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Kennesaw State’s Gerard Bullock Jr. tries to evade the sort out of Jax State’s Tyrin Taylor and Isaac Walker throughout faculty college soccer motion at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama November 15, 2025. (Dave Hyatt / Hyatt Media LLC) Kennesaw State and Western Michigan had been considerably stunning winners of their respective conferences this season.
Western Michigan (9-4) had a breakthrough in Lance Taylor’s third season as coach, beating Miami (Ohio) 23-13 for the Mid-American Convention title Dec. 6 after being picked seventh out of 13 groups within the league. It was the Broncos’ first convention championship since PJ Fleck’s ultimate season in 2016.
Kennesaw State (10-3) was an excellent greater shock. The Owls received simply two video games of their first FBS season in 2024 and fired Brian Bohannon, who had been this system’s solely head coach.
Simply 4 of 24 voters in Convention USA’s preseason bowl confidence index thought Kennesaw State would even make a bowl in Jerry Mack’s first season as coach. The Owls proved that fallacious once they went 7-1 in convention play and received 19-15 at Jacksonville State within the Convention USA championship sport on Dec. 5.
These two overachievers will meet Friday within the Myrtle Seaside Bowl in Conway, S.C., in a battle of Group of 5 convention champions. Every group is on a successful streak — Western Michigan at 5 video games and Kennesaw State at three.
“Any time you possibly can take two G5 convention champions, I believe it makes for excellent TV, I believe it makes for an awesome storyline, I believe it makes for an awesome bowl matchup,” Taylor mentioned. “I am glad to see it. I hope we do extra of this sooner or later.”
This can be Kennesaw State’s first bowl sport, however the group has a historical past of postseason appearances regardless of this being simply this system’s eleventh season. The Owls made 4 straight FCS Playoff appearances from 2017-20, together with quarterfinal appearances in 2017 and 2018.
The Broncos, in the meantime, are in a bowl for the second straight season and the fifth time in 9 years since Fleck left to take the Minnesota job. They’ve by no means performed within the Myrtle Seaside Bowl and have misplaced 4 of their final 5 bowl video games getting into this matchup.
Kennesaw State’s offense is anchored by its passing sport.
Sophomore quarterback Amari Odom, a Wofford switch, has thrown for two,385 yards and 18 touchdowns, with six interceptions. He additionally has 376 dashing yards and 7 scores. In his final three video games, he is thrown for 847 yards with 10 touchdowns and no picks.
“Defending the soccer,” Mack mentioned of what led to Odom ending the common season robust. ” … His skill to guard the soccer is what transforms him, it transforms our group into the very best model of ourselves.”
Odom’s favourite goal, Gabriel Benyard, has had a breakout senior season through which he led CUSA with 898 receiving yards and was tied for the convention lead with 9 landing catches.
Western Michigan’s offense, conversely, has been led by its floor assault. The Broncos ranked eleventh within the MAC in passing offense (139.9 yards per sport) however second in dashing offense (196.6).
Quarterback Broc Lowry, who had simply 1,683 passing yards and 7 passing TDs, is tied for the MAC lead with 14 dashing touchdowns and ranks fifth in dashing yards (940). He is supplemented by Jalen Buckley, who had 829 yards and eight dashing TDs this season.
Nevertheless, the Broncos’ protection is the actual purpose they received the MAC, rating second within the convention in common yards (299.9) and factors allowed (18.2) per sport.
–Discipline Degree Media
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