November 6, 2025

In This Issue 

Kennesaw State Owls Campus Sports

Along with News from the

Conference USA (C-USA)

First Place Kennesaw State Heads To New Mexico State For CUSA Matchup Saturday

Kennesaw State Owls (6-2, 4-0 CUSA) at New Mexico State Miners
(3-5, 1-4 CUSA)

Date: Saturday, November 8

Site: @ Aggie Memorial Stadium,

Las Cruces, NM



Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. ET

TV: ESPNU: Click Here

Play-by-Play: Adam Young

Analyst: Danny Knee

Radio: KSU Owls Network

Play-by-Play: Nolan Alexander
Analyst: Caleb O’Neal

Sideline Reporter: Brandon Sutton

Mobile Apps: KSU Owls App,

• Online: KSUOwls.com

• Satellite: SiriusXM Ch. 984, 985

KSU Preview: Click Here

NM State Preview: Click Here

Kennesaw State Sports: Click Here

KSU Game Notes: Click Here

NM State Game Notes: Click Here

C-USA Weekly Release: Click Here

Football Atlanta: Click Here

By Don Stone, KennesawStateSports.com

>>Kennesaw State has caught a lot of people by surprise (including me) as they have been making waves in their second season of FBS competition, currently boasting a 6-2 overall record and an impressive 4-0 mark in Conference USA.

>>The Owls are riding a six game winning streak heading into their crucial upcoming game at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces as they visit New Mexico State on Saturday. The game has significant bowl eligibility implications. It will be the first ever meeting between the two schools.

>>This could be seen as some as a “trap game,” one where you play a struggling team while you wait for the more important game a week later. In this case, that would be the looming November 15 showdown at second place Jax State (5-3, 4-0 CUSA) with the Conference Championship likely on the line. And, they just announced that the game has been moved to an 8:00 p.m. primetime start and shifted from ESPN+ to the more accessible ESPNU.

>>New Mexico State (3-5, 1-4 CUSA) is coming off a 35-9 loss at Western Kentucky putting up no points on offense. They got a meaningless 71 yard scoop and score by Stilton McKelvey late in the game.

>>The Owls’ performance has been marked by a balanced attack on offense, with quarterbacks Dexter Williams II and Amari Odom executing efficiently and leading multiple scoring drives. Defensive efforts, led by standout players such as Caleb Offord and Christian Moss, have contributed to the Owls’ success, including several key turnovers and stops.



Click Here For The Full Story

Watch Head Coach Jerry Mack's Weekly Press Conference

Previewing Road Game at NM State

>>Kennesaw State head coach Jerry Mack talked about the Owls' upcoming challenge against New Mexico State. Fresh off clinching bowl eligibility, Mack emphasized both the significance of the moment and the need for continued improvement.

>>“Getting that sixth win is special because it’s historic for our program,” Mack said. “But we’re not satisfied. We’ve got a lot of football in front of us, starting this week against a well-coached New Mexico State team.” He credited his players for staying focused after last week’s milestone victory, stressing that postseason goals remain the priority.

>>Mack praised New Mexico State’s playmaking ability and recent progress. “You see a team with a lot of confidence. They’ve been putting together complete games and finding ways to win,” Mack said. “Their quarterback is dangerous with his legs and arm, and their defense is aggressive. We’ll need a complete effort.”

>>When asked about his own squad, Mack highlighted the development of his dual-quarterback system with Dexter Williams II and Amari Odom. “We’re fortunate to have two quarterbacks who can win games for us,” he said. “Dexter and Amari push each other and bring different skill sets to our offense. That’s helped us stay balanced and unpredictable.”



Click Here To Watch

The Full Press Conference

New Mexico State Head Coach Tony Sanchez's Press Conference Previewing Kennesaw State

>>New Mexico State head coach Tony Sanchez faced the media to preview his team's upcoming game against bowl-eligible Kennesaw State Owls, highlighting the challenge ahead as the Aggies seek to maintain their slim postseason hopes.

>>“We’ve been through some ups and downs but our focus is clear,” Sanchez said. “Kennesaw State is a tough team—6-2, undefeated in conference play, and rolling with momentum from their winning streak. They’ve got a balanced offense and some playmakers who can hurt you if you aren’t disciplined.”

>>Sanchez praised KSU’s dual-quarterback system led by Dexter Williams II and Amari Odom. “Having two guys who can run and pass changes how you defend them. We have to control the line of scrimmage and make them one-dimensional,” he explained.

>>The Aggies, sitting at 3-5, face what many consider a must-win game to keep bowl dreams alive. “We’re not thinking about the number of wins we need,” said Sanchez. “Our approach is simple: play four quarters of football full throttle and leave everything on the field. That mindset gives us the best chance to win.”

Click Here To Watch Full Presser

Statement Win to Start the Season For Women's Basketball

>>Kennesaw State women's basketball opened the 2025-26 season, snatching a convincing victory over Shorter College on Tuesday night at VyStar Arena. Shania Nichols led the Owls with a game high 19 points off six made three-pointers, while Kailyn Fields finished with 14 points. 

>>The Owls went on an early 6-0 run that included four points from Keyarah Berry. Fields also made her presence known on the court by putting up two three-pointers in the first quarter placing the Owls ahead 19-8. 

>>Kennesaw State held Shorter to 24% shooting from the floor.

>>The Owls will be hosting their second home game of the season on Saturday at 7 PM against Florida Atlantic at VyStar Arena. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

Click Here For The Full Story

CONFERENCE USA FOOTBALL This Week's Games

NOVEMBER 8 - 15

(All times Eastern)

Saturday, November 8

Missouri State at Liberty

1:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

LA Tech at Delaware 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

FIU at MTSU 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

Jax State at UTEP 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

Kennesaw State at NM State

4:00 p.m. (ESPN+)

Sam Houston at Oregon State

10:00 p.m. (The CW)

Saturday, November 15

UTEP at Missouri State

3:00 p.m. (ESPN+) 

MTSU at WKU 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+) 

NM State at Tennessee

4:15 p.m. (SEC Network) 

Liberty at FIU 5:00 p.m. (ESPN+) 

Delaware at Sam Houston

7:00 p.m. (ESPN+) 

Kennesaw State at Jax State

8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

LA Tech at Washington State

10:00 p.m. (The CW)

C-USA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offensive Player of the Week –

Evan Dickens, Liberty – R-So. – RB 

Defensive Player of the Week –

Tywon Christopher,

Kennesaw State – R-Fr. – LB 

Special Teams Player of the Week – Cole Maynard, WKU – R-Sr. – P

Freshman of the Week –

Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU – R-Fr. – QB

Offensive Lineman of the Week –

Landon Nelson, LA Tech – R-Sr. – C

Conference USA Website - Click Here

Red-Hot Owls Travel to New Mexico State

>>• Red-hot Kennesaw State football begins a two-game road swing when it heads to Las Cruces to take on CUSA foe New Mexico State on Saturday, Nov. 8. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

>>• Kennesaw State has won six-straight games and is 4-0 in Conference USA action this season, currently holding the longest active win streak among Group of Five teams. The Owls’ only blemishes this season have been Power 4 losses to Wake Forest (5-3) and No. 2-ranked Indiana (9-0).

>>• KSU was joined by Notre Dame this weekend as the first FBS teams since Iowa in 2020 to win six-straight games after starting the season 0-2.

>>• After knocking off UTEP last week, Kennesaw State became just the ninth team to become bowl eligible in its first full-fledged season of FBS.

>>• In CUSA action this season, the Owls lead the conference in both scoring offense (34.3) and scoring defense (17.3), as KSU has earned a share of the lead in the league standings with four weeks to go.

>>• r-Fr. LB Tywon Christopher earned CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors for his 12-tackle game last week where he also forced a fumble.

>>• Christopher tallied the second-best run defense grade in the country (96.4) and sixth-best defensive grade overall (80.2), according to Pro Football Focus.

>>• Also shining last week was Sr. RB Chase Belcher, who took 24 carries for 113 yards -- both career highs -- and a touchdown in the effort. He’s caught fire of late, rushing for 178 yards in the last two weeks after 57 yards in his first five games.

Click Here For The Full Story

Volleyball Closes Regular Season This Weekend At Home vs UTEP

>>The Kennesaw State Owls volleyball team is set to close out its home regular season with a high-stakes Senior Weekend series against first-place UTEP (21-3, 11-1) on Friday and Saturday in VyStar Arena. Riding a seven-match winning streak, the Owls bring a 16-6 overall record and a 10-2 Conference USA mark to the series, just one game out of first place in the league standings.

>>Senior standouts Manu Johnsen and Olivia Burrage have led the Owls’ attack. Burrage was named this week's Conference USA Volleyball of the Week. This is the second weekly honor for Burrage this season. The junior middle blocker from Jefferson, Ga., posted another career performance this weekend, recording the first double-double in her three years as an Owl.

>>She finished with 16 kills and a career-high tying 10 blocks in KSU's 3-2 victory over Sam Houston on Oct. 31, and followed that with 13 kills and six blocks in the 3-0 win on Nov. 1. Those two wins moved the Owls to 10-2 in conference play, just one game out of first place. 

>>Seniors will be honored Saturday before the 1 p.m. match. “This group of seniors means so much to our program,” Schunzel continued. “Their leadership, resilience, and love for Kennesaw State have helped build our culture. We want to send them out the right way in front of our fans.”

>>Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+, with Friday’s contest set for 7 p.m. and Saturday’s Senior Day match at 1 p.m. The Owls hope to finish strong at home and secure a top seed entering the Conference USA Tournament. “We’ve built momentum with our winning streak,” Schunzel added. “Now the challenge is closing out the home slate with our best volleyball of the year.”

Owls Men's Hoops Hit the Century Mark in Season-Opening Win

>>Kennesaw State opened the 2025-26 season in record-setting fashion, as the Owls opened up a dominating 50-point halftime advantage on the way to a 105-30 victory over Paine College on Monday night at VyStar Arena. The 75-point victory shattered the previous record for largest win margin in the program's D1 history, a 62-point win over Toccoa Falls on Nov. 28, 2020.

>>The Owls hit a school-record 13 three-pointers in the first half and shot over 70% to open up a 60-10 advantage.

 >>Senior guard Simeon Cottle and freshman forward Trey Simpson tied for the team lead on Monday with 17 points each. Also finishing in double-figures was Ramone Seals with 13 and Perry Smith Jr. with 10.

>>The Owls play their first road game of the season on Saturday, with a 1 p.m. contest against Florida A&M in Tallahassee. The game will be streamed live on SWACTV.



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