The schedule helps Liberty. The Flames last played on October 8, so they'll get 2 full weeks to get ready. Kennesaw State played at Missouri State on October 14 and has 8 days to turn around. Kennesaw State hosts at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium, with an early forecast of 71 degrees, mostly sunny and a 5 mph breeze, so the weather shouldn't be the story.
Gardner-Webb24-23
The Owls' 5-game losing streak is less ugly than it sounds. Apart from a 42-9 loss at Tennessee, they've been right there: 17-14 at Arkansas State, 27-26 at home to Jacksonville State, 24-21 at Missouri State. Before that last game, the Springfield preview noted the Owls' conference losses had come by an average of 6 points, and the Missouri State loss was another one-score game. This defense keeps games close, and an offense with 1 more scoring drive would have a different record. Kennesaw State is also 0-2 in league play, so another loss puts it 3 games behind 2-0 Liberty in the Conference USA race.
Liberty's 5-game run hasn't been spotless either. It started with a 24-23 escape against Gardner-Webb, an FCS team, before the Flames won the next 4 by double digits, including a 34-17 win at Coastal Carolina and a 30-14 win at Delaware, so they've already won on the road this year. The Flames are unranked, Kennesaw State is unranked, and the question is simple. Can an Owls team that keeps losing by a field goal finally hold onto a game against the hottest team in the league, or does Liberty's run game make it another long night?
Watch the line of scrimmage early. If Kennesaw State can keep Liberty's backs from getting loose and make Purdie throw, Collins has a chance to win it late, and that's the kind of game the Owls have been playing all year. If the Flames run like they did against Sam Houston, Kennesaw State's offense doesn't score enough to keep up.