Kennesaw State is the newest member of the FBS.
The Owls will be the lone team completing their transition from the FCS to the FBS this season, while two more programs (Delaware and Missouri State) will follow and join Conference USA in 2025.
In their short 10-year program, the Owls have seen a lot of success. They won three Big South Conference titles and have four FCS playoff appearances, making it to the quarterfinals in 2017 and 2018.
The last two years have been the only two losing seasons in program history, but the Owls had plenty of players redshirt last year to save eligibility for the FBS move as they competed as an FCS independent.
But 2024 might be the third consecutive losing season for the Owls. The step up in competition will take some time for KSU to acclimate to, but don’t be surprised if head coach Brian Bohannon’s squad finds its footing faster than anticipated. Bohannon is the only coach in KSU history and had the Owls as a competitive FCS program in no time. Perhaps he can do the same in the FBS ranks.
Kennesaw State Football’s CUSA Title Odds
Kennesaw State has no betting odds to win the Conference USA Championship because NCAA transition rules make KSU ineligible to win a CUSA title in its first FBS season.
Kennesaw State Football’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
Kennesaw State’s win total Over/Under is 2.5, with the Over at +100 and the Under at -120, via BetMGM.
Kennesaw State Football’s 2024 Schedule
8/31 at UTSA
9/7 vs. Louisiana
9/14 at San Jose State
9/28 vs. UT-Martin
10/4 vs. Jacksonville State
10/15 at Middle Tennessee
10/23 vs. Liberty
10/30 at WKU
11/9 at UTEP
11/16 vs. Sam Houston
11/23 vs. FIU
11/30 at Louisiana Tech
Bold indicates CUSA contest
Key Kennesaw State Football Returners
RB Michael Benefield
WR Gabriel Benyard
LB Garland Benyard
LB Donelius Johnson
DB Sidney Porter
For more Group of Five coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Keys To Kennesaw State’s First FBS Season
Quality quarterback play is typically a must if a program is expected to be successful. That’s one of the main questions for KSU heading into the fall – what will the Owls get from their QBs?
The Owls have traditionally run an option offense and switched to more of a pistol offense last season. They were led by Jonathan Murphy, who was the team’s second-leading rusher and passed for 1,190 yards and four touchdowns.
Davis Bryson also spent some time guiding this offense and started one game while appearing in three others. He finished with 206 rushing yards but tossed just 11 passes, completing only two. Bryson is the only QB on the roster with a lot of game experience and the only one who has attempted a pass for KSU. His arm will need to be a bigger threat for this offense — and team — to reach its full potential.
It’s not expected the Owls will put a ton of points on the board, so controlling the clock and keeping opposing offenses off the field will be critical.
KSU will also need to get some leadership from its veteran players in this important transition season. The Owls have a fair amount of experience, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and these guys will need to help pave the way. Some players of note are safety Sidney Porter and linebacker Garland Beynard.
Beynard will help lead a defense that will be better than expected. This includes a deep group of linebackers that has a lot of experience and might be the best position group on this team.
2024 Kennesaw State Football Season Prediction
I predict KSU will win less than three games.
We saw Jacksonville State and Sam Houston have two very different seasons during their first campaigns as FBS members.
The Gamecocks were a pleasant surprise, finishing 9-4 and third in the league before picking up a New Orleans Bowl victory over Louisiana. It was a different story for Sam Houston, however, as the Bearkats dropped their first eight games before finishing the season 3-9.
I have a feeling KSU’s first FBS season will be more similar to Sam Houston’s. I do think the Owls will be more competitive than expected, and the fact that plenty of their top players sat out last season isn’t being taken into much consideration.
KSU has five games on its schedule that I believe are winnable (UT Martin, Middle Tennessee, UTEP, Sam Houston, and Louisiana Tech). The bad news is that three of them are on the road.
I don’t anticipate the Owls being able to win three of these games, meaning they will finish Under 2.5 wins.
