#15 Javon Rogers lines up against defender. Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium, Oct. 7, 2026. Photo by Marcellus Miller
After losing three straight games by a combined seven points led by an opponent’s fourth-quarter push, Kennesaw State football desperately needs one to go its way in the late stages of the game.
Unfortunately for them, the Owls’ next opponent won’t be any easier, as they will face 5-1 Liberty, who currently sit at second place in the Conference USA standings, only behind Jacksonville State.
KSU head coach Jerry Mack said closing games in the fourth quarter has been his team’s Achilles heel.
“We have not played good enough in the fourth quarter to end games and win the game,” he said. “It’s a game of margins, especially in Conference USA. Right now, we are on a journey to learn how to close these games the right way.”
Pass coverage was a struggle for the Owls defense against Missouri State, as Henry Belin IV threw for 300 yards after taking over the starting role.
“It’s an accumulation of everybody, it’s not just the secondary, safeties and the corners,” Mack said. “Also, that second-level coverage, we need to do a better job of matching out. Up front, we have to do a better job of making the quarterback feel under distress.”
The Flames offense is led by Wake Forest transfer Deshawn Purdie, who has 1,050 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions to this point in the season.
Running back Kam Davis has been efficient for Liberty as well. He has 524 yards on the ground and rushed for a season high of 166 yards against Coastal Carolina.
For KSU, wideout Dylan Gary had his best game as an Owl last week, grabbing 135 yards on 10 receptions and a touchdown. With fellow receiver Zion Booker out for the rest of the year with an injury, Gary has been forced to step up in the receiver room.
“Last week (against Jax State), it was Brayden Munroe, this past week it was Dylan Gary,” Mack said. “That’s what it’s all about, guys stepping up when a good player or a guy that’s had quality reps goes down.”
Despite the Flames’ record, it’s hard to tell how good they really are yet.
Liberty struggled to begin the year, losing its season opener 20-13 to James Madison, and following it up by narrowly escaping Football Championship Subdivision opponent Gardner Webb 24-23.
In conference play, the Flames have handled business so far against teams who are currently near the bottom of the conference standings, first with a 30-14 win at Delaware and following it with a dominant 35-3 win against Sam Houston.
Penalties have been a major problem for KSU since the start of the conference schedule. The Owls have committed 26 penalties for 232 yards in their last two games, one of the highest penalized teams this season at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
“For me as a coach, I’m really kinda looking really closely to what penalties are pre-snap,” Mack said. “Those are things that you can directly control from the standpoint of making sure you hold your water, making sure guys defensively don’t jump offside, and it’s the same thing on the offensive side of the ball.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
