The Kennesaw State Owls have added the Lincoln (CA) Oaklanders to their 2023 football schedule, according to an announcement from Lincoln University.
Kennesaw State will host Lincoln at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. The contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Lincoln University is a private university located in Oakland, Calif. The Oaklanders started their football program in 2021 and are reportedly aiming for NCAA Division II classification. To date, Lincoln has played every game on the road.
Lincoln is the third lower division opponent scheduled for Kennesaw State in 2023. The Owls will also host the Tusculum Pioneers, who are members of the South Atlantic Conference in Division II, and the Virginia-Lynchburg Dragons, members of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
Kennesaw State currently competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), but is transitioning to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and will compete in Conference USA beginning with the 2024 season. The Owls were a member of the ASUN Conference in the FCS, but were not included in the new ASUN-WAC partnership for the 2023 season.
As a result of their transition to the FBS, Kennesaw State is ineligible for post-season play and will compete as an FCS Independent in 2023.
Kennesaw State now has a total of nine games scheduled for next season. The Owls will host Tusculum, Furman, Tennessee State, Lincoln (CA), and Virginia-Lynchburg and will travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee Tech, Charleston Southern, and Sam Houston.