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Kennesaw State shocked previously undefeated Liberty 27-24 on Wednesday night to win its first-ever college football game against an FBS opponent.
The Owls entered the game with an 0-6 record on the season and were 27-point underdogs, but after taking the lead on a six-yard rushing touchdown by running back Qua Ashley in the third quarter, they never relinquished it.
Liberty was a perfect 5-0 entering the game, including 3-0 in Conference USA action, but the Flames’ lack of discipline came back to haunt them Wednesday, as they were flagged nine times for 100 yards.
Per ESPN, in addition to Wednesday marking Kennesaw State’s first win over an FBS team, it was also the Owls’ first win against a Division I opponent since beating FCS UT Martin in November 2022.
Kennesaw State’s win ended Liberty’s FBS-best regular-season winning streak of 17 consecutive games, and it also represented only the sixth time in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll era that a team with a record of 0-5 or worse beat a team with a record of 5-0 or better.
The Kennesaw State football team began play in the FCS in 2015 before making the transition to FBS last season.
Beginning as an independent, the Owls went 3-6 last season, but their only victories were over teams that play below the FCS level.
Prior to Wednesday, all five of Kennesaw State’s losses this season were by at least two scores, including a 63-24 drubbing at the hands of Jacksonville State earlier this month.
However, the Owls finally broke through against Liberty, and they likely smashed the Flames’ College Football Playoff dreams in the process.
At 3-1 in conference play, Liberty still has a chance to win Conference USA, but with other Group of Five teams such as Boise State, Army and Navy already ahead in the rankings, the Flames would need a ton to go right in their favor in order to get back in the CFB conversation.
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