We have begun our series of an early look ahead to the teams on Liberty’s 2024 schedule. We will give a quick preview of all 12 teams that stand in the Flames’ way of a second straight unbeaten season as second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell prepares his team to defend its 2023 CUSA title.

After a week off, the Flames are back in action against former Big South rival and now new CUSA member Kennesaw State.

Kennesaw State

  • When: Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia (7 p.m. CBSSN)
  • Last year’s record: 3-6 as an FCS Independent
  • Coach: Brian Bohannon, 71-30 in nine years at Kennesaw State
  • 2024 SP+ ranking: 129th
  • Series History: Liberty leads, 2-1

Last Meeting: Oct. 14, 2017: Liberty trailed by as many as 28, cut the deficit to one score, but could not get any closer, falling to the Owls, 42-28. KSU led 35-7 late in the third quarter, but the Flames scored three times in six minutes to cut the deficit to 35-28. However, the Owls ground out a 12-play, 75-yard decisive scoring drive to score the game’s final points with 3:13 left. Buckshot Calvert accounted for 234 of Liberty’s 337 total offensive yards.

Program History:

National Championships: 0

Conference Championships: 3

Bowl Record: 0-0

Last Bowl Appearance: N/A

Though Kennesaw State only started playing football in 2015, they have seen quite a bit of success. The Owls won the Big South three times and made the FCS playoffs four times, twice advancing to the quarterfinals. KSU was 24-2 in the Big South dating back to 2017 before moving to the ASUN in 2022.

KSU was 11-2 in 2021 and slipped to 5-6 in 2022. Last year, the Owls redshirted many players after four games, as they played an FCS Independent schedule preparing for the FBS move. They finished 3-6.

The Owls have 16 starters back and now feature more of a Pistol Option offense than the tradition triple option attack they featured when the Flames last faced them.

The biggest question mark for this year’s KSU team is at quarterback. If they can figure that position out, the Owls could surprise some this year.

What’s at Stake?

Liberty has an open date before heading to Georgia to take on Kennesaw. The Owls will be looking to play spoiler in a game that would make their season with a win. The Flames will need a win to remain in contention to repeat as conference champions.

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