Owls Stun First Place Flames As Crowd Storms The Field…Twice!

   It was a thrilling Wednesday night game that made national headlines as a “monumental win” with fans and students storming the field for the first time that I can remember at Fifth Third Stadium…and they had to do it again!

  A historic victory for Kennesaw State against Liberty, ending the Flames’ 17-game regular-season winning streak with a score of 27-24. It was the Owls’ first win over an FBS team in ten tries.

  Before the start, I turned to another reporter in the press box and said, “I haven’t seen anything that tells me this is going to be anything but a beat down.” He agreed.

  Boy, were we wrong. It started out looking that way, though, as the Flames moved down the field easily.

   Quarterback Kaidon Salter connected with Treon Sibley for a 15-yard touchdown pass on an 11 play 73 drive that took just 5:22, setting the tone for what many expected to be a straightforward victory for the visitors.

  But, Kennesaw State quickly responded with an impressive drive of their own. Quarterback Davis Bryson threw a precise hit Christian Moss downfield in stride for a quick 41-yard touchdown pass, leveling the score at 7-7. It was the first TD for Moss since transferring from Virginia Tech.

   As the first half progressed, both teams exchanged blows. Kennesaw State’s Michael Benefield rushed for a one-yard touchdown, giving the Owls a brief lead. But Liberty orchestrated a nice 12-play, 81-yard drive that culminated in Salter finding Donte Lee Jr. in the end zone for another touchdown just before halftime.

  The teams entered the locker rooms tied at 14-14, with it appearing that the Flames had gotten momentum back from the Owls.

   The third quarter saw KSU shift into high gear. After a quick three-and-out by Liberty, the Owls, who only had 37 yards rushing in the first half, saw their ground attack step up, nearly tripling that in the second half.

   They executed a nine-play, 60-yard drive that ended with Qua Ashley scoring on a six-yard run, putting Kennesaw State ahead again 21-14.

  Liberty attempted to respond but had a tough time moving the ball effectively against Kennesaw State’s defense. They had to settle for a field goal from Colin Karhu to narrow the gap to 21-17, but it was clear that the Owls had found their earlier momentum.

   As the fourth quarter unfolded, KSU extended their lead further to ten points with two field goals from Austin Welch—one from 31 yards and another from 41 yards—pushing their advantage to 27-17.

   With time running out, Liberty wasn’t done, mounting one last offensive push. Salter threw his third touchdown pass of the game, connecting with Elijah Canion for a 17-yard score with just under two minutes remaining, bringing the Flames to within three points at 27-24.

   Liberty failed an onside kick.

   The Flames did manage to stop Kennesaw State on fourth down shortly after and regained possession with only ten seconds left on the clock. A pass sailed out of bounds with the clock appearing to run out and a jubilant fan base stormed the field.

   But, the celebration was short-lived as review showed there was still one second on the clock. The polite crowd efficiently vacated the field allowing the teams to regroup for one last play.

  A desperate lateral attempt resulted in a fumble as the Owl defense held firm, sealing their improbable victory.

  The win not only marked Kennesaw State’s first victory of the season but also represented a significant achievement for head coach Brian Bohannon and his team. With this victory over an undefeated opponent, they became the first team in over two decades to defeat an unbeaten squad while holding an overall record of 0-5 or worse at kickoff.

  The head coach showed immense pride in his team’s resilience and unity throughout what had been a challenging season.

  “For the past month and a half, all we discussed was the importance of unity and faith in each other,” he stated post-game. “We believed that if we persevered, something positive would eventually occur.”

    In all fairness, it must be noted that Liberty helped KSU with multiple costly penalties, two of which extended drives on third and long.

   The loss not only ended their undefeated streak but also posed challenges for their chances within Conference USA and a potential playoff shot.

   Several streaks ended for the Flames…
  * 20 straight vs Conference USA teams.
  * 17 straight in regular season.
  * 11 straight in October.
  * 5 straight overall.

   It also knocked the Flames out of first place down to third and moved the Owls up from last place all the way to seventh place.

   KSU’s victory serves as a turning point for their season and could provide much-needed momentum as they look ahead. Meanwhile, the Flames will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face second place Jacksonville State, undefeated in conference play, next week in hopes of bouncing back from this unexpected setback.

   It doesn’t get any easier for the Owls as they take the show on the road to face the new #1 Conference USA team at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers are 5-2 and 3-0 in conference. But, this time ,KSU will arrive with some wind at their back knowing anything is possible.

   Kickoff on Saturday is 7:30pm. You can watch on ESPN2.