Jacksonville State Gamecocks vs Kennesaw State Owls Final — October 7, 2026
JXSTOffense2026 regular season to dateKENN
JXSTDefenseKENNJXSTLast 10 gamesKENNRest & travelrest and travel
JXSTRest & travelKENNAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Margin of each of the last 5 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home arena; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
The pre-game matchup
Jacksonville State (2-2) visited Kennesaw State (0-3) on Wednesday, October 7 at 7:00 PM ET.
Jacksonville State has the 50th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 72nd-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Kennesaw State has the 94th-ranked offense and the 100th-ranked defense. When Jacksonville State has the ball, a 50th-ranked offense (+0.058 EPA per play) meets a 100th-ranked defense (+0.111 allowed); when Kennesaw State has it, a 94th-ranked offense (−0.065) meets a 72nd-ranked defense (+0.030 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Jacksonville State offense is at 52.1% (6th) and the Kennesaw State offense at 44.3% (56th). Jacksonville State scores 22.0 points per game (86th) and allows 25.5 (64th); Kennesaw State scores 13.3 (126th) and allows 30.0 (91st).
Jacksonville State closed as a 3-point road favorite, with Kennesaw State getting the points at home. The spread opened at Jacksonville State -3.5. The total closed at 48.5, down from 50.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Jacksonville State -148, Kennesaw State +124) prices Jacksonville State at 57% and Kennesaw State at 43%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Result
Final score and result vs the closing line
Jacksonville State Gamecocks 27, Kennesaw State Owls 26
Jacksonville State Gamecocks won by 1.
- Against the closing spread (Kennesaw State Owls +3): Kennesaw State Owls covered.
- Combined score 53 vs the closing total of 48.5: Over.
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks closed at -148 on the moneyline (a 57% no-vig market-implied chance).
Before the game: market and G&W
From open to close the market moved 1 point toward Kennesaw State Owls.
Market numbers are the consensus moneyline with the bookmaker margin removed.
Win probability
Each team's chance of winning through the game, starting from the market's closing price (Jacksonville State Gamecocks 57%, Kennesaw State Owls 43%) and moving with every snap until the final.
Biggest swings
- Q4 11:57 — Jacksonville State Gamecocks ball, 3rd & 10 at JXST 48No Huddle-Shotgun #12 C.Creel pass complete deep right to #11 D.Johnson caught at KSU16, for 39 yards to the KSU13 (#5 T.Lawson), 1ST DOWNJacksonville State Gamecocks 47% → 67% (+20 pts) · Drive 17 in Drive X-Ray
- Q4 6:18 — Jacksonville State Gamecocks ball, 2nd & 10 at KENN 42No Huddle-Shotgun #22 L.Farrington rush right for 2 yards gain to the KSU40 fumbled by #22 L.Farrington at KSU40 forced by #11 T.Christopher recovered by KSU #44…Kennesaw State Owls 28% → 54% (+26 pts) · Drive 19 in Drive X-Ray
- Q4 4:30 — Kennesaw State Owls ball, 2nd & 7 at JXST 45No Huddle-Shotgun #1 R.Collins pass complete short right to #11 B.Munroe caught at JSU41, for 29 yards to the JSU16 (#5 R.Billings), 1ST DOWNKennesaw State Owls 54% → 72% (+18 pts) · Drive 20 in Drive X-Ray
- Q4 1:50 — Jacksonville State Gamecocks ball, 4th & 4 at JXST 31No Huddle-Shotgun #12 C.Creel pass incomplete deep right to #9 R.Johnson thrown to KSU36 broken up by #7 L.EvansJacksonville State Gamecocks 30% → 51% (+21 pts) · Drive 21 in Drive X-Ray
- Q4 0:07 — Jacksonville State Gamecocks ball, 1st & 10 at KENN 45Kneel down by #12 C.Creel at KSU47 for loss of 2 yardsJacksonville State Gamecocks 75% → 100% (+25 pts) · Drive 23 in Drive X-Ray
Jacksonville State Gamecocks won after falling as low as 19% (Q3 1:08).
Game DNA
| Jacksonville State | Points added | Kennesaw State |
|---|---|---|
| +9.6 | Passingdropbacks | -0.8 |
| -5.1 | Rushingdesigned runs | -5.7 |
| +10.9 | Explosive plays4 plays · 4 plays | +14.0 |
| -5.8 | Turnovers2 giveaways · 2 giveaways | -8.0 |
| +2.7 | Special teamskicks, punts and returns | -0.5 |
| +1.9 | Penaltiespre-snap and dead-ball | +5.6 |
| -1.7 | Red zoneTDs on trips: 3 of 5 · 3 of 6 | +2.7 |
| +12.6 | All plays | +7.3 |
The biggest single gap: passing, worth about 10.4 points to Jacksonville State Gamecocks. The final margin was 1.
Points added: what each team's plays added to its expected points, credited to the team with the ball. Each play counts once.
The official play, graded
The official play on this game, at the price it was sent, graded against the final score.
Every official play is logged and graded, wins and losses alike. Full track record.
Line review
Jacksonville State Gamecocks closed as the market favourite at 57% and won.
Market
Closing line and line movement
Jacksonville State -3.5 (-105)
Jacksonville State -3 (-108)
Kennesaw State +127 42%
Kennesaw State +124 43%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts126
- Completion %69.0%37th
- Passing yards1,11284th
- Yards per attempt8.845th
- TD–INT9–4
- Rushing yards37542nd
- Season line76 carries, 375 yds, 3 TD
- Receiving yards238155th
- Season line18 catches, 238 yds, 4 TD
- Tackles30173rd
- Attempts116
- Completion %68.1%45th
- Passing yards734197th
- Yards per attempt6.3199th
- TD–INT2–1
- Rushing yards185217th
- Season line40 carries, 185 yds, 3 TD
- Receiving yards194224th
- Season line9 catches, 194 yds
- Tackles22419th
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 255 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured October 7, 5:35 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Jacksonville State | Kennesaw State |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateJacksonville State offense vs Kennesaw State defense | 43.5%26th | 45.9%127th |
| Early-down success rateKennesaw State offense vs Jacksonville State defense | 38.2%51st | 43.9%22nd |
| 3rd-down conversion rateJacksonville State offense vs Kennesaw State defense | 41.9%64th | 43.8%100th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateKennesaw State offense vs Jacksonville State defense | 49.1%122nd | 36.7%91st |
| Explosive play rateJacksonville State offense vs Kennesaw State defense | 5.8%97th | 5.5%31st |
| Explosive play rateKennesaw State offense vs Jacksonville State defense | 4.0%8th | 3.2%134th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 42.2%116th-highest | 51.9%59th-highest |
On 3rd down Jacksonville State converts 41.9% (64th) against a Kennesaw State defense allowing 43.8% (100th).
On 3rd down Kennesaw State converts 36.7% (91st) against a Jacksonville State defense allowing 49.1% (122nd).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Jacksonville State | Kennesaw State |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Charles Kelly | Jerry Mack |
| Tenureat this school | 2nd season | 2nd season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 12–7 | 11–7 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 12–7 | 11–7 |
| Offensive coordinator | Taylor Housewright | Mitch Militello |
| Defensive coordinator | Brian Williams | Marc Mattioli |
Staff list as of October 6, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 5 times since 2021: Jacksonville State won 3 and Kennesaw State 2.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2025 | Kennesaw State 19, Jacksonville State 15 Kennesaw State won | ||
| Nov 15, 2025 | Kennesaw State 26, Jacksonville State 35 Jacksonville State won | ||
| Oct 4, 2024 | Jacksonville State 63, Kennesaw State 24 Jacksonville State won | ||
| Oct 1, 2022 | Kennesaw State 28, Jacksonville State 35 Jacksonville State won | ||
| Oct 2, 2021 | Jacksonville State 6, Kennesaw State 31 Kennesaw State won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Teams
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks team stats
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks at New Mexico State Aggies (Oct 28)
- Florida International Panthers 24, Jacksonville State Gamecocks 27 (Oct 13)
Kennesaw State Owls
- Kennesaw State Owls team stats
- Kennesaw State Owls at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (Oct 28)
- Liberty Flames 34, Kennesaw State Owls 6 (Oct 22)
- Kennesaw State Owls 21, Missouri State Bears 24 (Oct 14)
- Kennesaw State Owls 9, Tennessee Volunteers 42 (Sep 19)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
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