The last time these two shared a field it took double overtime to settle it. Thursday, October 22 brings the rematch, and both rosters look a lot different than they did in November.
Bush’s Picks
LIBKENN
LIBKENN
OverUnder
Best BetKennesaw State
Kennesaw State gets the nod here mostly on program stability — Jerry Mack has built a winner fast and the Owls are the defending CUSA champs at home. Rickie Collins' turnover history is a real red flag, but Liberty's own QB room is even less settled after losing Kaidon Salter to the portal. Backing the home side with the proven staff over the team still figuring out who starts under center.
Liberty
+Athlon picked Liberty to reach the CUSA title game
+Deep 28-man transfer class reloading the roster
+O-line returns anchored by Aaron Fenimore
−First losing season (4-8) in 20 years
−QB battle unresolved between Purdie and Vasko
−Lost Fiesta Bowl QB Kaidon Salter to Colorado
Kennesaw State
+Defending CUSA champions, won 10 games in 2025
+Won last meeting vs. Liberty in double overtime
+Defense went 8-0 when it forced a takeaway
−Lost CUSA Offensive Player of the Year Amari Odom
−Replacement QB Collins threw 10 INTs in 7 games
−Picked only 3rd in CUSA, ranking dropped nationally
Both programs are leaning on quarterbacks with something to prove. Kennesaw State handed the offense to Rickie Collins, a well-traveled transfer now on his third school in three years after stops at LSU and Syracuse, where he threw 10 interceptions in just 7 games. Liberty's picture is murkier: Kaidon Salter, the dual-threat who carried the Flames to a Fiesta Bowl, is gone to Colorado, leaving Wake Forest transfer Deshawn Purdie and Ethan Vasko to fight it out for QB1.
Liberty's rebuild goes well beyond the quarterback room. The Flames also have to replace their kicker, punter and long snapper after all 3 departed following last season, and a wave of 28 transfer additions is being counted on to patch nearly every unit. Kennesaw State isn't immune either — reigning CUSA Offensive Player of the Year Amari Odom bolted for Syracuse in almost a straight swap for Collins, and the Owls' run defense was the softest part of a group that otherwise thrived on takeaways.
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LIB Liberty
KENN Kennesaw State
The last time these two met, Kennesaw State needed double overtime to escape with the win in the 2025 finale, a result that put an exclamation point on the Owls' championship run. This time the outside expectations have flipped a bit: Athlon still picked Liberty to reach the CUSA title game despite a nightmare 4-8 finish last year, while the reigning champs slot in as a No. 3 projection with a national ranking that dropped from a year ago. Neither side walks in with much margin for error this early in conference play.
Liberty Flames
Oct 8?vs Sam Houston—
Oct 2?@ Delaware—
Sep 24?@ Coastal Carolina—
Sep 19?vs Ball State—
Sep 12?vs Gardner-Webb—
Sep 5?@ James Madison—
Kennesaw State Owls
Oct 14?@ Missouri State—
Oct 7?vs Jacksonville State—
Sep 26?@ Arkansas State—
Sep 19?@ Tennessee—
Sep 12?vs Georgia State—
Sep 3?vs West Georgia—
Recent form.
Up front, Liberty at least has continuity working for it. The offensive line returns anchored by Aaron Fenimore, one of the better linemen in the league, and defensive tackle Mike Jarvis is back for a third season in Lynchburg after starting all 12 games a year ago. Kennesaw State counters with a defense that was nearly automatic when it created a takeaway, going 8-0 in those games, with Tywon Christopher back to anchor the front seven. The formula for both sides is the same: win the turnover battle, hide the shaky new pieces.
Liberty Flames
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Kennesaw State Owls
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Neither team looks like the finished product it was a year ago, which is exactly what makes this one interesting. Liberty is betting a deep transfer class and O-line stability can paper over a wide-open QB battle. Kennesaw State is betting its program-building coach and a takeaway-heavy defense can survive a downgrade at quarterback. Somebody's bet is going to look better by Thursday night.
