Kennesaw edges Wofford 13-10 in FCS 2nd round
KENNESAW, Ga. -- Kennesaw State turned a late turnover into a Justin Thompson field goal with less than two minutes to play for a 13-10 victory over Wofford in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday.
With the Terriers facing third-and-long near midfield, Anthony Gore sacked Joe Newman and forced a fumble that was recovered by Andrew Butcher for a loss of 20 yards.
As befitting the defensive struggle in the rain, the Owls went nowhere but Thompson kicked a 30-yard field goal with 1:52 to play.
The fourth-seeded Owls (11-1) are home against fifth-seeded South Dakota State in the quarterfinals next weekend.
Other than two big plays early in the second quarter, neither of the run-dominated teams was able to muster much of an attack.
Darnell Holland scored on a 53-yard run in the opening seconds of the second quarter to put the Owls on the board. Holland took a pitch around right end for the longest TD run in Big South Conference playoff history. Just two snaps later Wofford answered with a 57-yard pass from Joe Newman to D'mauriae Van Cleave.
The Terriers got a career-long 45-yard field goal from Luke Carter midway through the second quarter but Thompson tied it with 40-yarder on the last play of the half.
Kennesaw finished with 242 yards and Wofford 236, another 43 coming on a completion on the last play of the game. Both teams had two turnovers.
Game Information
2023 Southern Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Furman | 7-1 | 10-3 |
Chattanooga | 6-2 | 8-5 |
Mercer | 6-2 | 9-4 |
Western Carolina | 5-3 | 7-4 |
Samford | 4-4 | 6-5 |
VMI | 4-4 | 5-6 |
East Tennessee State | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Wofford | 2-6 | 2-9 |
The Citadel | 0-8 | 0-11 |
2023 Conference USA Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Liberty | 8-0 | 13-1 |
New Mexico State | 7-1 | 10-5 |
Jacksonville State | 6-2 | 9-4 |
Western Kentucky | 5-3 | 8-5 |
Middle Tennessee | 3-5 | 4-8 |
Louisiana Tech | 2-6 | 3-9 |
Sam Houston | 2-6 | 3-9 |
UTEP | 2-6 | 3-9 |
Florida International | 1-7 | 4-8 |