The Kennesaw State's upset over freedom means more than you think

Good morning, I'm Dan Gartland. I can't think of a better way for Kennesaw State to get its first FBS win.

In today's SI:AM:

📈 The Yankees' turnaround
🔄 How the Chiefs got Hopkins
🏆 Mid-Season CFB Awards

One of this week's most significant college football results, believe it or not, took place on Wednesday night. Midweek games played by teams from smaller conferences are typically little more than an opportunity for fans to enjoy some college football on an unusual day of the week. But Kennesaw State's surprising 27-24 victory over Liberty was more than just a distraction Wednesday night – it had implications for the College Football Playoff.

The format of the new 12-team playoffs includes automatic bids for the five top-ranked conference champions — and with only four power conferences remaining after the demise of the Pac-12, the door opens for a mid-major champion to make his ticket .

Liberty entered the season with hopes of securing that automatic bid and was well on its way after a 5-0 start. The Flames earned a spot in the Fiesta Bowl last season as the top Group of 5 team in the country, losing to Oregon 45-6. Another undefeated regular season and another Conference USA title would propel Liberty into the coveted CFP spot.

Few expected Kennesaw State to be the team that would shatter Liberty's dreams. After all, the Owls are playing their first season as an FBS program — and last season they weren't even a good FCS program. Kennesaw went 3-6 in 2023. One of those wins came over a Division II school (Tusculum) and the other two came over non-NCAA teams. Things hadn't been any better this year, as the Owls were 0-6 heading into their showdown against Liberty. Kennesaw State only began playing football in 2015 and had never beaten an FBS program in 10 tries before.

That context makes Kennesaw State’s upset all the more surprising. According to ESPNIt was only the sixth time in the AP Poll era (since 1936) that a team with a record of 0-5 or worse defeated a team with a record of 5-0 or better. That hadn't happened since 2001, when North Texas beat Middle Tennessee.

Kennesaw State entered the game with one of the worst offenses in the country, averaging 14.6 points per game (130th of 134 FBS programs), but amassed a season-best 323 yards against Liberty and did not turn the ball over. The defense, which was also abysmal in the first five games (averaging 36.0 points allowed), came up with strong stops in crucial moments. The game's defining play may have been when Liberty decided to go for it on a fourth-and-6 from the KSU 29 with about eight minutes to play and the Owls up 24-17. Liberty were warned for a false start and then failed to convert in the quarter-final that followed. Kennesaw State took advantage of good field position and scored a field goal on its next possession to make it 27-17. Liberty scored a touchdown with 1:26 to play, but it was too little, too late.

The loss doesn't necessarily mean Liberty is out of contention for the CUSA Championship. Jacksonville State and Western Kentucky are the only undefeated teams in conference play, and Liberty has yet to play both. But a loss to a team as unimpressive as Kennesaw State essentially makes it impossible for the Flames to become the top-seeded non-power conference champion, even if they come back and win the league.

The race for the final automatic bid is shaping up to be one of the most interesting subplots of this college football season. The current leader is Boise State, ranked No. 17 in the latest AP poll and coming off a colossal game Friday night against a 6-1 UNLV team that will go a long way in deciding who advances to the Mountain West -Title qualifies game. No. 23 Army and No. 24 Navy are the teams that have the most to gain from a loss at Boise State.

Expanding the College Football Playoff to 12 teams received a mixed response. And while we still have to wait to see what impact it will have on the major conferences, there's no denying that the new format is great for the mid-majors when a Wednesday night game can mean so much.

…things I saw yesterday:

5. Brandon Miller's wild dunk.
4. Yes Morants impressive layup in the final minute of the Grizzlies' victory over the Jazz.
3. Erling Haalands outrageous goal for Manchester City.
2. Kevin Durants Fadeaway sweater Force overtime.
1. Kennesaw State fans storm the field after their win over Liberty.