Two weeks ago, Kennesaw State was 1-6. Now the Owls have won two straight, scored 86 points doing it, and head to Texas with a real chance to make it three.
Kennesaw State (3-6, 2-3 Conference USA) visits Sam Houston (1-8, 0-5 CUSA) on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. local) at Bowers Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. It streams on ESPN+, with radio on the KSU Owl Network. It's Salute to Service and Family Weekend for the Bearkats.
The setup
Sam Houston owns this series, 3-0. The Bearkats beat KSU 34-27 in the 2017 FCS quarterfinals in Huntsville, 24-21 in 2023 and 23-17 in Kennesaw in 2024. All three were one-score games.
This Sam Houston team is in a rough spot, though. The Bearkats have lost six straight, and their only win came 59-0 over FCS Nicholls in September. Sam Houston let head coach Phil Longo go on Oct. 28, and associate head coach Eric Raisbeck and defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay are serving as interim co-head coaches. Their first game in charge was a 47-14 loss at Jax State last Saturday.
The Owls are coming off a wild one: a 42-40 Homecoming win over Delaware with eight lead changes, a 99-yard opening kickoff return from Davis Bryson and a defensive stand on a game-tying two-point try with 24 seconds left.
Scouting the Bearkats
What they do well: Defend the pass. Sam Houston allows just 161.4 passing yards a game, and opponents complete only 55.4 percent of their throws. QB Landyn Locke has thrown for 1,779 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games. He missed the Missouri State game with an injury and came back at Jax State to go 16-of-21. WR Chris Reed leads the team with 437 receiving yards and caught a 64-yard touchdown pass last week.
Where they struggle: Pretty much everything on the ground. Sam Houston averages 74.7 rushing yards a game and 2.7 yards a carry, with just four rushing touchdowns all season. Its leading rusher, Alton McCaskill, has 235 yards. On defense, the Bearkats give up 192.3 rushing yards a game at 5.0 yards a carry, plus 16 rushing touchdowns. They're also 1-of-11 on fourth down and have scored touchdowns on just 10 of 19 red zone trips.
Keys to the game
- Feed Boogie Woods III. KSU's top rusher has 448 yards and eight touchdowns, and he's run for two scores in back-to-back games. Against a defense that gives up 5.0 a carry, the run game should set the tone, whoever is at quarterback.
- Clean up the flags. The Owls were flagged 15 times for 129 yards against Delaware and average 77.8 penalty yards a game. On the road, that's how a 1-8 team hangs around.
- Keep finishing drives. KSU has scored on 29 of 31 red zone trips this season, and Daniel Kinney is 12-of-14 on field goals. Turning more of those into touchdowns, not just points, would put this one away early.
- Make Locke move. The pass rush just had a season-high three sacks and 11 hurries. If Sam Houston can't run, Locke has to throw into it.
Players to watch
Kennesaw State
- QB Rickie Collins / QB Landon Varnes: Collins left the Delaware game injured, and KSU hasn't announced his status. Public injury trackers list him as questionable. Varnes threw for 254 yards in relief, including a 63-yard go-ahead touchdown to Reed Jesiolowski. Either way, it's a big week for the quarterback room.
- RB Boogie Woods III: 448 rushing yards, eight touchdowns, 4.5 yards a carry.
- WR Davis Bryson: 232 all-purpose yards against Delaware, including that 99-yard kickoff return touchdown.
- WRs Brayden Munroe and Dylan Gary: Munroe leads the team with 440 receiving yards, and Gary has a team-high four receiving touchdowns.
- DL Jaiden Grimes: The CUSA Defensive Player of the Week after a sack, a forced fumble and seven QB pressures against Delaware.
- LB Tywon Christopher and DL Ugonna Nwoha: Christopher leads KSU with 70 tackles, and Nwoha has 5.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.
Sam Houston
- QB Landyn Locke: 63.4 percent passing, 1,779 yards, 13 touchdowns.
- WR Chris Reed: Team-high 437 receiving yards and six catches for 80 yards at Jax State.
- WR Grady O'Neill: Six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown last week.
- S Jace Arnold: Six tackles and a sack at Jax State.
Watching from home?
Kickoff is 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+. If you're hosting a watch party, wear your black and gold, and if you need a fresh game-day tee, check out our shop.
The bottom line
Sam Houston has beaten KSU three times, and a team playing for new coaches can be dangerous. But the Bearkats can't run the ball, and they can't stop the run. If the Owls lean on Woods, keep the penalties down and get pressure on Locke, KSU leaves Huntsville with its first-ever win over Sam Houston and a three-game winning streak.
Our pick: Kennesaw State 30, Sam Houston 17. OwlUp!
Catch up on 3 Things We Learned from the Delaware win and Jaiden Grimes' CUSA award, check the full 2026 Kennesaw State schedule, and grab some black-and-gold gear before Saturday.
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