2017 Kennesaw State Owls football team explained

Year:	2017
Team:	Kennesaw State Owls
Sport:	football
Conference:	Big South Conference
Short Conf:	Big South
Statsrank:	8
Fcscoachrank:	9
Record:	12–2
Conf Record:	5–0
Hc Year:	3rd
Off Coach:	Grant Chesnut
Oc Year:	3rd
Dc Year:	3rd
Champion:	Big South champion
Bowl Result:	L 27–34 vs. Sam Houston State

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]}

Schedule

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

@ Samford

See also: 2017 Samford Bulldogs football team.

Tennessee Tech

See also: 2017 Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles football team.

@ Alabama State

See also: 2017 Alabama State Hornets football team.

North Greenville

See also: North Greenville Crusaders football.

Texas Southern

See also: 2017 Texas Southern Tigers football team.

@ Liberty

See also: 2017 Liberty Flames football team.

Gardner–Webb

See also: 2017 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team.

@ Presbyterian

See also: 2017 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team.

@ Montana State

See also: 2017 Montana State Bobcats football team.

Charleston Southern

See also: 2017 Charleston Southern Buccaneers football team.

Monmouth

See also: 2017 Monmouth Hawks football team.

This victory clinched the Owls' first ever postseason bid.

FCS Playoffs

Samford–First Round

@ Jacksonville State–Second Round

See also: 2017 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team.

@ Sam Houston State–Quarterfinals

See also: 2017 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team.

Notes and References

1. News: Owls Announce 2017 Football Schedule. Kennesaw State Athletics . December 6, 2016. December 23, 2016.
2. News: Kennesaw State romps Monmouth for Big South title. Bednarowski. John. MDJOnline.com. 2018-01-17. en.
3. Web site: Big South Conference - Kennesaw State Draws Samford in FCS Playoffs. bigsouthsports.com. en. 2018-01-17.
4. News: Kennesaw State making playoff debut with chance at revenge. Bednarowski. John. MDJOnline.com. 2018-01-17. en.
5. Web site: Samford vs. Kennesaw State - Game Recap - November 25, 2017 - ESPN. ESPN.com. 2018-01-17.
6. News: Kennesaw State stuns No. 3 seed Jacksonville State in FCS second round. 2017-12-02. FOX Sports. 2018-01-17. en-US.
7. Web site: Kennesaw State vs. Sam Houston State - Game Recap - December 9, 2017 - ESPN. ESPN.com. 2018-01-17.
8. News: Kennesaw State's Brian Bohannon voted FCS Coach of the Year by AFCA. Bednarowski. John. MDJOnline.com. 2018-01-17. en.
9. Web site: FB: Bohannon Named 2017 AFCA FCS Coach of the Year - Kennesaw State University. Kennesaw State University. en. 2018-01-17.