Fourth Quarter Defense Allows Flames to Claim Shootout Win

LYNCHBURG, Va. – After trading offensive blows for the first three quarters, Liberty's defense kept Middle Tennessee in check during the fourth to secure a hard-fought 42-35 Conference USA win, Tuesday night, at Williams Stadium.

With the victory, the Flames remain perfect on the season (7-0, 5-0 CUSA) and are now the only team in CUSA with an unblemished conference record. MTSU falls to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in CUSA play.

Liberty came into the night ranked No. 1 in the country in fourth-quarter defense, allowing only six total points. After surrendering 35 points in the first three quarters, the Flames kept their sixth opponent this season scoreless in the final quarter to secure the CUSA win.

The two teams combined for 949 total offensive yards, but Liberty limited Middle Tennessee to just 45 yards and only four first downs during the final 15 minutes of play.

Liberty, who came into the game ranked No. 1 in the country in interceptions, added two more to its season total (15) during the fourth quarter to end a pair of Blue Raider drives.

Liberty outgained Middle Tennessee on the night 541 to 428 total offensive yards, including 401 rushing yards on 61 carries (6.6 yards per rushing attempt).

Tonight's total was the fifth-most rushing yards in a single game in program history and the most since rushing for 429 yards at Presbyterian College (Oct. 13, 2012).

Liberty had a pair of players rush for 100 yards for the second time this year. Quarterback Kaidon Salter carried the ball 16 times for 160 yards while running back Quinton Cooley finished the night with 24 carries for 134 yards and a career-high three rushing touchdowns. Cooley has rushed for 100 yards in the last four games and five times in 2023.

Salter completed 12-of-20 passing attempts for 140 yards, with his top target being CJ Daniels (six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown).

Tyren Dupree matched his career high for the second game in a row, finishing the night with 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss.

Preston Hodge (career-high nine tackles) and Brylan Green (five tackles) each had an interception during the fourth quarter. Green now ranks No. 3 in the country in total interceptions in 2023 (4), while adding a forced fumble and a tackle for a loss on the night.

The Flames' win today:

Improves the Flames' record against Middle Tennessee to 2-1, including 2-0 at Williams Stadium.
Gives the Flames their fifth winning streak of seven or more games all-time and longest since winning 10 in a row, Nov. 30, 2019 through Nov. 14, 2020.
Enables the Flames to start 7-0 for the first time since 2020, when they opened the year at 8-0.
Makes Jamey Chadwell the first Liberty head football coach ever to win his first seven games with the Flames.
Gives the Flames their first 5-0 start in conference play since opening the 2011 Big South slate at 5-0.
Makes the Flames the first team ever to win their first five CUSA games as conference members.
Marks the Flames' 13th straight win over a CUSA opponent, improving their all-time record against CUSA foes to 14-1.

Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 42-35
Liberty (7-0, 5-0 CUSA)
Middle Tennessee (2-6, 1-3 CUSA)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va)
Attendance: 16,354

Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter

The Blue Raiders were the first team to get on the scoreboard, aided by a Liberty turnover after Salter was intercepted on the game's first offensive play. Nick Vattiato completed the next three pass attempts, including a three-yard touchdown strike to DJ Riles to give the visitors a quick 7-0 lead at 13:36.
Liberty regrouped on the next drive, piecing together a 10-play, 75-yard effort to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:37 left in the quarter. Quinton Cooley carried the ball seven times on the drive, including a five-yard scoring run up the middle.
Middle Tennessee quickly responded, moving the ball 75 yards on five plays, while benefiting from two Liberty penalties. Vattiato completed his fifth-straight pass attempt to push the visitors up 14-7 at 6:43 on a 20-yard pass over the middle to Elijah Metcalf.
Pinned at their own three-yard line to start the drive, the Flames answered by marching 97 yards down the field on 11 plays. Cooley capped the responsive drive with a nine-yard rushing touchdown up the middle with 49 seconds remaining in the quarter, knotting the score at 14-14.

Second Quarter

The Flames took their first lead of the game when they kept the ball on the ground for seven of the nine-play, 77-yard drive. Using a jumbo package with a lead block from defensive lineman Rick Weaver, Billy Lucas scored on a one-yard gain to give Liberty a 21-14 edge at 8:29.
Middle Tennessee pieced its longest drive of the first half together just before the clock expired in the half, tying the game at 21-21 with 20 seconds before halftime. Zach Dobson took a pitch to the right side of the field and found the end zone from two yards out to tie the game, finishing an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive.

Third Quarter

The Blue Raiders once again capitalized on a Flames' turnover to regain the lead 28-21 at 12:43. Following a Cooley fumble near midfield, Vattiato hit DJ England-Chisolm for a 36-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors another seven-point lead.
The back-and-forth battle continued with Liberty answering with a 12-play, 77-yard drive that was finished by an acrobatic 23-yard touchdown catch by Bentley Hanshaw. The tight end's fourth touchdown reception of the year tied the game at 28-28 at 6:41.
It only took Middle Tennessee two plays to regain the lead. Dobson caught a slant pass and tip-toed down the sidelines for a 72-yard touchdown pass from Vattiato to give the visitors a 35-28 lead 31 seconds later.
Liberty's potent rushing attack responded with the fourth score of the third quarter. The Flames tied the game at 35-35 on a 10-yard rushing touchdown by Cooley. The Flames kept the ball on the ground five times during the eight-play, 61-yard scoring drive.

Fourth Quarter

Liberty, who entered the game ranked No. 3 in the country in turnovers gained (15), put the first Blue Raiders turnover to good use, retaking the lead, 42-35. After Brylan Green stripped the ball away and it was recovered by Kobe Singleton, Later in the drive, Salter hit CJ Daniels with a 37-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the fourth quarter.

What's Next:
The Flames will play their final midweek game of the regular season next Tuesday when they travel to Bowling Green, Ky., to face Western Kentucky (4-3, 2-1 CUSA). The game between the top two preseason teams in Conference USA will be televised on ESPNU.

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023
Location: Bowling Green, Ky. (Houchens Industries – LT. Smith Stadium)
TV: ESPNU
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (EST)

Schedule

Fourth Quarter Defense Allows Flames to Claim Shootout Win

Next Event

Team Stats

Kaidon Salter

Players Mentioned

Quinton Cooley

CJ Daniels

Tyren Dupree

Brylan Green

Bentley Hanshaw

Preston Hodge

Billy Lucas

Kaidon Salter

Kobe Singleton

Fourth Quarter Defense Allows Flames to Claim Shootout Win

Related News

Next Event

Team Stats

Game Leaders

Kaidon Salter

Players Mentioned

Quinton Cooley

CJ Daniels

Tyren Dupree

Brylan Green

Bentley Hanshaw

Preston Hodge

Billy Lucas

Kaidon Salter

Kobe Singleton

Related News

Related Videos