Flames Drop Finale in Double Overtime to Owls

LYNCHBURG, Va. - For the third-straight week, Liberty took its opponent into overtime and for the third extra period game in a row, the Flames came up short in a 48-42 double overtime loss to Kennesaw State, Saturday afternoon at Williams Stadium.

Liberty ends the 2025 season on a four-game losing streak with a 4-8 overall record and a 3-5 mark in Conference USA play.

This season concludes Liberty's first losing campaign since 2005. It also snaps the Flames' streak of playing in a bowl game every season since it could be bowl eligible in 2019 (six-straight bowl games played).

Prior to the game, the Flames honored their largest senior class at the FBS level. Liberty recognized 27 players who played their final collegiate football game on Saturday.

The end-of-the-year run marked the first time in program history that Liberty has played three overtime games in a row and three extra period contests in the same season.

Once again, Evan Dickens tried to single-handedly win the game for the Flames with a record-setting performance.

The redshirt sophomore finished the game with a career-high 267 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. One of his four scores was for 95 yards, setting a new program record for the longest rushing touchdowns in school history (previous mark was an 86-yard run by Chip Smith against Ferrum in 1976).

With his 267 rushing yards today, Dickens finishes the 2025 season ranked third in single-season program history with 1,339 rushing yards.

The redshirt sophomore also finishes the season with 16 rushing touchdowns, which is tied for the second-highest season total in school history. He matches the mark set by Quinton Cooley (2023), Desmond Rice (2013) and Lawrence Worthington (1995).

The two teams combined to rush for 503 yards. Liberty rushed for a season-high 291 yards and five touchdowns, while Kennesaw State tallied 212 yards on the ground and three scores.

In his second career start for the Flames, Michael Merdinger completed 12-of-21 passing attempts for 212 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball eight times for 13 yards and accounted for Liberty's fifth rushing touchdown.

Following a career-high 14 tackles at LA Tech last week, linebacker Micah Pollard closed out his first season with the Flames with a team-high eight tackles to lead Liberty on the day.

Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 48-42 (Kennesaw State)
Liberty (4-8, 3-5 CUSA)
Kennesaw State (9-3, 7-1 CUSA)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 12,695

Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter

After Liberty fumbled the ball away on its opening possession, the visitors quickly moved down the field on a seven-play, 45-yard scoring drive. Quarterback Amari Odom found Gabriel Benyard open in the corner of the end zone on a 12-yard pass play, giving KSU an early 7-0 edge at the 5:29 mark.
The Flames responded by tying the game, 7-7, at the 1:27 mark following a six-yard touchdown run by Evan Dickens. The running back carried the ball six times on the eight-play 62-yard drive that was aided by a pass interference call.

Second Quarter

The Owls went ahead on the following drive, getting a pair of third-down conversions on a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Following the second conversion, KSU's Clayton Coppock took a handoff from Odom and scored from five yards out to regain the lead, 14-7, with 12:48 left before halftime.
Near the end of the second quarter, KSU elected to go for it on a fourth-and-11 play from midfield with 1:23 left to play and was stopped. Liberty responded by piecing together a 10-play, 50-yard drive that ended on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Michael Merdinger as time expired to knot the game at 14-14 at the intermission.

Third Quarter

The Owls quickly regained the lead, 21-14, on their first possession of the second half on a five-play, 74-yard drive. Odom completed a pair of 30-yard pass plays on the drive, including a 30-yard scoring play to Coleman Bennett on a third-and-11 play at 12:55.
After Merdinger completed a 12-yard pass play to Casey Cain, Liberty handed the ball off nine-straight times to Dickens. On the ninth run, Dickens scored from five yards out to tie the game, 21-21, at the 2:23 mark of the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The two teams would each score a pair of touchdowns during the final 15 minutes of regulation to send the contest into overtime.
Liberty's scores were the previously mentioned 95-yard record-setting run by Dickens at 14:46 and a 59-yard pass play from Merdinger to Vaughn Blue at 3:28.
KSU's scored both of its fourth-quarter touchdowns on the ground – a nine-yard run by Odom at 12:17 and a one-yard score by Bennett at 5:35.
Liberty almost won the game in regulation, but a Jay Billingsley field goal try from 32 yards as time expired sailed wide right to send the game into overtime.

Overtime

Both teams scored on their first plays in overtime, including a 25-yard touchdown run by Dickens for the Flames and a 25-yard touchdown pass from Odom to Benyard for KSU.
The Owls kept the scoring going on their next offensive play in double overtime, taking a six-point lead on a 25-yard pass play from Odom to Christian Moss. KSU would miss the two-point try.
Following two short gains from Dickens, Merdinger was sacked and his heave downfield on the game's final play was broken up to seal the season-ending loss for Liberty.

What's Next:
With the 2025 season now complete, the Flames will turn their attention to 2026 where Liberty will announce its incoming freshman class on National Signing Day, Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Schedule

Flames Drop Finale in Double Overtime to Owls

Team Stats

Michael Merdinger

Players Mentioned

Jay Billingsley

Vaughn Blue

Casey Cain

Quinton Cooley

Evan Dickens

Michael Merdinger

Micah Pollard

Flames Drop Finale in Double Overtime to Owls

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Team Stats

Game Leaders

Michael Merdinger

Players Mentioned

Jay Billingsley

Vaughn Blue

Casey Cain

Quinton Cooley

Evan Dickens

Michael Merdinger

Micah Pollard

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