KENNESAW, GA. -- Ian Williams drilled a 19-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining to give FCS No. 7/8 Furman a 31-28 victory over Kennesaw State on Saturday evening at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

The win improved Furman to 2-1 on the season while Kennesaw State fell to 1-2.  The triumph was also Furman's third over an opponent transitioning from FCS to the FBS ranks, joining wins over Appalachian State (27-10) and Georgia Southern (16-14) recorded in 2013.

Williams' game winning kick capped an eight-play, 63-yard drive after Kennesaw State tied the game at 28-28 on a Garland Benyard 49-yard touchdown run with 3:29 remaining.  

Furman quarterback Tyler Huff, who rushed for a Furman quarterback record four touchdowns in the contest, ignited the Paladins' game winning drive with a 21-yard completion to Ben Ferguson to the KSU 44 and three plays later raced 20 yards to the Owl 11 to set up Williams' game winning kick.

Huff accounted for 316 yards in total offense, rushing 19 times for 79 yards and completing 24-of-32 passes for 237 yards.  His scoring runs covered 1, 28, 4, and 14 yards.

Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, Huff got Furman on the board with a 1-yard dive off right end at the 5:51 mark.

On the Paladins' next possession, the Paladin signal caller again found the end zone after bursting through the left side of the Owls' defense and racing 28 yards for the score.

Furman went up 21-7 on Huff's third score of the contest, a 4-yard run around left end with 1:23 remaining in the third quarter.

The Owls and Paladins then traded touchdowns, with Huff scoring on a 14-yard scramble to the end zone to go up 28-14 three minutes into the fourth period — the tally set up by a 50-yard kickoff return by All-SoCon return man Wayne Anderson, Jr.

Kennesaw State battled back to tie the game at 28-28, getting a 14-yard scoring strike from quarterback Jonathan Murphy to Benyard and Benyard's 49-yard scoring dash.

Furman's Cally Chizik secured the win for the Paladins when he intercepted a Murphy pass at the Furman 19 with five seconds remaining.

The Paladins rushed for 159 yards, with Dominic Roberto contributing 73 yards on 16 attempts. Ten different players caught a pass for Furman with Joshua Harris hauling in six catches and Ben Ferguson totaling 68 yards on four receptions.

Defensively, Kam Brinson had a team high eight tackles.

Murphy completed 17-of-31 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns for Kennesaw State.

Furman opens Southern Conference play next Saturday, September 23, hosting Mercer at Paladin Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.