| UT Martin | Receiving | Tyler Dostin | 3 receptions, 41 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 16/34, 132 yards, 2 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Davis Bryson | 6 carries, 27 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Blake Bohannon | 4 receptions, 54 yards |

### vs Jacksonville State

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Jacksonville State –17.5 | 49.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Gamecocks | 7 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 63 |
| Owls | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
at Fifth Third Stadium • Kennesaw, GA
* Date: October 4th
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 74 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 10,029
* Referee: Rory Bernard
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Dave Ryan (play-by-play) and Logan Ryan (analyst)
| Statistics | JVST | KENN |
| First downs | 31 | 13 |
| Total yards | 577 | 270 |
| Rushing yards | 384 | 189 |
| Passing yards | 193 | 81 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 16–25–0 | 7–16–3 |
| Time of possession | 28:38 | 31:22 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Jacksonville State | Passing | Tyler Huff | 16/25, 193 yards |
| Jacksonville State | Rushing | Tyler Huff | 15 carries, 176 yards, 3 TD |
| Jacksonville State | Receiving | Cam Vaughn | 7 receptions, 96 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 6/14, 76 yards, TD, 3 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Michael Benefield | 17 carries, 112 yards, TD |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Jaden Robinson | 2 receptions, 36 yards |

### at Middle Tennessee

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Middle Tennessee –10.5 | 50.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Blue Raiders | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee
* Date: October 15th
* Game time: 8:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Cloudy, 52 °F (11 °C)
* Game attendance: 10,200
* Referee: Garrett Dickerson
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Jordan Kent (play-by-play) and Logan Ryan (analyst)
| Statistics | KENN | MTSU |
| First downs | 10 | 17 |
| Total yards | 234 | 284 |
| Rushing yards | 131 | 85 |
| Passing yards | 103 | 199 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 10–27–2 | 19–34–0 |
| Time of possession | 29:48 | 30:12 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Khalib Johnson | 5/17, 52 yards, 2 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Qua Ashley | 11 carries, 79 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Carson Kent | 4 receptions, 59 yards |
| Middle Tennessee | Passing | Nicholas Vattiato | 19/34, 199 yards |
| Middle Tennessee | Rushing | Jaiden Credle | 10 carries, 49 yards |
| Middle Tennessee | Receiving | Holden Willis | 8 receptions, 92 yards |

### vs Liberty

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Liberty –27.5 | 47.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Flames | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Owls | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
at Fifth Third Stadium • Kennesaw, GA
* Date: October 23rd
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 69 °F (21 °C) • Wind: SE 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h)
* Game attendance: 8,209
* Referee: Reed Brotherton
* TV announcers (CBSSN): Jason Knapp (play-by-play) and Brock Vereen (analyst)
| Statistics | LIB | KENN |
| First downs | 22 | 18 |
| Total yards | 386 | 323 |
| Rushing yards | 180 | 134 |
| Passing yards | 206 | 189 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–40–1 | 16–20–0 |
| Time of possession | 27:41 | 32:19 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Liberty | Passing | Kaidon Salter | 22/40, 206 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Liberty | Rushing | Kaidon Salter | 9 carries, 87 yards |
| Liberty | Receiving | Elijah Canion | 5 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 16/20, 189 yards, 1 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Michael Benefield | 16 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Jaden Robinson | 3 receptions, 72 yards |

### at Western Kentucky

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Western Kentucky –23.5 | 49.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Hilltoppers | 21 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Kentucky
* Date: October 30th
* Game time: 6:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny
* Game attendance: 14,547
* Referee: Garrett Dickerson
* TV announcers (ESPN2): Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Steve Addazio (analyst)
| Statistics | KENN | WKU |
| First downs | 18 | 24 |
| Total yards | 272 | 467 |
| Rushing yards | 176 | 191 |
| Passing yards | 96 | 276 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 13–26–1 | 17–22–0 |
| Time of possession | 32:54 | 27:06 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 13/26, 96 yards, 1 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Michael Benefield | 16 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Carson Kent | 3 receptions, 34 yards |
| Western Kentucky | Passing | Caden Veltkamp | 17/22, 276 yards, 3 TD |
| Western Kentucky | Rushing | Elijah Young | 15 carries, 114 yards |
| Western Kentucky | Receiving | Easton Messer | 2 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD |

### at UTEP

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| UTEP –4.5 | 42.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| Owls | 7 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
| Miners | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 43 |
at Sun Bowl • El Paso, Texas
* Date: November 9th
* Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
* Game attendance: 14,728
* Referee: Ron Hudson
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Andy Morgan (play-by-play) and Ed Stansbury (analyst)
| Statistics | KENN | UTEP |
| First downs | 14 | 22 |
| Total yards | 300 | 453 |
| Rushing yards | 117 | 120 |
| Passing yards | 183 | 333 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–25–2 | 29–34–0 |
| Time of possession | 27:18 | 32:42 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 14/25, 183 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Davis Bryson | 16 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Christian Moss | 1 reception, 60 yards, 1 TD |
| UTEP | Passing | Skyler Locklear | 28/33, 327 yards, 4 TD |
| UTEP | Rushing | Jevon Jackson | 26 carries, 68 yards, 1 TD |
| UTEP | Receiving | Trey Goodman | 12 receptions, 150 yards |

### vs Sam Houston

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Sam Houston –13 | 42.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Bearkats | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
| Owls | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Fifth Third Bank Stadium • Kennesaw, Georgia
* Date: November 16th
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 67 °F (19 °C)
* Game attendance: 7,736
* Referee: Douglas Mercer
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Nolan Alexander (play-by-play), Barclay Miller (analyst) and Lauren Hoffman (sideline)
| Statistics | SHSU | KENN |
| First downs | 21 | 13 |
| Total yards | 382 | 243 |
| Rushing yards | 203 | 106 |
| Passing yards | 179 | 137 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–32–1 | 16–24–1 |
| Time of possession | 32:24 | 27:36 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Sam Houston | Passing | Hunter Watson | 22/32, 179 yds, 1 INT |
| Sam Houston | Rushing | Jay Ducker | 18 carries, 111 yards, 1 TD |
| Sam Houston | Receiving | Simeon Evans | 5 receptions, 64 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 16/24, 137 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Davis Bryson | 12 carries, 46 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Blake Bohannon | 5 receptions, 55 yards |

### vs FIU

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| FIU –8 | 43.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 0 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 26 |
| Owls | 3 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
at Fifth Third Bank Stadium • Kennesaw, Georgia
* Date: November 23rd
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Sunny, 58 °F (14 °C)
* Game attendance: 6,210
* Referee: Rodney Burnette
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Nolan Alexander (play-by-play), Barclay Miller (analyst) and Maria Martin (sideline)
| Statistics | FIU | KENN |
| First downs | 15 | 20 |
| Total yards | 400 | 358 |
| Rushing yards | 196 | 172 |
| Passing yards | 204 | 186 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 12–22–1 | 18–32–1 |
| Time of possession | 31:27 | 28:33 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| FIU | Passing | Keyone Jenkins | 12/22, 204 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| FIU | Rushing | Devonte Lyons | 16 carries, 99 yards |
| FIU | Receiving | Eric Rivers | 7 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TD |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 17/29, 185 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Qua Ashley | 14 carries, 61 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Carson Kent | 4 receptions, 56 yards |

### at Louisiana Tech

| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Louisiana Tech –11.5 | 42.5 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 33 |
at Joe Aillet Stadium • Ruston, Louisiana
* Date: November 30
* Game time: 3:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: Sunny, 56 °F (13 °C)
* Game attendance: 14,686
* Referee: Ron Hudson
* TV announcers (ESPN+): Lyn Rollins (play-by-play), Hek’ma Harrison (analyst) and Madison Kaufman (sideline)
| Statistics | KENN | LT |
| First downs | 8 | 28 |
| Total yards | 146 | 443 |
| Rushing yards | 58 | 210 |
| Passing yards | 146 | 443 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 10–26–0 | 23–31–0 |
| Time of possession | 22:43 | 37:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Kennesaw State | Passing | Davis Bryson | 10/26, 88 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Rushing | Michael Benefield | 9 carries, 36 yards |
| Kennesaw State | Receiving | Gabriel Benyard | 4 receptions, 39 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Passing | Evan Bullock | 23/30, 233 yards |
| Louisiana Tech | Rushing | Omiri Wiggins | 17 carries, 129 yards, 3 TD |
| Louisiana Tech | Receiving | Jimmy Holiday | 7 receptions, 103 yards |