Kennesaw State narrowly fell short against Wake Forest in the initial game under new coaches for both teams

In a closely fought battle in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wake Forest emerged victorious against Kennesaw State in a 10-9 thriller. The game marked the debuts for both teams, with Jerry Mack leading Kennesaw State and Jake Dickert taking charge of Wake Forest.

The Owls struck first, scoring a touchdown on their opening possession. Coleman Bennett, Kennesaw State's running back, rushed for 19 yards to cross the goal line, giving his team an early 7-0 lead. However, Wake Forest responded swiftly as Robby Ashford scored on a 5-yard scramble to narrow the gap to 7-6.

The first quarter ended with Ashford's touchdown being the only score, but the action didn't slow down in the second. Wake Forest's Demond Claiborne, their expected workhorse running back, suffered an injury to his midsection and had three carries for 19 yards before being sidelined in the second quarter. Despite this setback, Connor Calvert kicked a 22-yard field goal to give Wake Forest a 9-7 lead, a score they would hold until the fourth quarter.

Kennesaw State had an opportunity to go ahead in the second quarter, but their drive ended without a score, leaving Wake Forest with a slim lead heading into halftime. The Owls missed a chance to level the scores when Britton Williams missed a 36-yard field goal attempt. Wake Forest also had a 54-yard field goal attempt blocked at the end of the first half, keeping the score at 9-7 in favour of the Demon Deacons.

The third quarter saw Kennesaw State take the lead for the first time in the game. Daniel Kinney kicked a 29-yard field goal to give the Owls an 11-9 advantage. The fourth quarter was a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find the back of the end zone. Wake Forest held on to their narrow lead, securing a 10-9 victory over Kennesaw State.

Dexter Williams III was 12-for-33 for 149 yards for Kennesaw State, with Gabriel Benyard catching five passes for 103 yards. Robby Ashford threw for 218 yards for Wake Forest, while their lone touchdown was scored by Ashford himself.

The loss marks a tough start for Coach Jerry Mack and Kennesaw State, but they will look to bounce back in their next game. Wake Forest, on the other hand, will be pleased with their narrow victory, especially considering the injury to Demond Claiborne. Their next assistant coach under Jake Dickert will be Kevin Nickelberry, who will undoubtedly play a crucial role in their upcoming matches.