#11 Brayden Munroe running with the football. Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium, Oct. 7, 2026. Photo by Marcellus Miller
Kennesaw State football was downed 27-26 in a back-and-forth affair against Jacksonville State on Wednesday night at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium.
The Owls were in good position for the victory as kicker Daniel Kinney hit one through the uprights with just over two minutes remaining to take a 26-24 lead. The Gamecock offense then quickly drove down the field for a field goal of their own, which was all they needed to get the win.
“Most of our games, if not all of them, are really gonna come down to the fourth quarter,” Owls coach Jerry Mack said. “Right now, we have not been good enough as a team to figure out how to close the door and seal the victories in the fourth quarter.”
KSU didn’t help itself, committing 15 penalties for 137 yards on the night.
“We had way too many penalties,” Mack said. “Don’t exactly know what’s going on with some of those. We’ll go back and look at the film.”
Both teams came out with lengthy drives that took all of the first quarter.
The Owls got things started with a 15-play drive which took them down to the two-yard line of the Gamecocks, when they elected to kick a field goal instead of going for it on fourth down.
Jax State answered with a 14-play drive of their own, and capped it off with a Jamill Williams touchdown.
KSU grabbed the lead back a few minutes later as quarterback Rickie Collins ran one in himself from two yards out. The point after attempt was missed, which turned out to be perhaps the biggest difference between a loss and sending the game to overtime.
Collins delivered a touchdown to receiver Javon Rogers with 23 seconds before halftime as the Owls held a slim 16-14 lead at the break.
Jax State quarterback Caden Creel was as efficient as expected, as he threw for 311 yards.
Wideout Deandre Johnson was a problem once again for the Owls defense as well, finishing with 112 yards on just four receptions.
Collins did what he needed to do for most of the game as he threw for 293 yards and completed 24 of his 34 passes- he also threw two interceptions, however, including one which sealed the game for the Gamecocks.
A bright spot for the KSU offense was the performance of receiver Brayden Munroe, who had 159 yards on seven receptions, a season high in his first as an Owl.
“We moved him a little more into the slot this week because of Zion Booker’s situation,” Mack said. “He came up big for us, made a lot of plays in the middle of the field.”
The losing streak continues for KSU as it falls to 1-4, and is still looking for its first win since the week one game against West Georgia.
