Liberty is going bowling.
After missing the postseason a year ago, the Flames made sure they would have an opportunity to play an extra game this season, taking care of business against Kennesaw State on Thursday night to become bowl eligible and finally put an end to their recent struggles against the Owls.
For head coach Jamey Chadwell, the week had a clear theme: Bowl Flames.
“We made this week about us. The title of it was Bowl Flames,” Chadwell said. “When you miss a bowl game, you don’t realize how much you miss it until you miss it.”
The Flames responded to the challenge, delivering a performance that accomplished two significant goals. Liberty secured the six wins necessary for bowl eligibility, ensuring the program’s season will extend beyond its regular-season finale, while also getting a long-awaited win over a Kennesaw State program that had given the Flames fits in recent years.
For Liberty, Thursday night was about more than reaching the minimum number of wins needed for bowl eligibility. It was an opportunity to turn the page on a disappointing 2025 season and give a team that has continued to fight throughout this fall a tangible reward for its work.
Exorcising the Kennesaw State Demons
Kennesaw State had become a thorn in Liberty’s side. The Flames entered Thursday night having lost to the Owls in each of the previous two seasons, including a stunning defeat in Georgia in 2024 that left Liberty searching for answers. That history made this trip to Kennesaw an important test. The Flames needed to prove they could handle a team that had repeatedly found ways to beat them, regardless of the circumstances. This time, Liberty left little doubt about the result.
“We came down here and played well in a lot of ways,” Chadwell said. “Dominated, especially from the jinx that we had a couple years ago, it was good to wipe that off.”
The victory finally removes that obstacle from Liberty’s path and gives the Flames a measure of closure against an opponent that had caused them so much frustration. Rather than allowing the recent history between the programs to become another storyline in a challenging season, Liberty took control and delivered the result it needed.
The win also carries added significance as the Flames continue working to establish consistency in Conference USA. Taking care of business against a familiar conference opponent is important in its own right, but doing so against a team that had beaten Liberty in consecutive seasons makes Thursday’s result that much sweeter.
Jaylon Coleman Provides the Spark
Offensively, Liberty found success on the ground while also delivering an explosive passing play that helped set the tone for the evening.
The Flames opened the game with an 11-play, 85-yard touchdown drive, capped by Kam Davis’ one-yard run. They doubled their advantage late in the first quarter when Deshawn Purdie connected with Jaylon Coleman for a 56-yard touchdown reception, giving Liberty a 14-0 lead.
Coleman’s touchdown reception was his first career receiving score, and he added a nine-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to finish with two touchdowns. He totaled 22 rushing yards and 64 receiving yards on the night.
“We’ve had him open in the pass game a bunch and we’ve never hit him,” Chadwell said. “Tonight, hitting him, that was big. Jaylon has been great. He’s been running the ball great. We tried to mix it up with him a little bit this game to try and break some tendencies. He’s been great for us. I’m happy to see him get in the end zone and us connect on a pass.”
Purdie completed 10 of 19 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown without an interception. He has now gone seven consecutive games without throwing a pick this season.
Liberty finished with 402 total yards, including 215 rushing yards, and controlled the clock for more than 37 minutes. Terron Kellman added a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, while kicker Chase Reeves connected on field goals of 30 and 49 yards.
Despite the comfortable margin, Chadwell believes the offense left opportunities on the field.
“I thought we left some points out there,” he said. “We missed some plays in the run game and in the pass game. Missed some passes, we haven’t missed a lot of passes. We had probably two touchdowns and the ball was on our hands.”
That assessment offers a reminder that, even with the win well in hand, Liberty still has areas to improve as it moves deeper into the conference schedule.
Defense Continues to Set the Standard
While the offense supplied enough points, Liberty’s defense once again delivered a performance that made life difficult for the opposing offense.
The Flames limited Kennesaw State to 297 total yards and just 62 rushing yards. More importantly, Liberty did not allow the Owls to score a touchdown, marking the second straight game the Flames have kept an opponent out of the end zone.
Kennesaw State managed a field goal late in the first half and another in the final minutes, but it never threatened to turn the game into a contest.
The defense also came up with two interceptions in the second half, both of which helped prevent the Owls from building momentum. Derrell Farrar recorded the first interception of his career, and Ashton McShane added his first career pick.
“That really changed the game there in the second half,” Chadwell said of the interceptions. “Our defense’s goal each week is to create three takeaways. Those are huge plays. That changed the whole game.”
Chadwell has been pleased with the physicality and accountability his defense has displayed throughout the season.
“Those guys go out there with a mentality that we don’t want anybody to score on us,” he said. “When they don’t execute something, they get upset with each other, which is what you want. There’s some accountability there. We’re playing physical. Those guys don’t want to give up touchdowns.”
That mentality has helped Liberty win six consecutive games, transforming a team that missed a bowl game last season into one that is now firmly in the mix near the top of Conference USA.
Penalties Remain a Concern
For all the positives, Liberty still has one glaring issue to address. The Flames were flagged 12 times for 90 yards against Kennesaw State, repeatedly putting themselves behind the chains and threatening to derail otherwise productive drives. Against a stronger opponent, those mistakes could prove costly. Chadwell knows the team cannot afford to continue giving away yards and opportunities as the competition intensifies.
“Those are the things that will get us beat if we don’t get it,” Chadwell said. “We are working hard to improve it. I’ve got to figure it out because I’m responsible for it. We’ve got to clean that up. It’s going to cost us unless we take some ownership of it and fix it. We’ve got to get better there.”
Chadwell’s frustrations with the penalties were evident throughout the night. He argued with officials throughout an entire timeout. He slammed his headset down in frustration. He even sent a player to the locker room after an unsportsmanlike penalty.
Liberty has built momentum through its physical running game, disciplined defensive play and ability to avoid turnovers, but the penalties remain a potential stumbling block. The Flames will need to clean up those mistakes if they hope to turn bowl eligibility into an even bigger postseason opportunity.
What’s Next for the Flames?
Thursday night’s victory moves Liberty to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in Conference USA, extending its winning streak to six games. The Flames are now bowl eligible for the seventh time in the program’s eight year FBS tenure and have positioned themselves among the teams competing for the conference’s top spot. Just as importantly, they have finally put the Kennesaw State losing streak behind them. The immediate goal of reaching six wins has been accomplished, but Chadwell and his team are not satisfied with simply earning a postseason invitation.
“We’ve talked all season about earning extra games and they earned one,” Chadwell said. “To earn a 13th game is great. It’s a checkpoint for us. Hopefully we can earn a 14th.”
The distinction matters. Liberty is no longer playing just to get back to a bowl game. With six straight wins, a 3-0 conference record and a defense that continues to make life difficult for opposing offenses, the Flames have an opportunity to pursue something more.
The “Bowl Flames” theme served its purpose this week. The team earned its 13th game, broke through against a frustrating conference opponent and continued building confidence heading into the second half of the season. Now comes the next challenge: turning a successful start into a championship-caliber finish.
For the first time since the 2023 season, Liberty has won six games in a row. Bowl eligibility is secured, the Kennesaw State monkey is finally off its back, and the Flames have every reason to believe there is more football left to be played. One extra game is guaranteed. The Flames are thinking about two.
