Liberty continues to win, and it continues to wonder why it doesn’t get the respect of other Group of Five contenders. Wednesday’s matchup won’t do much to change that regardless of the outcome.
Liberty (5-0, 3-0 CUSA) owns the nation’s longest regular-season winning streak (17) but has some work to do if it intends to earn the Group of 5's automatic playoff berth. Currently, four teams from outside the Power 4 are ranked ahead of the Flames, who are in the "Others Receiving Votes" category.
Kennesaw State (0-6, 0-2), meanwhile, is neck and neck for the worst team in all of the FBS. The Owls are 1 of 2 remaining FBS teams without a win, and a 4-score spread against Liberty doesn’t suggest that's likely to change any time soon.
Liberty failed to cover the spread the last time out, needing overtime to take down FIU. Will the Flames reignite against the Owls?
Let's dive into my Liberty vs. Kennesaw State predictions and college football picks for Wednesday, Oct. 23.
Liberty Flames vs. Kennesaw State Owls Predictions, Picks
- Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Pick: Under 46
My Kennesaw State vs. Liberty best bet is on both teams to stay under the total, with the best line currently available at ESPN Bet, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Odds, Betting Lines, Spread
| Liberty Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-27 -110 | 47 -110o / -110u | -4500 |
| Kennesaw State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+27 -110 | 47 -110o / -110u | +1550 |
- Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Spread: Liberty -27
- Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Over/Under: 47 Total Points
- Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Moneyline: Liberty ML -4500 · Kennesaw State ML +1550
Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch
| Location: | Fifth Third Stadium, Kennesaw, GA |
| Date: | Wednesday, Oct. 23 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | CBS Sports Network |
The Liberty Flames take on the Kennesaw State Owls on Wednesday, Oct. 23 in Kennesaw, Georgia, at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty Flames vs. Kennesaw State Owls Week 9 NCAAF Preview
Liberty Flames
Head coach Jamey Chadwell has yet to lose a regular-season game in his two-year tenure at Liberty, but the Flames have not been nearly as dominant as they were in his first year at the helm.
The Flames are still a run-first offense, ranking 19th and 41st in Rush Success and Line Yards, respectively, but their game average has dropped from nearly 300 yards rushing per game in 2023 to 229.4 yards this season.
The ground game has been far less effective when it comes to finding the end zone as well, having scored just 13 touchdowns halfway through the season. Last season, the Flames scored 39 times on the ground.
Kaidon Salter remains the engine of the offense. The dual-threat quarterback has passed for over 1,000 yards and is third on the team in rushing.
Running backs Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas, who have combined for 10 rushing touchdowns, will likely see heavy work against a weak Kennesaw State front as well.
Liberty’s defense remains one of the best in the conference, leading Conference USA in scoring (21.2) and total defense (321.0 yards per game).
The Flames have held two of their last three opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing, which would be huge in this matchup against a Kennesaw State team that favors the run.
Kennesaw State Owls
FCS-to-FBS transitions are never expected to be easy, and Kennesaw State is no exception.
The winless Owls have lost all but one game by double digits. The only game they kept to a single-digit deficit was last week against Middle Tennessee when Kennesaw State scored all of five total points.
The Owls offense has failed to take flight. The run-heavy attack ranks just 105th in Rush Success, and only one player with at least 25 carries — Michael Benefield — is averaging more than 2.6 yards per carry.
Kennesaw State sits dead last in FBS scoring, averaging just 13.0 points per game, and it has scored just six offensive touchdowns through six games.
Defensively, it hasn’t been significantly better. The Owls rank outside of the top 100 in Rush Success allowed and Pass Success allowed.
They’re also just two weeks removed from one of the worst defensive performances against the run all season when Jacksonville State rushed for 384 yards and eight touchdowns on 53 carries.
Liberty is likely to have a similar game plan, which does not portend well for the Owls.
Kennesaw State vs. Liberty Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Kennesaw State and Liberty match up statistically:
Liberty Offense vs. Kennesaw State Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 19 | 105 | |
| Line Yards | 41 | 49 | |
| Pass Success | 43 | 89 | |
| Havoc | 27 | 98 | |
| Finishing Drives | 33 | 115 | |
| Quality Drives | 82 | 104 | |
Kennesaw State Offense vs. Liberty Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 134 | 43 | |
| Line Yards | 134 | 5 | |
| Pass Success | 133 | 27 | |
| Havoc | 122 | 48 | |
| Finishing Drives | 127 | 53 | |
| Quality Drives | 132 | 35 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 39 | 96 |
| PFF Coverage | 58 | 51 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 114 | 48 |
| Middle 8 | 20 | 97 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.3 (95) | 29.5 (117) |
| Rush Rate | 65% (8) | 61% (15) |
How to Bet My Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Pick
Despite the obvious mismatch at hand, the Owls rarely get blown out by as much as this spread. Five of the Owls’ six losses have been decided by 21 or fewer points.
But I can’t bring myself to back arguably the worst team in the country here.
Instead, the total is the better angle.
The Owls are averaging one touchdown per game, and Liberty is one of the best defenses in Conference USA. Both of these teams also rely on their ground game and run two of the slowest offenses in the FBS.
Liberty has played one game since Sept. 22, so its offense may still be a little rusty and not run at full efficiency. This game won’t be pretty, and points should be few and far between.
Pick: Under 46
College Football Betting Trends for Liberty vs. Kennesaw State
- Liberty has landed 60% of the tickets and 76% of the money ahead of Wednesday's matchup.
- The over has taken 55% of the bets and 60% of the cash.
Liberty vs. Kennesaw State Weather
