Liberty Flames vs. Kennesaw State Owls: College Football Week 9 Preview and Predictions

The Liberty Flames, one of the 10 unbeaten teams at the FBS level, are set to face the winless Kennesaw State Owls in a Conference USA matchup on Wednesday, October 23. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET from Fifth Third Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia, and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Liberty, with a 5-0 overall record and 3-0 in conference play, has been dominant, winning a program-record 17 consecutive regular-season games and maintaining an 11-0 all-time record in conference games. The Flames are averaging 33 points per game, led by junior quarterback Kaidon Salter, who has the third-highest winning percentage among active FBS quarterbacks with a minimum of 15 career starts. Salter has been impressive, particularly in the red zone, with six of his seven passing touchdowns this season coming within the 20-yard line.

Senior running back Quinton Cooley is another key player for Liberty, leading Conference USA in rushing with 109 yards per game and averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Cooley has had four 100-yard games this season, the most in the conference, and has 11 such games since the start of 2023.

Kennesaw State, on the other hand, is one of the two winless teams in FBS, with a 0-6 record in conference play. The Owls are averaging just 13 points per game and have struggled significantly on offense, rushing for only 102 yards per game and passing for 126 yards per game. Senior running back Michael Benefield and Qua Ashley are among the few bright spots for the Owls, with Benefield having a career-high 112 yards rushing in Week 6 and Ashley contributing in both rushing and receiving.

The betting lines favor Liberty heavily, with the Flames listed as 25.5-point favorites. The over/under for total points scored is set at 46.5. SportsLine‘s Projection Model, which has a strong track record of generating betting profits, is leaning towards the over and suggests that one side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time.