The Owls spread their wings in football with a 40-34 double-overtime victory versus North Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 8.
KSU quarterback Xavier Shepherd set the tone early by leading the Owls on their longest scoring drive of the season. The 18-play drive resulted in a three-yard rushing touchdown for the KSU quarterback. His first of two rushing touchdowns on the night moved him into a tie with Darnell Holland for second place for most all-time rushing touchdowns in KSU football history.
KSU’s defense stayed hot making it three games in a row with an interception. During the following North Alabama possession, a tipped ball found the hands of KSU’s Garland Benyard for the first pick of his season.
The Owls capitalized on the turnover with a field goal, extending their lead to 10-3 early in the second quarter.
As the end of the first half approached, KSU was hoping to head to the locker room coming away with points. With the end of half around the corner, the Lions blocked the Owls’ field goal attempt to keep it in distance heading to the locker room down 10-6.
Just like the first half, KSU came out wasting no time. Yesiah Clemons moved the offense into the North Alabama five-yard line as he busted out for a career-long rush of 36-yards. The Owls capped off their first drive of the second half with another Shepherd rushing touchdown.
UNA scored on a 62-yard touchdown to cut the Owl’s lead to 17-13. As the Lions threatened to take the lead late, Dylan Hand put an end to their drive with his second pick of his career and first of the season.
The Owls found themselves down 27-20 on the one-yard line with 21 seconds in the fourth quarter remaining. Senior Isaac Foster was on the receiving end of Shepherd’s game-tying touchdown pass to send the game to overtime.
“When we got the play call, I was like okay, yeah, let’s do it,” Shepherd said. “We were all excited about it. Excited about the opportunity to score. When we saw they were kind of crowding the box we were like okay, we got what we want let’s take our time and execute the play.”
UNA wasted no time in overtime scoring in only three plays on a 31-yard touchdown pass. KSU answered to force a second overtime with a 10-yard pass from Shepherd to Xavier Hill for Hill’s first touchdown catch of the season.
The second overtime began and Isaac Foster won the race to the outside to the endzone to give Kennesaw State its lead back. After a missed two-point conversion, it was on the defense to step up and secure the win by making a stop.
Running back Foster set career-highs in receiving yards (76) and longest reception (40).
The overtime win propels KSU to 13-1 all-time inside Fifth Third Bank Stadium in October, winning each of the last nine games.
In the second-of-four consecutive games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, KSU will host ASUN opponent Central Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 PM.
