Everything felt different when the Owls stepped onto the turf at the Alamodome last August. It wasn't just another season opener. It was the "Big Time." After years of dominating the FCS landscape and putting up video game numbers under Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State finally made the leap to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Honestly, it was a brutal reality check.
If you looked at the Kennesaw State football schedule 2024 before the season started, you probably saw opportunity. Instead, Owl Nation witnessed the growing pains of a program trying to find its footing in Conference USA (C-USA) while undergoing a mid-season coaching divorce. The record says 2-10. But that number doesn't tell the whole story of a year that featured one of the biggest upsets in recent college football history.
The Brutal Welcome: A 0-6 Start
The transition wasn't kind. The Owls opened the year on the road against UTSA, losing 28-16. It wasn't a blowout, but it set a trend. Kennesaw State struggled to find the end zone consistently.
Then came the home opener against Louisiana. A 34-10 loss.
💡 You might also like: NFL Pick 'em Predictions: Why You're Probably Overthinking the Divisional Round
By the time they hit October, they were 0-5 and facing a Jacksonville State team that treated Fifth Third Stadium like a track meet, hung 63 points on the Owls, and left Kennesaw with a massive win. People were starting to whisper. Was the jump too early? Was the "Pistol" offense outdated for this level?
Then, the Tuesday night game against Middle Tennessee happened—a 14-5 loss. Yes, you read that right. Five points. It was a rock-bottom moment that led to the unthinkable: the departure of Brian Bohannon, the only head coach the program had ever known.
Every 2024 Kennesaw State Result
- Aug 31: @ UTSA (L, 16-28)
- Sep 7: vs Louisiana (L, 10-34)
- Sep 14: @ San Jose State (L, 10-31)
- Sep 28: vs UT Martin (L, 13-24)
- Oct 4: vs Jacksonville State (L, 24-63)
- Oct 15: @ Middle Tennessee (L, 5-14)
- Oct 23: vs Liberty (W, 27-24)
- Oct 30: @ Western Kentucky (L, 14-31)
- Nov 9: @ UTEP (L, 35-43, 2OT)
- Nov 16: vs Sam Houston (L, 17-23, OT)
- Nov 23: vs FIU (W, 27-26)
- Nov 30: @ Louisiana Tech (L, 0-33)
The Wednesday Night Miracle
If you missed the Liberty game on October 23, you missed the highlight of the year. Liberty came into Kennesaw as heavy favorites with the nation's longest active regular-season winning streak (17 games). They were undefeated. Kennesaw State was 0-6.
Somehow, under interim coach Chandler Burks, the Owls played "Lights Out." Quarterback Davis Bryson and the offense finally clicked, amassing 323 total yards. The defense stood tall on a final lateral play to seal a 27-24 victory. It was the program's first-ever win as an FBS member, and it happened on national television (CBSSN).
📖 Related: Why the Marlins Won World Series Titles Twice and Then Disappeared
The goalposts didn't survive that night.
The Coaching Shakeup and the Future
The 2024 season was defined by change. Brian Bohannon stepped down after a 1-8 start to the season (though the school officially announced it as a coaching change). Chandler Burks took the reins for the final three games, leading the team to a thrilling 27-26 Senior Day win over FIU.
But the real news broke in December 2024. Kennesaw State hired Jerry Mack, the running backs coach from the Jacksonville Jaguars and former Tennessee assistant, to be the second head coach in school history.
Mack didn't waste time. By early 2025, he had flipped the roster, bringing in 33 new players, including 18 transfers. He’s moving Davis Bryson to wide receiver and bringing in fresh arms like Dexter Williams II (Georgia Southern) and Amari Odom (Wofford) to run a more modern, up-tempo offense.
👉 See also: Why Funny Fantasy Football Names Actually Win Leagues
Why 2024 Actually Mattered
Most fans look at a 2-10 season and see a failure. But for Kennesaw State, 2024 was the "bridge year." They learned that the speed of the FBS game is significantly different. They learned that the "Pistol" triple-option elements they ran for a decade needed an upgrade to compete in C-USA.
The schedule was designed to be a gauntlet. Playing teams like Western Kentucky and Liberty back-to-back showed the coaching staff exactly where the talent gaps were—specifically on the offensive line and at the skill positions.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following the Owls as they move past the 2024 era, here is what you need to do to stay ahead:
- Watch the Quarterback Battle: With Jerry Mack's new system, the 2025 spring practice will determine if the Owls can actually score more than the 16.5 points per game they averaged in 2024.
- Track the C-USA Midweek Games: C-USA loves "midweek mayhem." Keep an eye on the October Tuesday/Wednesday slots, as that is when the Owls get the most national exposure.
- Monitor the Transfer Portal: The 2024 roster was largely built of FCS-level recruits. The 2025 and 2026 iterations will rely heavily on Mack's ability to pull talent from the SEC and ACC.
The 2024 season was a "welcome to the neighborhood" moment that was often painful, occasionally historic, and ultimately necessary for the program to grow into a legitimate FBS contender.