Kennesaw State Wins C-USA Championship 19-15

In a thrilling comeback, Kennesaw State defeated regular-season champion Jacksonville State 19-15 to claim the Conference USA football championship Friday night at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama. Quarterback Amari Odom connected with Navelle Dean for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 63 seconds remaining, capping a dramatic fourth-quarter rally after the Owls squandered a 12-point lead.

The victory marked a stunning turnaround for Kennesaw State under first-year coach Jerry Mack, who guided the team to its first conference title just two seasons after a 2-10 debut in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Owls, who entered the game with a 9-3 record, avenged a 35-26 regular-season loss to the Gamecocks on November 15, when four turnovers deep in scoring position proved costly.

Kennesaw State built an early advantage with a 3-yard touchdown run by Coleman Bennett in the second quarter and a 38-yard field goal by Britton Williams in the third, leading 10-0 at halftime. Jacksonville State, hosting as the top seed with an 8-4 mark, seized momentum late in the third when Kennesaw State's Davis Bryson fumbled a free kick following a safety. Cam Cook, the nation's leading rusher...