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Kennesaw State Owls

Conference USA·1-1·
Elo
1373#99
SP+
-7.4#95
FPI
-5.5
AP
NR
Next@ Tennessee · Wk 3Win prob 9%Model +20.4
Talent #133 (502.9)Recruiting class #1206% production returning

Roster · 109 players

FR 40SO 16JR 28SR 25
#PlayerPosClHtWt
1Rickie CollinsQBJR6'2"222
2Landon VarnesQBSO6'0"197
3Skyler WilliamsQBFR6'1"233
5Jamarcus HarrisonQBFR6'3"202
18Julian LapeneQBFR5'11"185
6Latrelle MurrellRBJR5'11"215
20Celley DavisRBFR6'0"196
21Triston MorganRBSR5'9"190
23Jonathan MathisRBJR6'0"205
24Boogie Woods IIIRBSO5'10"197
25Joshua TroupeRBFR5'11"223
26Devin IngramRBSO5'8"188
0Keon DavisWRJR6'1"185
4Zion BookerWRSR5'10"186
7Navelle DeanWRJR6'0"200
8Devaughn SlaughterWRSO6'1"187
9Davis BrysonWRSR5'9"190
11Brayden MunroeWRSR6'3"201
12Jet TabbWRFR6'2"200
13Dylan GaryWRJR6'3"215
15Javon RogersWRJR6'0"170
16Dylan GreenWRFR6'3"185
48Colt MuscharaWRFR6'2"180
80Josh WilliamsonWRSR5'7"158
81Erik RonningWRSO5'11"187
85Kayden MillerWRFR6'2"190
17Gerard Bullock Jr.TESR6'1"230
19Reed JesiolowskiTEJR6'3"223
82Darren PinkardTEFR6'4"230
83Spencer WiseTEFR6'4"210
87Chase TatumTEFR6'3"264
88Jamari HarroldTESO6'2"234
50Anthony Cater Jr.OLFR6'3"292
51Mike Wallace Jr.OLSO6'2"323
52Havik PettigrewOLSR6'0"286
54Eseosa AigbokhaeOLFR6'5"312
55Mateo GuevaraOLSR6'4"317
56JaDarious LeeOLSR6'4"302
58Daniel CepickyOLFR6'6"310
59Jamiel WilliamsOLFR6'4"286
61Yusuf OkanlawonOLFR6'5"275
62Darius NealsOLSO6'4"339
66Luke DuskaOLSR6'5"325
69Chase StevensOLSO6'3"318
70Chase RichardsonOLFR6'3"305
71ZaMario WoodgettOLFR6'5"301
72Haston CrawfordOLFR6'6"287
73Aidan WilliamsOLSR6'5"290
75Precious EkehOLJR6'3"325
76Nikola MilovacOLJR6'6"317
77Enrico MaghelliOLFR6'5"300
6Marcus PattersonDLSR6'3"264
15Devin MorganDLSR6'1"283
53AJ MillerDLJR6'3"273
55Ugonna NwohaDLSR6'3"260
58Khary BelerDLJR6'2"290
65Nick ThornerDLFR6'4"260
79Marlo East Jr.DLJR6'2"274
90Jonathan KeysDLSO6'0"285
91Zakir Abdul-SalaamDLFR6'3"246
92Jackson CooperDLSO6'4"310
95Connor CoxwellDLFR6'5"245
96Jaiden GrimesDLJR6'2"290
97Jaiden CrawfordDLSR6'1"315
99Nasir SmithDLSO6'2"272
1Donovan WestmorelandLBJR6'1"234
8Corey KellyLBJR6'3"238
11Tywon ChristopherLBSO6'0"221
16Alfred ThomasLBJR6'1"230
18Josh AnglinLBJR5'11"220
28Karson MossLBSO6'0"215
31Kai RussellLBSR6'1"256
33Montra SanfordLBJR6'4"260
36Taiwo OgundeleLBFR6'0"211
40Amarion JonesLBFR6'3"225
41Byron JacksonLBFR6'4"245
42Omari StephensonLBFR6'0"210
44Baron HopsonLBSR6'1"222
46Jeremy Greaves Jr.LBSR6'1"245
47Charlie RobinsonLBJR6'3"250
56Zay WilsonLBFR6'2"230
0Perry FisherDBSR6'3"202
2Tony Williams Jr.DBFR6'1"200
3Jecari BrysonDBSR6'2"220
4Alexander FordDBSR6'0"190
5Tay'vion LawsonDBSO6'2"199
7Luke EvansDBJR6'2"188
9Isaac PaulDBJR6'0"175
10Ethan TookesDBJR6'2"197
12Kody JonesDBSR5'11"195
13Cam MillerDBSR6'1"215
14Kaleb GrayDBJR6'1"183
20Tyler HallumDBSR6'0"187
21Ja'Lyen JudsonDBFR6'0"170
21Antonio Ferebee IIDBFR6'1"185
22Preston ClemmerDBJR6'1"200
27Jordan HolmesDBFR5'10"175
30Phillip CatoDBSO5'9"175
32Jaden Martin-BurgessDBJR6'1"198
35Brody BondDBFR5'10"188
37CJ Outland IIIDBFR6'2"195
38Maliki WrightDBFR5'11"195
49EB BaileyDBFR6'0"180
39Leo AttardPKFR6'0"190
89Daniel KinneyPKFR5'11"211
34Matt McKenziePSR6'0"219
98Zechariah DukePFR6'4"190
43Ben BlantonLSJR5'11"215
45Brock WaltersLSJR6'1"253

Team Statistics · per game, with national FBS rank

Points / game
32.0
scoring offense
Points allowed
15.5
scoring defense
Differential
+16.5
per game
Offense
Total yards / game
420.0#60
Yards / play
6.1#64
Passing yards / game
235.5#64
Rushing yards / game
184.5#53
First downs / game
23.5#44
3rd down %
39.1%#78
4th down %
33.3%#99
Time of possession
28:10#102
Defense
Yards allowed / game
321.5#68
Yards / play allowed
5.3#85
Pass yards allowed / game
182.0#55
Rush yards allowed / game
139.5#93
3rd down % allowed
24.0%#18
Sacks
2#105
Tackles for loss
7#110
Turnovers & Discipline
Turnover margin
+1#41
Takeaways
4#22
Giveaways
3#75
Penalties / game
5.5#38
Penalty yards / game
40.0#32

Rank is national among all FBS teams (#1 = best), oriented so higher rank = better even for defensive and discipline metrics. Bars show percentile.

Scouting Report · 2026 projection

Kennesaw State is in year 2 under Jerry Mack. The strengths are offensive, led by 23rd at hitting chunk plays. The way in is 118th at turning trips inside the 40 into points, and they are 113th at defending the run.

Kennesaw State has played 1 game against a genuinely tough slate, adjusted for here. That football carries about 0% of what is below; the rest is still the preseason projection.

Projected strengths

  • Offensehitting chunk plays
    #23
    projected

Projected soft spots

  • Offenseturning trips inside the 40 into points
    #118
    projected
  • Defenserunning it
    #113
    projected
  • Defensefirst and second down
    #113
    projected

Each bar is where this team sits in the country. Before the season has produced enough football these are PROJECTIONS — last season regressed to the mean, plus talent, returning production, recruiting and whether the staff is the same one — and the season replaces them as it is played. Head coaches only — there is no free feed for coordinators, so on a program where the head coach does not call the offense this describes the staff he hired. Play-calling identity is a style, not a grade: throwing more than the situations warrant is not better than throwing less than they warrant.

2026 Season Projection

model win prob · 10 to play
5.36.7
projected final record (now 11)
Exp. wins left
4.3
of 10 games
Bowl odds
45%
reach 6 wins
Best odds
68%
vs Florida International
Toughest
9%
vs Tennessee

How the season could finish · 2026 · chance of each final win total · 10 games left

Every remaining game simulated from the model's win probability for it. Tallest bar is the single likeliest finish, not a prediction that it happens.

1234567891011
final winstallest bar = 26% chance
Likeliest finish 5-7 (26%)Bowl eligible 45% · marked on the axis at 6

Player Value

EPA contribution by position group + estimated NIL market value (derived from position rates and on-field production — not actual deal figures).

Unit Value — Total EPA
RBAlan Woods III, Latrelle Murrell +1
+17.2 EPA
QBRickie Collins
+16.7 EPA
WRDylan Gary, Davis Bryson +4
+11.3 EPA
TEGerard Bullock, Reed Jesiolowski +1
+0.2 EPA

Total EPA produced by each positional group this season. OL value is captured via the rush/pass efficiency of skill players; OL-specific EPA isn't separately reported.

Estimated NIL Market Value
ESTIMATED
EPA +16.70.235/play71 snaps
EPA +2.20.109/play20 snaps

Estimated from position-group market rates and on-field EPA contribution. Actual NIL valuations depend on social media following, brand fit, and market negotiations — these figures are directional only.

The Five Factors

ranked vs. FBS · bar = better
Efficiency (PPA)
Off0.3171st#41
Def0.1535th#90
Explosiveness
Off1.2850th#69
Def1.1470th#42
Field position
Off69.548th#72
Def73.340th#83
Finishing (pts/opp)
Off4.3360th#56
Def3.7530th#97
Turnovers
Won 4Lost 3
Margin +1

Opponent-adjusted efficiency

EPA/play vs. schedule
Offense
Defense
Off · pass
0.2435th#90
Off · rush
0.4291st#14

Pass vs. rush (PPA)

Rushing
Off0.4291st#14
Def0.0254th#64
Passing
Off0.2433rd#93
Def0.3620th#110

Trenches & disruption

Line yards (off)
3.31#39
2nd-level / open-field
1.54 / 2.54
Power / stuff (off)
85.7% / 26.1%
Havoc — total (def)
10.6%#131
Havoc — front 7 / DB
8.9% / 1.6%

Standard vs. passing downs

Pro
Std downs
Off0.36
Def-0.02
Pass downs
Off0.19
Def0.50

PPA on each down type (off vs. def).

Opponent-adjusted by down

Pro
1st2nd3rd
Offense0.36#120.22#690.38#95
Defense-0.01#800.35#1120.25#51

Elo Trajectory

West GeorgiaFinal
Elo rating 13731331-42 over season

Team Fingerprint · 2026 · 46 opponent-adjusted metrics · percentile vs 138 FBS teams

Plot these →
worst in FBSbest

Efficiency

  • Offense EPA/play0.2351st
  • Defense EPA/play allowed0.0364th
  • Offense success rate48%67th
  • Defense success rate allowed33%76th

Downs

  • Offense success — standard downs60%88th
  • Offense success — passing downs22%13th
  • Defense success allowed — standard downs37%74th
  • Defense success allowed — passing downs28%45th

Explosiveness

  • Offense explosiveness1.128th
  • Defense explosiveness allowed1.086th
  • Offense explosiveness — standard downs0.9633rd
  • Offense explosiveness — passing downs2.378th

Trenches

  • Offense line yards3.045th
  • Defense line yards allowed2.559th
  • Offense highlight yards1.463rd
  • Defense highlight yards allowed0.5067th
  • Offense power success0.8981st
  • Defense power success allowed0.9210th
  • Offense stuff rate0.2511th
  • Defense stuff rate0.2258th

Third down

  • Third down conversion43%53rd
  • Third down distance faced7.231st
  • Third down conversion allowed24%90th
  • Third down distance forced7.454th

Halves

  • Net success rate — first half0.1361st
  • Net success rate — second half0.2189th

Drives

  • Points per drive1.740th
  • Points per drive allowed3.026th
  • Average starting field position237th
  • Opponent starting field position3232nd
  • Available yards gained42%31st
  • Available yards allowed62%20th
  • Scoring opportunities per drive70%29th
  • Scoring opportunities allowed100%12th
  • Points per scoring opportunity2.443rd
  • Points allowed per opportunity3.047th
  • Three-and-out rate20%64th
  • Three-and-outs forced20%41st

CORE

  • CORE offense-3.428th
  • CORE defense3.528th
  • CORE overall-6.930th

Roster

  • Returning usage5%4th
  • Returning EPA23.110th
  • Team talent composite5034th
  • Recruiting class rank12013th
  • Recruiting class points16313th

Every metric is opponent-adjusted and ranked so that higher is always better — a defensive rate that is good when low is ranked accordingly. Sack and tackle-for-loss composition are deliberately absent: their relationship to team quality is a measured null, so they carry a style rather than a rank, and they appear in the pressure signature instead.

Intelligence Report

Offensive DNA

Run-first offense performing above the national average
EPA/play
+0.307#41 · above avg
Pass EPA/play
+0.236#93
Rush EPA/play
+0.424#14
Explosiveness
1.276#69
Pts/opportunity
4.33#56
Success rate
48.1%

Rush efficiency edge: 0.188 EPA/play

🛡

Defensive Identity

Coverage-heavy defense — allowing above-average EPA/play
EPA/play allowed
+0.154#90 · average
Havoc rate (total)
10.6%#131
Front-7 havoc
8.9%
DB havoc
1.6%
Big play rate allowed
1.139#42
Success rate allowed
40.0%

Disruption comes primarily from the front seven.

📊

Season Signature

32.0 PPG offense, 15.5 allowed — +16.5 margin/game
Points per game
32.0
Points allowed/game
15.5
Scoring margin/game
+16.5
Turnover margin
+1won 4 · lost 3
Production returning
6%
Talent rank (247)
#133

1-1 record through 2 games.

Team Shape · percentile vs. FBS · dashed = 50th

OFFENSE71thEXPLOSIVENESS50thFINISHING60thFIELD POS48thDEFENSE35thHAVOC5th50th100th
Offense
71th
Explosiveness
50th
Finishing
60th
Field Pos
48th
Defense
35th
Havoc
5th

Each axis = national percentile rank. 100th = best in FBS, 0th = worst. Defense and Havoc are oriented so higher = better.

What a possession is worth · 10 drives

MeasureOffenseDefense
Points per drive1.703.00
Starting field positionown 22.5own 31.6
Available yards42.0%62.4%
Scoring opportunities70.0%100.0%
Points per opportunity2.433.00
Three-and-out rate20.0%20.0%
Every team’s drive efficiency →

Play-calling identity

Against what the league calls from the same down, distance, field position, score and clock — so this is the staff, not the game script.

Pass rate
63.6%
Expected, given the spots
59.1%
Over expected
+4.6
Fourth down vs peers
-1
Fourth down vs the model
+0
All play-calling tendencies →

National Landscape · 2026 FBS · offense vs. defense EPA/play

Each dot = one FBS team. Kennesaw State is highlighted. Tap or hover a dot for details.

ELITEDEF. FORTRESSOFF. POWERHOUSEREBUILDING-0.100.00+0.10+0.20+0.30-0.050.00+0.10+0.20Offensive EPA/play← worsebetter →Defensive EPA allowed/play← worsebetter →

Similar Programs

Teams with the closest offense + defense efficiency profile to Kennesaw State in 2026

by EPA/play distance
App StateSP+ -7.2
Off EPA/play +0.297Def EPA/play +0.163Elo 1310
Match
99%
North TexasSP+ -13.2
Off EPA/play +0.307Def EPA/play +0.169Elo 1590
Match
99%
UConnSP+ -6.3
Off EPA/play +0.303Def EPA/play +0.136Elo 1484
Match
99%
Boise StateSP+ +5.2
Off EPA/play +0.296Def EPA/play +0.182Elo 1569
Match
98%
TexasSP+ +25.4
Off EPA/play +0.279Def EPA/play +0.149Elo 1913
Match
98%
West VirginiaSP+ -4.4
Off EPA/play +0.319Def EPA/play +0.100Elo 1365
Match
97%

Similarity = normalized Euclidean distance on season offensive and defensive EPA/play. Teams within ±0.02 EPA/play on both units score >90%.

Program History

recent seasons
YearOverallConfWin %xWLuck
20261-00-0
100%
1.0+0.0
202510-47-1
71%
8.7+1.3
20242-102-6
17%
2.1-0.1
20233-60-0
33%
5.4-2.4
20225-60-4
45%
5.7-0.7
202111-27-0
85%
0.0+11.0
20204-12-1
80%
201911-36-1
79%
0.8+10.2
201811-25-0
85%
0.1+10.9
201712-25-0
86%

xW = expected wins from per-game dominance. Luck = actual − expected (positive = won close games).

0.0%of 50,000 simulated 2026 seasons end with them in the field

0-1 so far, projected to finish 4.8-7.3. Wins the Conference USA in 4.2%.

If they finish with…

0.6%
2 losses
0%
3 losses
0%
4 losses

Their chance of making it at each final loss count.

down 0.4 points since preseason.

  • At 2 losses they are 0.6% where the average Conference USA team is 1.1%.
  • The Conference USA takes 0.03 bids in an average season.
  • One bid goes to the best champion outside the P4. They take it in 0.0% of seasons, having won their league in 100% of those.

Kennesaw State’s own turning points

Points of playoff probability between winning and losing.

  • wk8vs Liberty0.0
  • wk4at Arkansas State0.0
  • wk10vs Delaware0.0
  • wk13at Western Kentucky0.0
  • wk12vs Florida International0.0
  • wk7at Missouri State0.0

Who to root for

Games Kennesaw State is not in that move its odds most. Same units, much smaller scale.

  • wk10Southern Miss over James Madison0.0
  • wk11Duke over Miami0.0
  • wk4Sacramento State over Massachusetts0.0
  • wk11Rutgers over Nebraska0.0
  • wk4UL Monroe over Florida Atlantic0.0
  • wk8Washington State over Boise State0.0
The full playoff picture →

Conference USA

0-0 in league play, projected 3.4-4.67 of 10 by title odds
4.2%
Wins the Conference USA
11%
Reaches the title game

The Conference USA sends its top two by conference winning percentage, head-to-head breaking a tie. The last berth is level on percentage in 42% of simulated seasons, so a tiebreaker decides it about that often.

  • wk8Liberty at Kennesaw State10.9
  • wk3Kennesaw State at Tennessee9.0
  • wk10Delaware at Kennesaw State8.3
  • wk12Florida International at Kennesaw State7.8

Points of title probability riding on each result. The whole Conference USA race →

If not the playoff, then

35%
Bowl eligible
34%
Placed in a bowl
0.0%
In the playoff
66%
Season over in November

Kennesaw State is 1-1 and needs 5 more wins from 10 games to reach the six that make a team eligible — at most one of which may come against an FCS opponent. In 1.3% of seasons they get there and still go nowhere: there are more eligible teams than seats.

  • New Orleans Bowl8.2%
  • Hawai'i Bowl7.2%
  • 68 Ventures Bowl7.1%
  • Xbox Bowl3.9%
  • Armed Forces Bowl3.6%
  • Boca Raton Bowl1.8%

Every bowl, and how each one picks →

Recruiting Pipelines

since 2010

Of the 170 high-school programs with a pipeline page here, 7 have sent Kennesaw State a player since 2010 — 15 signees between them. Where they signed, not where they were offered, and not a complete list of Kennesaw State's feeder schools: only these 170 have the outcome history to measure.

High schoolSignedDrafted
McEachernGA30
DutchtownGA20
HillgroveGA20
HooverAL20
NavarreFL20
PerryAZ20
Pleasant GroveUT20
All 170 high-school pipelines →
✓/✗ = whether our pregame model picked the winner. Win % & projections from the Gridpex model. Data: CollegeFootballData.