By Don Stone, KennesawStateSports.com, FootballAtlanta.com
Kennesaw State punched its ticket to the Conference USA championship game Friday night, outlasting Liberty 48-42 in a double-overtime thriller at Williams Stadium that capped one of the most dramatic regular seasons in program history.
Odom, Owls Win Instant Classic – Quarterback Amari Odom delivered the decisive blow on the first play of the second overtime, firing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Christian Moss to put the Owls ahead for good. Kennesaw State’s defense then came up with the final stop, stuffing Liberty’s last-gasp drive to secure the win and a trip to Jacksonville State for the CUSA title game on Dec. 5.
Odom accounted for 312 yards of offense with four passing touchdowns and rushing for another, repeatedly answering Liberty scores in a back-and-forth shootout. “This team just refuses to quit,” Odom said. “Coach told us all week it would take four quarters and maybe more. When we got to overtime, we just kept believing and kept executing.”
Clinching a Championship Shot – The victory lifted KSU to 9-3 overall and 7-1 in Conference USA, earning the Owls a share of the regular-season league title and locking in a spot opposite Jax State in the 2025 Air National Guard CUSA Football Championship Game. They learned at halftime that the Gamecocks had just beaten the Hilltoppers, had already guaranteed their place in the title matchup, but Jerry Mack’s team still needed to finish the job on the field.
“I’m incredibly proud of our guys,” Mack said. “They showed toughness, poise, and belief in each other in a hostile environment. To come on the road, win in double overtime, and clinch a chance to play for a conference championship—that’s what you build a program for.”
Mack’s Message: “Finish” – Mack praised his quarterback and the offense for rising to the moment. “Amari was special tonight,” he said. “He made big-time throws, used his legs when we needed it, and never blinked, no matter what the score was. That’s the leadership you need in championship-type games.”
The coach also credited his defense for the final stand after Moss’s winning touchdown. “Our defense bowed up when it mattered most,” Mack said. “We talked all week about finishing. They got one more stop, and that’s why we’re heading to Jacksonville.”
With a championship date now set, Kennesaw State left Lynchburg with both a statement win and a shot at a Conference USA crown—almost a year to the day that Mack was hired as head coach.
The CUSA Championship Game will be Friday night in Jacksonville, Alabama at 7:00 p.m. ET, televised on the CBS Sports Network.