2017 Kennesaw State Owls football team

2017 Kennesaw State Owls football
Big South champion
ConferenceBig South Conference
Ranking
STATSNo. 8
FCS CoachesNo. 9
Record12–2 (5–0 Big South)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGrant Chesnut (3rd season)
Offensive schemeFlexbone option
Defensive coordinatorBrian Newberry (3rd season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumFifth Third Bank Stadium
Seasons
← 2016
2018 →
2017 Big South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 8 Kennesaw State $^   5 – 0     12 – 2  
Monmouth ^   4 – 1     9 – 3  
Charleston Southern   3 – 2     6 – 5  
Liberty *   2 – 3     6 – 5  
Presbyterian   1 – 4     4 – 7  
Gardner–Webb   0 – 5     1 – 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * Liberty ineligible for postseason due to FBS transition
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2017 Kennesaw State Owls football team represented Kennesaw State University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Brian Bohannon and played their home games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia as third-year members of the Big South Conference.[1] They finished the season 12–2, 5–0 in Big South play to win the Big South conference championship.[2] The Owls received the Big South's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs, their first trip to the playoffs in school history.[3][4] In the first round of the playoffs, the Owls defeated Samford in a rematch of their only regular season loss and marked the school's first ever playoff win.[5] In the second round, the Owls upset No. 3 seed Jacksonville State to advance to the quarterfinals.[6] In the quarterfinals, despite a furious second half comeback, they lost to Sam Houston State.[7]

On January 9, 2018, head coach Brian Bohannon was named the American Football Coaches Association's Coach of the Year.[8][9]

  1. ^ "Owls Announce 2017 Football Schedule". Kennesaw State Athletics. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  2. ^ Bednarowski, John. "Kennesaw State romps Monmouth for Big South title". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "Big South Conference - Kennesaw State Draws Samford in FCS Playoffs". bigsouthsports.com. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  4. ^ Bednarowski, John. "Kennesaw State making playoff debut with chance at revenge". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  5. ^ "Samford vs. Kennesaw State - Game Recap - November 25, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  6. ^ "Kennesaw State stuns No. 3 seed Jacksonville State in FCS second round". FOX Sports. December 2, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  7. ^ "Kennesaw State vs. Sam Houston State - Game Recap - December 9, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  8. ^ Bednarowski, John. "Kennesaw State's Brian Bohannon voted FCS Coach of the Year by AFCA". MDJOnline.com. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  9. ^ "FB: Bohannon Named 2017 AFCA FCS Coach of the Year - Kennesaw State University". Kennesaw State University. Retrieved January 17, 2018.