Kennesaw State Opens Fall Camp as Defending Conference USA Champs

By faNILy Team · August 4, 2026

Football is officially back in Kennesaw. The Owls opened fall camp on Tuesday, August 4, and they're doing it as the reigning Conference USA champions.

The defending champs

Last season, in Jerry Mack's first year and only the program's second FBS season, Kennesaw State went 10-4, won the Conference USA championship, and played in the first bowl game in school history, according to the AJC. The title game opponent was Jax State, which visits Fifth Third Stadium for a rematch on October 7, per KSU Athletics.

Mack sounded energized heading into year two. He told the AJC this is his 22nd year coaching and "I feel the same way as Day 1, Year 1."

A pickier roster build

According to the AJC, the Owls brought in 29 transfers this offseason, and Mack said the staff was selective. "There were a lot of people that wanted to come play for us that had some talent, but we didn't feel like they fit the culture or had the type of personalities we wanted," he said.

Who to watch

Baron Hopson, LB. The graduate senior posted a record-setting 138 tackles last season, per KSU Athletics, and was named Conference USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The AJC reported he's also on the Bronco Nagurski Trophy watch list.
The quarterback race. The AJC reported Syracuse transfer Rickie Collins and record-setting junior college quarterback Landon Varnes are competing for the starting job, with a decision likely not coming until the week before the opener.

How camp works

KSU said the team will begin in just helmets before moving to shells and eventually full pads and contact. The athletics site is running "Fall Camp Central" coverage with sights and sounds from preseason practices if you want the day-by-day.

Circle these dates

Thursday, Sept. 3: Season opener vs. West Georgia at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium.
Saturday, Sept. 19: At Tennessee. KSU Athletics noted that Mack "will return to Tennessee" for the game.

Season tickets start at $125 and cover six home games: West Georgia, Georgia State, Jax State, Liberty, Delaware, and FIU.

Why this team is fun to follow

Kennesaw State is a great example of how the fan experience is changing. A program this young doesn't have decades of tradition to lean on, so the connection between fans and the players themselves matters even more. When a linebacker posts a record-setting season or a new quarterback wins the job, fans want to know who these guys are, not just what the score was.

We'll be keeping an eye on camp, and especially on that September 19 trip to Tennessee. A road trip like that is the kind of game people remember.