With three games left on the schedule, the Owls find themselves at an 8-1 record and stand at the top of the Big South Conference with a 5-0 conference record.
Other than a disappointing loss to Georgia Tech, the Owls have been soaring through their schedule with a high-scoring rushing attack, and an explosive passing game as a late-season upgrade to the offense. With a great season so far, the most important football games are yet to come.
The next two in-conference opponents are very important for the Owls as they look for a 10-1 record and the Conference Championship. The only thing standing in the way is the North Alabama Lions and Monmouth Hawks.
The Owls will leave the nest one last time to face the North Alabama Lions in Florence. With the Lions’ second to last in the Big South, they have won two of their last three games and have their best record at home. While the Lions don’t have many wins they are still dangerous and do very well throwing the football which has proven to be KSU’s weakness this season.
The Lions scored 33 points on the Monmouth defense which was the most points the Hawks have given up in one game all year. In the past three games, the Lions have thrown for 751 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions. While their passing attack might give the Owls some problems, there are opportunities for takeaways and turnovers with the Lion’s mistake-prone passing attack.
The main concern is the final game of the season against the Monmouth Hawks on Nov. 20. The Hawks are ranked number 2 in the Big South at 5-0 in the conference and a 6-3 overall record. This is a clash of the titans in the Big South as these two teams have pulled away from the rest of the conference as the two best teams. Don’t let the Hawks’ 3 losses make you think KSU is the favorite, Owls and Hawks are neck and neck in the Big South.
The Hawks are just behind the Owls in points allowed this season, but far ahead of the Owls in points scored. Monmouth has arguably the second-best defense in the conference and one of the best offenses.
Over the past two seasons the Hawks have edged out the Owls to take the championship which, before 2019, KSU dominated. The Hawks are the reigning back-to-back champions of the Big South and the team for the Owls to beat this season.
The grand finale of the season will be at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw on Nov. 20.
