KSU Football player celebrates win. Fifth-Third Stadium, October 9th, 2025. Photo Credit: Jackson Louneoubonh
Kennesaw State football picked up a statement win, handling conference frontrunner Louisiana Tech, 35-7 at Walens Family Field at Fifth-Third Stadium on Thursday night.
Dexter Williams II, the highly touted quarterback who transferred to KSU from Georgia Southern in the offseason, found himself thrust back into the starting role he had lost just a few weeks ago.
With sophomore Amari Odom, who had started the Owls’ previous three games, sidelined with an injury, Williams II was returned the keys to the offense.
The sixth-year senior didn’t let his surging team down, posting career highs in every major passing statistic, finishing the day completing 27-of-36 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns.
“It was great,” Williams II said. “The last couple weeks, I got a little banged up in practice one of those days. It’s about this team, we got guys across the board. In our quarterback room, in our receiver room, running back room. That was a team win, all three phases played together. I couldn’t have did it without the [Offensive] line protecting the way they did, running backs making the plays that they need to make and the receivers making the catches. I know it’s been a little up and down for me, but we’re undefeated [at home], we’re undefeated in the conference. You can’t ask much more than that.”
The Bulldogs got on the board first, scoring the only points of the first quarter on an Omiri Wiggins one-yard touchdown rush to give them a 7-0 advantage.
It was all Owls from that point on.
Williams II found Clayton Coppock from six yards out for his first career touchdown reception with 8:03 remaining in the first half, tying the game at 7-7.
La Tech quarterback Trey Kukuk threw a pass into the waiting arms of Owls’ defensive back Kody Jones on the Bulldogs’ next possession, and after a return and penalty set the Owls up inside the La Tech 10-yard line, Gabriel Benyard took a nine-yard carry into the end zone to put the Owls ahead 14-7.
KSU kept its foot on the gas, scoring once more in the third quarter when Williams II found Jordan Jackson over the middle for a 29-yard touchdown connection to go up 21-7.
The Owls reached paydirt twice more in the final frame, first on a connection from Williams II to Lyndon Ravare from seven yards out, and then Bennett took a screen pass 50 yards to the end zone with 4:45 remaining to make the Owls advantage 35-7.
The Bulldogs threatened on their final possession, driving the ball inside the KSU one-yard line with less than a minute to play. The Owls’ defense stood their ground, holding La Tech out of the end zone again to finish off a 35-7 victory.
“I’m so proud of the way this team went out and competed tonight more than anything else,” Owls coach Jerry Mack said. “It started off a little rocky in the first quarter, ups and downs. But, the true character of a team is how they persevere and how they handle adversity more than anything else.”
KSU won the turnover battle 2-0, an impressive feat as La Tech had entered the game tied for the most turnovers forced in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Bulldogs used three different quarterbacks. Blake Baker started the game and led the team’s only touchdown drive. Kukuk was pulled after throwing the ugly interception and Evan Bullock played throughout the second half.
The win puts KSU in a tie for second in the conference with Jacksonville State, trailing only Western Kentucky, which has played one more conference game.
With struggling programs Florida International and UTEP next on the schedule, KSU could be poised for a special season.
“All we do is continue to prepare,” Mack said. “Each and every day, we’re going to attack each day. We’re not going to play logos is what we talk about all the time. We’re kind of the new kid on the block. So, obviously everybody in this league has been playing a lot longer than Kennesaw State even if it’s their first year in the league – we prepare the right way, we’re always going to have a chance to come out victorious at the end of the day.”
