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It’s been a remarkable turnaround for Kennesaw State.
The Owls were projected to be one of the worst teams in FBS in 2025, but they completely flipped that script, going 9-3 overall and finishing second in Conference USA with a 7-1 record.
Kennesaw State’s only C-USA defeat came at the hands of Jacksonville State, its opponent in Friday’s title game.
The Owls are a 2.5-point favorite in the finale, which is taking place at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Ala.
Jacksonville State vs. Kennesaw State odds, prediction
It’s hard to overstate the job that Jerry Mack has done at Kennesaw State.
The Owls went 2-10 in 2024, which was their first campaign at the FBS level, and were tagged with an Over/Under of 3.5 wins for the season.
The Owls were projected to be among the worst teams in the country, on the same level with UMass, Ball State and Charlotte.
Those projections looked off right away, as Kennesaw State was a missed extra point from taking Wake Forest to overtime in Week 1. That result sparkles these days, given how well the Demon Deacons acquitted themselves in 2025.
Kennesaw State quarterback Amari Odom. AP
Kennesaw State built off that performance all season, posting strong offensive metrics (by C-USA standards) and making them stick by bending but not breaking on defense.
Stylistically, this should be a good matchup for Kennesaw State. Jacksonville State’s defense is leaky, and the Owls grade out better on the offensive side of the ball, too.
That isn’t how things played out in the first meeting of these two teams, with the Gamecocks earning a 35-26 victory.
Betting on College Football?
That scoreline is misleading, however, as the Owls were undone by four interceptions.
It’s nearly impossible to win a game with a minus-four turnover differential, but Kennesaw State was able to hang around against Jacksonville State’s defense.
As long as the Owls don’t beat themselves, they should be able to run it up Friday.
The Play: Kennesaw State -2.5 (-110, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.