Liberty trailed CUSA rival New Mexico State 17-9 in the fourth quarter, but a defensive score ignited, well, the Flames – sorry, this is just sportswriting – to a 30-24 win on Saturday night in Las Cruces.
The teams had met twice last season, with Liberty winning both – including a 49-35 victory in the CUSA title game that sent the program to the Fiesta Bowl.
The Flames offense put up 229 yards in the first half, but kept bogging down in the red zone, only getting three field goals as the Aggies went into the break up 17-9.
The play of the game came on a third-and-5 at the NMSU 37. Quinton Reese sacked Aggies’ starting quarterback Parker Awad, who lost control of the ball, and Liberty defensive end CJ Bazile Jr. scooped it up and returned it 22 yards for a score to pull the Flames within two at 9:56, 17-15, after a failed two-point conversion.
New Mexico State (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) answered with a quick four-play, 65-yard drive capped by an Awad 2-yard TD run to push the lead to 24-15 with 7:42 to go.
The Flames (2-0, 1-0 CUSA) quickly responded with a six-play, 82-yard drive that saw Quinton Cooley break free on a 27-yard score at the 5:12 mark.
The Aggies moved the ball to midfield, but had to punt with 3:04 to go, and the George Eberle punt pinned the Flames at their own 10.
A 16-yard quarterback scramble by Kaidon Salter, followed by back-to-back completions to Treon Sibley, set up the game-winning play.
Cooley took his 12th and final handoff of the game and found a gap to score from 44 yards out to give the Flames their first lead of the night with 1:05 on the clock.
Salter found Reese Smith in the corner of the end zone on a successful two-point play, give Liberty a 30-24 lead.
Liberty’s defense would make the score stand by forcing four incomplete passes by New Mexico State on its last-ditch effort drive.
Liberty finished the late-night game, which kicked off at 10:25 p.m. EST, with 473 total offensive yards, which included 178 yards coming in the fourth quarter.
Cooley posted his second-straight 100-yard game on the ground and the ninth of his career, finishing with 12 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns. The senior picked up 91 of his yards during the final 15 minutes of play.
Salter finished the night completing 16-of-29 pass attempts for 256 yards.
Sibley had five receptions for a career-high 155 yards, giving the senior his second 100-yard game in a row and the third of his career.
TJ Bush led Liberty’s defense, which allowed only six points during the final 43 minutes of the game, with a career-high eight tackles.
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Chris Graham
