Liberty University
4-5
Virginia
7-3
Flames Fall to Cavaliers 45-24 at Scott Stadium
11/10/2018 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Flames stayed within striking distance until a turnover on downs in the third quarter allowed the Cavaliers to open up a two-score lead and push them to a 45-24 win, Saturday afternoon, at Scott Stadium.
In the first-ever matchup between the two in-state foes, Liberty displayed its best defensive effort in the last month. After allowing a combined 1,408 yards to Idaho State (631) and UMass (777), the Flames limited the Cavaliers to 389 yards on 61 plays.
The Cavaliers came into the game with the No. 23 ranked total defense in the country (326.0 yards per game allowed) and the No. 29 rush defense (128.7). The Flames rushed for 200 plus yards for the second game in a row and the third time this season, finishing the game with 44 carries for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
Peytton Pickett paced Liberty's ground game, posting his first career 100-yard game by rushing 17 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. Frankie Hickson finished with 26 carries for 93 yards and two scores.
The Cavaliers stout defense limited Liberty's high-octane passing attack throughout the game. Liberty entered the game ranked No. 9 in the country in passing offense (323.9 yards per game). The Flames Stephen Calvert completed 15-of-27 for 149 yards, his lowest output of the year and was intercepted three times which led to 14 Virginia points.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 45-24
Liberty (4-5)
Virginia (7-3, 4-2 ACC)
Location: Scott Stadium (Charlottesville, Va.)
Attendance: 41,485
Turning Point:
After forcing the game's first punt at the 10:03 mark of the third quarter, the Flames found themselves pinned at their own five-yard line. A seven-yard pass from Calvert to Pickett gave Liberty a fourth-and-one play from its own 14-yard line three plays later.
The Flames tried to convert on fourth down for the third time on the day, but Calvert's slant pass to Antonio Gandy-Golden was broken up by Brenton Nelson. Three plays later, Perkins got to the outside and scored on a nine-yard run at 7:21, giving the Cavaliers a two-score cushion 38-24 which the Flames were unable to overcome the rest of the game.
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
• The Flames opened the game with a 12-play, 75-yard scoring driving to take a 7-0 lead with 10:34 left in the quarter. Liberty picked up its 10th fourth-down conversion of the season on the drive's last play, a one-yard touchdown run by Frankie Hickson.
• The Cavaliers responded by scoring on their next two drives, taking a 14-7 lead into the quarter break. Virginia's first touchdown at the 8:30 mark was a 14-yard pass from Perkins to Joe Reed, a four-yard 55-yard drive aided by a 37-yard kickoff return. The Cavaliers took the lead at the 1:19 mark when Perkins finished off a seven-play, 66-yard drive with a 13-yard quarterback sweep to the left side of the field.
Second Quarter
• Both teams scored twice during the second quarter, including a touchdown from each team that was aided by an interception.
• Calvert's 12th interception of the year was followed by a 10-play, 77-yard drive by Virginia that was capped by a Jordan Ellis one-yard touchdown run at 7:37. The Cavaliers then scored with three seconds left on the clock when Lester Coleman knocked down a 32-yard field goal, giving Virginia a 24-17 lead at halftime.
• Liberty cut the Cavaliers' lead to 21-10 following a 34-yard field goal by Alex Probert with 2:35 left in the quarter. Bejour Wilson then picked off a Perkins pass and returned it 33 yards, setting up Hickson's seven-yard touchdown run 28 seconds later to pull the Flames within four at 21-17 at the 2:07 mark.
Third Quarter
• Both teams scored the first time they touched the ball during the third quarter. The Cavaliers opened the half with a 90-yard kickoff return by Joe Reed, while the Flames responded with a six-play, 65-yard drive that was finished by an 18-yard touchdown run by Peytton Pickett, giving him his first career 100-yard game at Liberty.
• Virginia pushed its lead back to 14 points 38-24 at the 7:21 mark of the quarter, thanks to a nine-yard rushing touchdown by Perkins. The short three-play drive was set up by Liberty's inability to convert on a fourth-and-one play from its own 14-yard line.
Fourth Quarter
• Virginia pushes its lead to 45-24 at the 12:30 mark of the quarter when Perkins completed a six-yard sideline pass to Reed for his second touchdown of the game. The eight-play, 35-yard drive was set up by Calvert's third interception of the afternoon.
What's Next:
The Flames will wrap up their three-game road trip next weekend when they travel to Auburn, Ala., to square off against Auburn. The contest will be Liberty's final road game of the 2018 season and their first-ever matchup against a SEC opponent.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018
Location: Auburn, Ala. (Jordan-Hare Stadium)
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
TV: SEC Regional Network Alternative
Kickoff: 4 p.m. (EST)
Team Stats
LIBERTY 7, VA 0
LIBERTY - HICKSON, F. 1 yd run (PROBERT, A. kick), 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:26
LIBERTY 7, VA 7
VA - Reed, J 14 yd pass from Perkins, B (Delaney, B kick) 4 plays, 55 yards, TOP 2:04
LIBERTY 7, VA 14
VA - Perkins, B 13 yd run (Delaney, B kick), 7 plays, 66 yards, TOP 3:34
LIBERTY 7, VA 21
VA - Ellis, J 1 yd run (Delaney, B kick), 10 plays, 77 yards, TOP 4:40
LIBERTY 10, VA 21
LIBERTY - PROBERT, A. 37 yd field goal 11 plays, 55 yards, TOP 5:02
LIBERTY 17, VA 21
LIBERTY - HICKSON, F. 7 yd run (PROBERT, A. kick), 1 plays, 7 yards, TOP 0:04
LIBERTY 17, VA 24
VA - Delaney, B 33 yd field goal 9 plays, 50 yards, TOP 2:04
LIBERTY 17, VA 31
VA - Reed, J 90 yd kickoff return (Delaney, B kick)
LIBERTY 24, VA 31
LIBERTY - PICKETT, P. 18 yd run (PROBERT, A. kick), 6 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:32
LIBERTY 24, VA 38
VA - Perkins, B 9 yd run (Delaney, B kick), 3 plays, 14 yards, TOP 0:50
LIBERTY 24, VA 45
VA - Reed, J 6 yd pass from Perkins, B (Delaney, B kick) 8 plays, 35 yards, TOP 3:38
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