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  • Liberty Flames Torch Kennesaw State For A 34-6 C-USA Road Win

Liberty Flames Torch Kennesaw State For A 34-6 C-USA Road Win

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Football

KENNESAW, Ga. – A career day for Jaylon Coleman and another standout defensive performance by the Flames allowed Liberty to close out Weekday CUSA action with a 34-6 victory over Kennesaw State, Thursday evening, at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium.

Liberty's sixth win in a row moves the Flames to 6-1 on the season and into a tie for first place with Jax State at 3-0 in Conference USA action. Kennesaw State has now lost six games in a row, dropping to 1-6 overall and 0-3 in conference action.

With the victory, Liberty becomes bowl eligible for the sixth time in program history. The Flames are the 18th team in the country to reach the bowl eligible win mark in 2026 and the fourth Group of six program.

Liberty dominated the stat sheet on the night, outgaining the Owls, 402 to 297 yards and holding a 37:05 to 22:55 time of possession edge.

The Flames defense came into the night ranked No. 19 in the country in total defense (291.7 yards allowed per game) and No. 15 in scoring defense (15.3 points allowed per game). For the second time this season, Liberty did not allow an opponent to score a touchdown.

Coleman was the offensive standout for the Flames, scoring both a rushing and receiving touchdown. The running back finished the game with five carries for 22 yards and four receptions for 64 yards.

Quarterback Deshawn Purdie completed 10-of-19 passing attempts for 176 yards and a touchdown. The Flames starter has now gone seven games in a row without throwing an interception in 2026.

Jamari Person matched Coleman in receptions and led all receivers with 72 receiving yards.

Jayden Davis led all Flames tacklers in the game, finishing the contest with a season-high nine tackles. Linebacker Derrerll Farrar, a native of Georgia, and cornerback Ashton McShane finished the night both recording their first career interceptions to stop scoring efforts for the Owls.

The Flames' win today:

  • Was victory No. 6 of the season, earning bowl eligibility for the Flames and marking the seventh time in program history Liberty has started a season at 6-1 or better.
  • Gives the Flames their first six-game winning streak since Liberty opened the 2023 season with 13 consecutive victories (Sept. 2-Dec. 1, 2023).
  • Evens the Flames' all-time head-to-head series with Kennesaw State at 3-3, snapping the Owls' three-game winning streak versus Liberty. It also marks Liberty's first triumph over KSU in a decade (36-21 win at Kennesaw State on Oct. 15, 2016).
  • Enabled the Flames to start CUSA play with a 3-0 record for the third time in four seasons as a conference member.
  • Improves the Flames' record in October weekday contests to 10-2 under Jamey Chadwell.
  • Pushes the Flames' all-time record when playing on Thursday to 6-3, including 3-0 this season. It also gives head coach Jamey Chadwell a 13-1 mark when coaching Thursday contests at the Division I level.