LYNCHBURG, Va. – Kennesaw State football won a knock-down-drag-out, double-overtime thriller, 48-42, over Liberty on Saturday night at Williams Stadium to earn a share of the 2025 Conference USA Regular-Season Championship title and clinch a spot in the 2025 Air National Guard CUSA Football Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 5.
After the Flames (3-8, 3-5 CUSA) missed the would-be game-winning field goal from 32 yards out with one second remaining, the Owls (9-3, 7-1 CUSA) were unstoppable in overtime, finding the endzone twice to get the win.
Quarterback
Amari Odom connected on a 25-yard pass to receiver
Gabriel Benyard, before finding
Christian Moss for a sideline-tapping 25-yard score.
The Owls' defense then buckled down and forced a tackle for loss by
Baron Hopson and 4-yard sack by
Elijah Hill and
Tywon Christopher to setup a fourth-and-14 play for Liberty. KSU clamped down again on the must-have passing play as
Alexander Ford broke up the pass in the endzone to induce the celebration.
Odom led the way in the shootout win, finishing with 312 yards of offense – throwing for 240 and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 72 yards and another score.
Benyard was his top receiver, hauling in four catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns on the day.
Coleman Bennett also recorded multiple touchdowns, taking a 30-yard pass from Odom to the endzone before finding paydirt on 1-yard power rush up the left side. He finished with 92 yards of rushing and 37 receiving yards.
Overall, the Owls finished with three players with 100 all-purpose yards – Bennett (129),
Davis Bryson (105) and Benyard (101).
Defensively, Kennesaw State was led by Hopson, who tallied a career-high 16 tackles on the night – including a breakup and the overtime TFL – making a whopping 12 solo stops in the game. Right behind him in double-digit tackles was Christopher, who totaled 12 on the day with a sack.
Adam Watkins and
Milon Jones recorded six and five tackles, respectively, as well to round out the leaders.
Caleb Offord returned to record a tackle for loss and forced fumble in the first quarter that was returned by
JeRico Washington Jr.
Kennesaw State will now turnaround for postseason play, returning to Jacksonville, Ala. for the 2025 Air National Guard Conference USA Championship Game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.ET and will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network and the KSU Owls app.
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HERE. KSU students can purchase one (1) ticket now for $7 by clicking
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If you have any questions or issues related to your ticket purchase process, please email
tickets@kennesaw.edu and one of KSU's ticket representatives will respond.
Postgame Notes
Team Notes
- Kennesaw State finishes as the 2025 Conference USA Co-Regular-Season Champions with a 9-3 overall record and 7-1 record in CUSA.
- Kennesaw State clinched a berth in the 2025 Air National Guard CUSA Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 5. The Owls will head to Jacksonville, Ala. in a rematch against Jax State.
- Kennesaw State won its first overtime game since Oct. 22, 2022 vs. Tennessee Tech. It was the Owls' first overtime game of the season.
- Kennesaw State has won nine of its last 10 games.
- Kennesaw State has won eight of its last 10 CUSA games.
- Kennesaw State won its third-straight game against Liberty.
- Kennesaw State improved to 3-2 all-time against Liberty.
- Kennesaw State is tied for fourth all-time for most wins in the second year of reclassification from FCS to FBS (Georgia Southern – 2015; Jax State – 2024; James Madison – 2024).
Individual Notes
- R-So. QB Amari Odom continues to shine with his second-straight game with at least five total touchdowns. He amassed 312 yards of total offense (240 passing, 72 rushing) and had his fifth game of the season with at least one passing and rushing touchdown.
- R-Sr. RB Coleman Bennett had a major impact both rushing and receiving, rolling up 92 yards on the ground for a 6.6 average per carry and three catches for 37 yards. Bennett's 1-yard touchdown power rush with 5:35 left in regulation put KSU up 35-28. He also scored on a 30-yard receiving touchdown to convert a third down early in the second half.
- R-Sr. DB Caleb Offord sniffed out the missed field goal operation on the opening drive and forced his second career fumble (second of the season as well). It was recovered by r-So. DB JeRico Washington Jr. – his third recovery of his career, second of the season.
- R-Sr. WR Gabriel Benyard's 12-yard touchdown pass from Odom was the eighth of the season for Benyard and 16th of his career. It marks Benyard's second-straight game with a touchdown reception.
- He followed that with a 25-yard touchdown in the first overtime to set the KSU single-season receiving touchdown record (9). Benyard now holds the KSU single-season receiving touchdowns, yards, and receptions records.
- Fr. WR Clayton Coppock's 5-yard rush touchdown in the second quarter gives him a fourth-straight game scoring, dating back to Nov. 8 at New Mexico State.
- R-Sr. LB Baron Hopson set the program record with 12 solo tackles en route to a career-high 16 stops, giving him eight games on the season with double-digit tackles – tied for third nationally.
- Hopson finished the regular season with 120 tackles on the year, setting the program record for a single season.
- R-Fr. LB Tywon Christopher tied his career high with 12 tackles on the game, including a sack.
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