MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Kennesaw State football rolled up six touchdowns and two interceptions in a 44-28 takedown of Middle Tennessee to cap Weekday CUSA action on Wednesday night at Floyd Stadium.
The Owls (2-6, 1-3 CUSA) also got a Herculean effort by its defense that included two interceptions (including a pick six), six tackles for loss, two sacks and a whopping 10 quarterback hurries over more than 40 minutes on the field.
The Blue Raiders (4-4, 2-2 CUSA) suffered their largest G6 defeat of the season, having previously only lost by at most 10 before Wednesday's 16-point setback.
Kennesaw State stormed out of the games early, picking up five plays of 10 yards or more on the opening drive, including a 33-yard dime from quarterback Rickie Collins to Javon Rogers. A 12-yard power run to the endzone from Boogie Woods III capped the effort.
But Middle Tennessee would strike for the next two scores, working to two long scoring drives, including a 14-play, 76-yard march in the second quarter that devoured 9:22 from the clock.
Right from the ensuing kickoff, KSU flew back on the attack as veteran Owl Davis Bryson took back the return 52 yards to set up Kennesaw State from the MTSU 45-yard line. Five plays later, Collins found his mark again, this time on a 23-yard pass in the endzone to none other than Bryson for his first career TD reception.
The Owls' defense then forced a punt that wideout/punt return man Brayden Munroe would return for 49 yards to once again set themselves up in great field position at the MTSU 31.
One play later, Collins was throwing his second touchdown pass of the game on a 31-yard acrobatic catch by Dylan Gary to go up 19-14.
Kennesaw State would go into the half up 19-17 after MTSU connected on a 38-yard field goal.
The KSU defense provided the jolt of energy to open the second half as linebacker Tywon Christopher jumped the route on just the second pass of the half to intercept it and run it back 59 yards for the touchdown – the first defensive score for KSU since Caleb Offord in 2025.
Collins found Woods on the two-point conversion to go up 27-17.
Middle Tennessee wouldn't find the endzone again until the final two minutes of the game, only connecting on a 38-yard field goal with 4:20 left in the third to pull within a touchdown.
But the Owls kept the throttle down. Collins used a 34-yard connection to Munroe to set up his third and final touchdown of the game, once again finding Gary for another circus catch from 28 yards out.
Six minutes later, veteran defensive back Isaac Paul hauled in KSU's second interception of the night, returning it 41 yards to the MTSU 2-yard line.
From there, Woods needed just one carry to scamper into the endzone and seal the win for Kennesaw State.
Collins finished 16-of-19 (84.2%) passing for 206 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. He recorded a QB rating of 216.9 for the game.
The Owls sported four receivers with 40 or more yards – Gary (59), Rogers (47), Bryson (46), and Munroe (45) – while Woods led the way on the ground with 12 carries for 67 yards and two scores.
Outside of the turnovers defensively, defensive back Tay'vion Lawson had a career-high nine tackles and a career-high two tackles for loss. Linebackers Baron Hopson and Christopher combined for 17 tackles with Christopher's TFL and INT and two QB hurries from Hopson.
Cam Miller and Alfred Thomas both had seven tackles apiece, while Marcus Patterson, Josh Anglin and Jeremy Greaves Jr. all recorded five stops each. Ugonna Nwoha wreaked havoc with two sacks, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble.
Kennesaw State returns to Saturdays at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium next week as it plays host to Delaware on Nov. 7 for Homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and the KSU Owl Network.
