North Carolina A&T (3-2, 2-0 BIG SOUTH) vs. No. 13/15 Kennesaw State (4-1, 1-0 BIG SOUTH)
Date: October 16, 2021
Time: 5 p.m. EST
City/Venue: Kennesaw, Ga./Fifth Third Bank Stadium
Series: First meeting
TV: ESPN+/Nexstar; David Jackson, pxp; Jay Sonnhalter, analyst; Richard Weaver, sideline
Radio: Donal Ware (pxp); Al Swann (analyst); Billy Covington (analyst)
NORTH CAROLINA A&T AGGIES: The Aggies face their most formidable FCS challenge of the season as they travel to Georgia to face nationally-ranked Kennesaw State. The Aggies head into the game undefeated in the conference after a crazy 38-34 win over the University of North Alabama at Truist Stadium last Saturday. In the fourth quarter, the Aggies got a 60-yard game-winning touchdown reception from Bhayshul Tuten (5-foot-9,191, FR, RB, Paulsboro, N.J.). Herbert Booker's (5-10, 185, FR, DB, Oak Ridge, Tenn.) interception all but clinched the win for the Aggies. A&T held on even though its 24-7 halftime lead turned into a 34-31 fourth-quarter deficit before Tuten's heroics.
A&T had another excellent day running the football. Jah-Maine Martin (5-10, 220, RB, R-SR Conway, S.C.), Tuten and Kashon Baker (5-6, 170, RB, R-SR, Farmville, N.C.) combined to rush for 186 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. Nine different players caught passes from quarterback Jalen Fowler (6-4, 235, R-JR, QB, Spartanburg, S.C.). Baker and Ron Hunt (6-3, 190, GR, WR, Greensboro, N.C.) led the way for the Aggies with three receptions apiece. For the third straight game, the Aggies posted better than 400 yards of offense.
It was an up and down day defensively for the Aggies. They did hold the Lions to 52 yards rushing. But the Aggies got called for an astonishing seven pass interference calls. Ironically, a pass interference call on UNA late in the fourth quarter gave the Aggies a first down and allowed them to run out the clock. The afternoon ended with the Aggies compiling 127 yards in penalties, marking the second time they exceeded 100 yards in penalties this season. Jacob Roberts (6-0, 235, SO, LB, Charlotte, N.C.) led the Aggies with 12 tackles.
A&T HEAD COACH SAM WASHINGTON: Sam Washington is a 1982 graduate of Mississippi Valley State. In his third season on the field and fourth overall, Washington is 22-7 (.759) as the Aggies head coach. In his rookie season as a head coach, Washington was named the 2018 MEAC coach of the year after leading the Aggies to a MEAC title and a Celebration Bowl victory. In year two, the Aggies won the MEAC again under Washington and took home the Celebration Bowl. In addition, he has two HBCU national titles, and Washington is off to the best two-year start of any football coach in A&T history. He comes into Saturday's game 13-3 (.813) against conference opponents.
KENNESAW STATE OWLS: The Owls are riding a three-game winning streak heading into their homecoming showdown with the Aggies. Their most recent victory came against Big South foe Hampton, a 34-15 triumph on the road. The week prior, KSU trounced then-No. 17 Jacksonville State, 31-6.
The Owls only started playing football in 2015. In that time, KSU has made history time and time again. In just their third year since inception, the Owls won the Big South championship with a 5-0 record. They repeated as champions the following year at 5-0, becoming the first Big South school to go back-to-back since Liberty in 2007 and 2008. The Owls are the winningest start-up program in college football history, rifling off 48 wins in their first five seasons.
KSU HEAD COACH: Owls head coach Brian Bohannon is in his seventh year at KSU. Tasked with starting a football program from scratch, Bohannon has compiled a 56-17 record overall and a 24-8 mark in the Big South. He is also a two-time Big South coach of the year. So it's safe to say his startup plan was a success. Bohannon also has two conference titles under his belt and sits second all-time in Big South career victories, trailing only Coastal Carolina's David Bennett at 63. In addition, the Owls have been ranked in either the STATS FCS or AFCA poll for 52 straight weeks.
OPPOSING POINT OF VIEW: "When we turned the tape on, on Sunday, I'll be honest with you, we were impressed. There's a reason why they have won nine-plus games every year since 2014. They have won multiple Celebration Bowls. When you turn the tape on, you know why. When you look at them defensively, their football team has an identity. They know who they are. They're really good at what they do. Defensively, they are extremely athletic, they run to the football really well, and they play extremely hard."
KSU head Brian Bohannon on facing the Aggies this week
THE QUARTERBACKS: Fowler had been sensational thus far this season. He has completed 63 percent of his passes, thrown eight touchdown passes, and just three interceptions in four starts this season. He leads the Big South in passing efficiency (160.0) and yards per attempt (9.05). He is second in the Big South in total offense (256.6 yards per game). He had had a career-high three touchdown tosses in the win over UNA last Saturday.
Sophomore quarterback Xavier Shepherd. Shepherd is a stat-sheet stuffer for the Owls. He has been the Big South offensive player of the week the last two weeks. In his most recent performance against Hampton, Shepherd set the Big South record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a conference game with 179 yards to go along with a career-high three rushing touchdowns. He is second in the FCS with nine rushing touchdowns. Shepherd leads the conference in total points scored (54) and is third in the FCS in points per game, averaging 10.8. Shepherd leads an offense that is second in the nation in yards per game (288.4).
THE MATCHUP: The matchup on Saturday features the conference's No. 1 rushing offense in KSU, and the conference's No. 1 rushing defense in A&T. The Aggies have allowed just 95.6 rushing yards per game over the last 10 seasons. In five games this year, A&T has allowed just 450 rushing yards (90.0 per game). On the flip side, KSU is one of two teams in the conference over 1,000 rushing yards and holds a comfortable lead in first place with 1,442 total rushing yards this year. The Owls have also recorded at least one rushing touchdown in 62-straight games.
GAME NOTES:
- The last time the Aggies beat a ranked team was a 24-21 win at home over the Elon Phoenix on Aug. 31, 2019. The Aggies needed a last-second field goal by Noel Ruiz to win the game.
- The last time the Aggies faced a ranked team at their home facility, they lost at N.C. Central in 2016. The last time the Aggies beat a ranked team on the road came in 2003 when they defeated Bethune-Cookman 13-7.
- North Carolina A&T will be playing its first-ever Big South road game. It just happens to be Kennesaw State's homecoming.
- A&T coach Sam Washington is 14-3 when facing a conference opponent. He is off to a 2-0 start as a member of the Big South.
- The Owls are 31-5 (.861) all-time at home.
- KSU has not lost a home game since Nov. 2, 2019.
- The Owls are 4th in the FCS in penalty yards per game (30.2) and second in time of possession (35:25).
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Aggies Face Difficult Test Against Nationally-Ranked Owls - North Carolina A&T - NCAT Aggies
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