JACKSONVILLE—It's a short 86-mile trip for Kennesaw State to AmFirst Stadium to take on Jax State for the 2025 Air National Guard Conference USA Football Championship Game on Friday at 6 p.m.
 
For Jax State, it's the second consecutive year it is the host of the championship game and is doing so in just the second year it is eligible to do so. With last week's last second win over Western Kentucky, the Gamecocks finished with a 7-1 record in Conference USA play.
 
This marks the first time since UTSA in 2021 and 2022 that a team has made consecutive Conference USA Championship Game appearances. Jax State is looking for their 27^th conference championship in program history. Of the teams playing for a conference championship this weekend, only Ohio State and Alabama have won more conference titles than Jax State.
 
Quarterback Caden Creel has four consecutive games with 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing, and is fresh off of Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week honors with a career-high 204 yards passing with two touchdowns and added 143 rushing yards with another touchdown.
 
Defensively, Jax State recorded two takeaways against Western Kentucky to run their total on the season to 21 which is 15^th most in FBS. Walker O'Steen recorded his third interception of the season and Caleb Nix recovered a fumble for the third time this season.
 
"We're playing a great opponent; they're very disciplined, they play hard, they're hard to defend on offense, they play very good defense, and they're very good in the kicking game," said coach Charles Kelly during Tuesday's joint press conference. "It's going to be a big challenge for our football team."
 
Like the Gamecocks did last year, Kennesaw State is looking to win its first Conference USA title in its first year eligible to do so. First-year head coach Jerry Mack posted a 9-3 season, winning five one-possession games which is most in the FBS this year. This includes each of their last two games since playing at AmFirst Stadium with a 41-34 win against Missouri State and a 48-42 double overtime win at Liberty.
 
The Owls are looking for their fourth conference championship all-time and the first since winning the 2021 Big South title.
 
A limited number of tickets remain on sale at JaxStateSports.com/tickets.