Winless Kennesaw State, a 27.5-point underdog, knocked off undefeated Liberty 27-24 on Wednesday evening, giving the Owls their first win as a Soccer Bowl Subdivision program and delivering a serious blow to Liberty’s School Soccer Playoff hopes.
It’s the primary regular-season loss for Liberty underneath second-year coach Jamey Chadwell, because the Flames have been 13-0 final season earlier than a 45-6 Fiesta Bowl loss to Oregon.
The best-ranked Group of 5 group will get an computerized bid within the new 12-team School Soccer Playoff. Final 12 months, that may’ve been Convention USA’s Liberty, which was chosen for a New Yr’s Six bowl over two-loss SMU in what some thought of a controversial determination because of the Flames’ weak energy of schedule.
𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃.#GoldStandard | #SeeUs pic.twitter.com/x9ZYhyzeEz
— Kennesaw State Soccer (@kennesawstfb) October 24, 2024
Liberty once more this season doesn’t have a Energy 5 group on its schedule, and the highway sport at Appalachian State was canceled as a consequence of Hurricane Helene injury. Dropping a sport to the beforehand winless Owls might be a serious level towards the Flames in the event that they win Convention USA to grow to be eligible for a CFP auto-bid.
As of Wednesday evening, Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State are each undefeated in CUSA play.
The one remaining Group of 5 unbeaten groups are the AAC’s Military and Navy, who don’t play one another within the common season. The AAC additionally has 6-1 Memphis and 5-2 Tulane within the combine. Boise State and UNLV within the Mountain West each have one loss however play one another on Friday evening. The Solar Belt has two one-loss groups in Louisiana and ULM.
This can be a enormous second for Kennesaw State, which picks up its first-ever win towards an FBS program. The Owls started play in 2015 on the Soccer Championship Subdivision stage. They completed ranked within the FCS prime 10 4 instances in 5 years from 2017 to 2021. This additionally leaves Kent State as the one remaining winless group in school soccer this season.
Kennesaw State quarterback Davis Bryson accomplished 16 of 20 passes for 189 yards and one landing. Liberty star quarterback Kaidon Salter, the 2023 CUSA Participant of the Yr, completed 22-for-40 passing for 206 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, together with 87 dashing yards.
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(Picture of Jamey Chadwell: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Pictures)
