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Saturday, November 18
Lynchburg, Va.
1:00 PM ET
Liberty University
11-0 , 7-0
49
vs
25
UMass
3-8 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Massachusetts
0
10
0
15
25
Liberty
21
14
7
7
49
No. 25 Liberty Keeps Perfect Season Run Alive With 49-25 Win over UMass
11/18/2023 5:37:00 PM | Football
LYNCHBURG, Va. - No. 25 Liberty's record-breaking season reached new heights as the Flames moved to a perfect 11-0 in 2023 with a 49-25 win over UMass on Saturday.
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With the win over the visiting Minutemen, Liberty sets a new program record with its 11th victory on the season. The win helped the Flames surpass the 10-win total seasons set in 2008 (10-2) and 2020 (10-1).
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Prior to the game, the Flames honored their 17-member senior class: Brandon Bishop, Zak Burnett, Malik Caper, D'Wayne Crawford, Nick Days, Tyren Dupree, Billy Durocher, Noah Frith, X'Zauvea Gadlin, Jonathan Graham, Bentley Hanshaw, Chike Nwankwo, Eddie Ogle, Cole Peterlin, Brendan Schlittler, Elijah Smoot and Rick Weaver.
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The Flames jumped out to a 28-0 lead midway through the second quarter and never looked back en route to its sixth 500-plus total offensive yard game of the season. Liberty outgained UMass on the day, 549 yards to 391.
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Liberty, who ranks No. 1 in the country in rushing offense, added its fourth 300-plus yard game in its last five outings with 324 yards on 51 carries and four rushing touchdowns.
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The duo of starting quarterback Kaidon Salter (118 yards, two TDs) and starting running back Quinton Cooley (102 yards and one TD) paced Liberty's ground assault.
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Both players went over the 100-yard mark in the same game for the second time this year (also against MTSU on Oct. 17).
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Their rushing touchdowns pushed both of them into double-digit rushing touchdowns on the year (Salter with 11, Cooley with 10). They become the first pair of Liberty players with 10 or more rushing touchdowns in the same season since 2007 (RB Rashad Jennings with 15 and QB Zach Terrell with 11).
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Salter also finished the day completing 11-of-16 passing attempts for 225 yards and two passing touchdowns. The sophomore now has 39 touchdowns in 2023 and is one touchdown behind Malik Willis' record of 40 touchdowns set in 2021.
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Salter's top target on the day was tight end Austin Henderson, who had his first career multiple-touchdown game. He finished the day with three receptions for 25 yards with two of the three going for touchdowns.
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Tyren Dupree, one of Liberty's 17 seniors who were honored on the day, finished his final regular season home game with a career-high 14 tackles to lead Liberty's defense.
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The Flames' win today:
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 49-25
Liberty (11-0, 7-0 CUSA)
UMass (3-8)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 16,680
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Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
What's Next:
The Flames will wrap up their regular season next Saturday when Liberty travels to El Paso, Texas, to square off against CUSA foe UTEP. Liberty enters the game with a perfect 7-0 record in its first season of play in Conference USA and will look to claim an outright regular season conference title in a game that will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
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Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
Location: El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
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With the win over the visiting Minutemen, Liberty sets a new program record with its 11th victory on the season. The win helped the Flames surpass the 10-win total seasons set in 2008 (10-2) and 2020 (10-1).
    Â
Prior to the game, the Flames honored their 17-member senior class: Brandon Bishop, Zak Burnett, Malik Caper, D'Wayne Crawford, Nick Days, Tyren Dupree, Billy Durocher, Noah Frith, X'Zauvea Gadlin, Jonathan Graham, Bentley Hanshaw, Chike Nwankwo, Eddie Ogle, Cole Peterlin, Brendan Schlittler, Elijah Smoot and Rick Weaver.
    Â
The Flames jumped out to a 28-0 lead midway through the second quarter and never looked back en route to its sixth 500-plus total offensive yard game of the season. Liberty outgained UMass on the day, 549 yards to 391.
    Â
Liberty, who ranks No. 1 in the country in rushing offense, added its fourth 300-plus yard game in its last five outings with 324 yards on 51 carries and four rushing touchdowns.
    Â
The duo of starting quarterback Kaidon Salter (118 yards, two TDs) and starting running back Quinton Cooley (102 yards and one TD) paced Liberty's ground assault.
    Â
Both players went over the 100-yard mark in the same game for the second time this year (also against MTSU on Oct. 17).
    Â
Their rushing touchdowns pushed both of them into double-digit rushing touchdowns on the year (Salter with 11, Cooley with 10). They become the first pair of Liberty players with 10 or more rushing touchdowns in the same season since 2007 (RB Rashad Jennings with 15 and QB Zach Terrell with 11).
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Salter also finished the day completing 11-of-16 passing attempts for 225 yards and two passing touchdowns. The sophomore now has 39 touchdowns in 2023 and is one touchdown behind Malik Willis' record of 40 touchdowns set in 2021.
    Â
Salter's top target on the day was tight end Austin Henderson, who had his first career multiple-touchdown game. He finished the day with three receptions for 25 yards with two of the three going for touchdowns.
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Tyren Dupree, one of Liberty's 17 seniors who were honored on the day, finished his final regular season home game with a career-high 14 tackles to lead Liberty's defense.
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The Flames' win today:
- Sets a new program record for victories in a season with 11. The Flames previously won 10 contests in 2008 and 2020.
- Sets a program record for most home victories in a season with seven. The Flames previously posted six home wins six times (1979, 1980, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2020).
- Matches the program record for longest winning streak. Liberty won 11 straight contests between Oct. 20, 2007 - Oct. 11, 2008.
- Improves the Flames' all-time record when ranked inside the FBS Top 25 to 6-2.
- Marks the Flames' fifth straight win over UMass, improving Liberty's all-time record against the Minutemen to 5-1. UMass would become the first FBS opponent the Flames have defeated five times.
- Makes Liberty the fifth CUSA team ever to start 11-0 or better, joining Tulane (1998), Houston (2011), Marshall (2014) and UTSA (2021).
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 49-25
Liberty (11-0, 7-0 CUSA)
UMass (3-8)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 16,680
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Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- The Flames continued their season trend, scoring for the eighth time on their opening possession of a game (seven touchdowns, one field goal). Kaidon Salter finished off a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give Liberty a 7-0 edge at 10:47. Â
- Following the game's first turnover, Liberty's 21st turnover gained of 2023, the Flames pushed their lead to 14-0 at 6:16. Following three straight rushing plays, Salter found a wide-open Austin Henderson in the back of the end for a 13-yard touchdown reception, the tight end's second of the season.
- Quinton Cooley punctuated the Flames' highest first quarter of 2023. The junior broke free for a career-long 60-yard touchdown run to push Liberty's lead to 21-0 at 2:37, giving him his 10th rushing touchdown of the season.
- The Flames scored on their fourth-straight drive to extend their lead to 28-0 midway through the second quarter. Liberty ate up some clock on the 93-yard drive (5:30 time of possession), rushing 10 times on the 12-play drive, including a Billy Lucas four-yard touchdown run at 8:48.
- UMass got on the scoreboard twice during the remainder of the second quarter. The visitors got a 23-yard rushing touchdown from Kay'Ron Adams at 6:47 and a 35-yard field goal from Cameron Carson 45 seconds before the halftime break.
- Liberty's final score of the half came on a quick six-play, 75-yard drive that took 2:22 off the clock. Salter scored his second rushing touchdown of the game, a 12-yarder, allowing the Flames to take a 35-10 lead into the intermission.
- The Flames picked off two passes in the third quarter, adding to the national leading total of 10 for the second. The second came on a pick-six play by Preston Hodge, as the junior intercepted UMass' Taisun Phommachanh and returned it 62 yards to push Liberty's lead go 42-10 at 9:53.
- Liberty pushed its lead to 49-10 on the second play of the fourth quarter when Salter connected with Henderson for the junior's second score of the day. The five-yard touchdown pass ended an eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive.
- UMass would add two more touchdowns during the final 12-plus minutes of the game to bring the score to its final margin of 49-25. Gino Campiotti caught a pair of touchdown passes from starter Phommachanh (27-yarder at 12:16) and from back-up Ahmad Haston (30-yarder with 56 seconds left).
What's Next:
The Flames will wrap up their regular season next Saturday when Liberty travels to El Paso, Texas, to square off against CUSA foe UTEP. Liberty enters the game with a perfect 7-0 record in its first season of play in Conference USA and will look to claim an outright regular season conference title in a game that will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
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Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
Location: El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
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Team Stats
MAS
LIB
Total Yards
391
549
Pass Yards
293
225
Rushing Yards
98
324
Penalty Yards
43
15
1st Downs
20
27
3rd Downs
4
6
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
25:59
34:01
1st Quarter
MAS 0, LIB 7
LIB - Salter,Kaidon 1 yd run (Brown,Nick kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:13
MAS 0, LIB 14
LIB - Henderson,Austin 13 yd pass from Salter,Kaidon (Brown,Nick kick) 4 plays, 40 yards, TOP 01:41
MAS 0, LIB 21
LIB - Cooley,Quinton 60 yd run (Brown,Nick kick), 2 plays, 69 yards, TOP 00:48
2nd Quarter
MAS 0, LIB 28
LIB - Lucas,Billy 4 yd run (Brown,Nick kick), 12 plays, 93 yards, TOP 05:30
MAS 7, LIB 28
MAS - Adams,Kay'Ron 23 yd run (Carson,Cameron kick), 5 plays, 71 yards, TOP 01:52
MAS 7, LIB 35
LIB - Salter,Kaidon 12 yd run (Brown,Nick kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:22
MAS 10, LIB 35
MAS - Carson,Cameron 35 yd field goal 11 plays, 58 yards, TOP 03:32
3rd Quarter
MAS 10, LIB 42
LIB - Hodge,Preston 62 yd interception (Brown,Nick kick)
4th Quarter
MAS 10, LIB 49
LIB - Henderson,Austin 5 yd pass from Salter,Kaidon (Beck,Brayden kick) 8 plays, 70 yards, TOP 04:51
MAS 18, LIB 49
MAS - Campiotti,Gino 27 yd pass from Phommachanh,Taisun (Desrosiers,Gregory pass) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:04
MAS 25, LIB 49
MAS - Campiotti,Gino 30 yd pass from Haston,Ahmad (Carson,Cameron kick) 3 plays, 54 yards, TOP 01:12
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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