Belcher runs for 113 yards and a late TD as Kennesaw State beats UTEP 33-20 to become bowl eligible

KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) — Chase Belcher ran for 113 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown with 1:10 remaining, and Kennesaw State beat UTEP 33-20 on Tuesday night for its sixth straight victory.

Kennesaw State (6-2, 4-0 Conference USA), which has losses to Wake Forest and No. 2-ranked Indiana, became bowl eligible in its first season of full-fledged FBS status.

Kennesaw State's first three scores came on Caleb Offord’s 24-yard fumble return, Gabriel Benyard’s 57-yard punt return and a safety to make it 16-10 at halftime.

The Owls' first offensive score was late in the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by Amari Odom to take a 23-20 lead. Belcher's touchdown capped a 11-play, 70-yard drive that was aided by two 15-yard penalties on UTEP.

Odom and Dexter Williams II combined to go 14 of 32 for 154 yards with an interception for Kennesaw State.

Skyler Locklear threw for 160 yards and two touchdowns for UTEP (2-6, 1-3). He also carried it 23 times for 77 yards.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football