Kennesaw State University's Football Team Secures Historic Victory Over Liberty University, Defeating Flames in Stunning Upset
The Ravens, carrying a 0-6 record and facing 27-point odds, were on a losing streak against FBS teams since the team's establishment in 2015, having lost all their previous 10 encounters.
However, Kennesaw State's quarterback Davis Bryson managed to complete 16 out of 20 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown, helping his team achieve an unprecedented victory. They became the first team to beat a 5-0 or better squad when they were themselves 0-5 or worse, as per ESPN's records.
This was the Ravens' first win against a Division I team in close to two years, since they defeated UT Martin in November 2022.
"For the past month and a half, all we've been talking about is sticking together and believing in each other," said head coach Brian Bohannon, who has led the team through all 10 seasons of its existence.
"We said, 'If we continue like this, something good will happen sometime.' We didn't have a crystal ball to know when. But I can't be more proud of this football team tonight," he added.
"We've had some impressive wins here, but nothing was better than this one."
The loss marked the first regular-season defeat for Liberty's head coach Jamey Chadwell and dealt a significant blow to the team's aspirations of becoming the highest-ranked Group of Five team, which would grant them direct entry into the new 12-team playoffs.
Meanwhile, both American Athletic Conference's Army and Navy teams remain undefeated and will not face each other during the regular season.
Liberty started the game on a positive note, scoring on their opening drive with Kaidon Salter's 15-yard touchdown pass to Treon Sibley. However, the Ravens responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Bryson to Christian Moss in the first quarter. Michael Benefield then scored a touchdown on a rush in the second quarter, leveling the score before half-time.
Salter found Donte Lee in the end zone to restore parity before the break, but the decisive moment came in the third quarter when Kennesaw State took the lead with Qua Ashley's six-yard touchdown run. Liberty couldn't recover, as two field goals from Austin Welch in the fourth quarter further extended Kennesaw State's lead to 27-17. Salter's third touchdown of the game wasn't enough to prevent the Ravens from creating history.
This win in sports was a turning point for Kennesaw State, breaking their 10-game losing streak against FBS teams. The Ravens, on the other hand, managed to end their struggle against Division I teams, having not won in close to two years.
