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Saturday, November 16
Amherst, Mass.
12:00 PM ET
Liberty University
35
at
34
UMass
Cooley Carries Flames to Overtime Road Win Over UMass
11/16/2024 5:13:00 PM | Football
AMHERST, Mass. - The Flames needed a missed extra point and field goal, plus another standout performance from running back Quinton Cooley to secure a hard-fought 35-34 win over UMass, Saturday afternoon, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
Following Liberty's second win of the year in overtime, the Flames move to 7-2 on the year. The loss drops UMass to 2-8.
UMass drove the length of the field during the closing seconds of regulation to set up a 43-yard field goal attempt for Jacob Lurie. But the graduate student missed the attempt inside the blustery stadium, sending the Flames into overtime for the second time this year.
Two rushes by Jalen John put the home team into the end zone in overtime, but Lurie's extra point attempt on the opposite side of the stadium hit the upright to set up Liberty's win.
The Flames followed the same overtime game plan, getting an eight-yard run by quarterback Kaidon Salter and back-to-back runs by Cooley, including a five-yard scoring run. Colin Karhu's attempt split the uprights and allowed the Flames to head home as victors.
Both team's ground games dominated the offensive yards in the game with Liberty surpassing 300 yards for the second-straight game (309 yards and five rushing touchdowns). UMass, who came into the game rushing for 143.2 yards, finished the day with a season-best 263 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Cooley posted his 14th career 100-yard game and seventh of the season, rushing for 147 yards on 20 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. He scored three of Liberty's five touchdowns.
Salter scored the other two, rushing 13 times for 58 yards. He also completed 9-of-16 passing attempts for 114 yards.
Three players finished the game with two receptions to lead the Flames with nearly the same receiving yards: Jacob Jenkins (27 yards), Tyson Mobley (27 yards) and Elijah Canion (26 yards).
Linebacker Joseph Carter paced Liberty's defense, posting his fourth double-digit tackle effort of the year with 11 stops.
Final Score: 35-34
Liberty (7-2, 4-2 CUSA)
UMass (2-8)
Location: McGuirk Alumni Stadium (Amherst, Mass.)
Attendance: 9,115
The Flames' win today:
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
What's Next:
The Flames will wrap up their regular season home schedule with a celebration of their senior class on Senior Day when they host Western Kentucky (7-3, 5-1 CUSA), next Saturday, at Williams Stadium.
The Flames' final home game of the regular season will also be Military Appreciation Day at Williams Stadium. Liberty will spend the day honoring those who protect our freedom, including a moving halftime presentation by the Spirit of the Mountain marching band where all branches of the military will be honored for their service.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 1 p.m. (EST)
Following Liberty's second win of the year in overtime, the Flames move to 7-2 on the year. The loss drops UMass to 2-8.
UMass drove the length of the field during the closing seconds of regulation to set up a 43-yard field goal attempt for Jacob Lurie. But the graduate student missed the attempt inside the blustery stadium, sending the Flames into overtime for the second time this year.
Two rushes by Jalen John put the home team into the end zone in overtime, but Lurie's extra point attempt on the opposite side of the stadium hit the upright to set up Liberty's win.
The Flames followed the same overtime game plan, getting an eight-yard run by quarterback Kaidon Salter and back-to-back runs by Cooley, including a five-yard scoring run. Colin Karhu's attempt split the uprights and allowed the Flames to head home as victors.
Both team's ground games dominated the offensive yards in the game with Liberty surpassing 300 yards for the second-straight game (309 yards and five rushing touchdowns). UMass, who came into the game rushing for 143.2 yards, finished the day with a season-best 263 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Cooley posted his 14th career 100-yard game and seventh of the season, rushing for 147 yards on 20 carries, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. He scored three of Liberty's five touchdowns.
Salter scored the other two, rushing 13 times for 58 yards. He also completed 9-of-16 passing attempts for 114 yards.
Three players finished the game with two receptions to lead the Flames with nearly the same receiving yards: Jacob Jenkins (27 yards), Tyson Mobley (27 yards) and Elijah Canion (26 yards).
Linebacker Joseph Carter paced Liberty's defense, posting his fourth double-digit tackle effort of the year with 11 stops.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 35-34
Liberty (7-2, 4-2 CUSA)
UMass (2-8)
Location: McGuirk Alumni Stadium (Amherst, Mass.)
Attendance: 9,115
The Flames' win today:
- Marks the Flames' sixth straight head-to-head victory over UMass, making Liberty 6-1 all-time against the Minutemen.
- UMass ties New Mexico State as the FBS opponents Liberty has defeated most often in program history.
- Makes the Flames the first CUSA team since TCU (2002-03) to go unbeaten in regular-season non-conference play in back-to-back years.
- Secures the Flames' sixth consecutive season with 7+ victories and the 22nd in program history.
- Guarantees the Flames finish with a .500 or better record on the road for the fifth year in a row.
- Gives Jamey Chadwell his 20th victory at Liberty (in 23 games). The previous fastest Flames coach to reach 20 wins was Hugh Freeze (26 games).
- Makes Flames' November record under Chadwell 6-0.
- Keeps the Flames unbeaten (14-0) in Saturday contests under Chadwell.
- Improves Chadwell's all-time record vs. UMass to 5-0.
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- UMass ran its way to the game's first lead, taking a 7-0 advantage at 9:20 on a nine-yard touchdown run by Jalen John. The Minutemen kept the ball on the ground for all 10 plays of the 77-yard drive that took 5:35 off the game clock.
- Both teams turned the ball over during the remaining nine minutes of the opening quarter. Liberty had a 51-yard pass play negated by a holding penalty and Salter was intercepted on the following play. UMass elected to go to it on a fourth-and-one play from the Flames' 16-yard line, but Liberty's defense was able to come up with the stop.
- UMass looked like it might double its lead midway through the second quarter, but the Flames were able to keep the Minutemen out of the end zone. UMass drove the ball 86 yards on a 13-play drive that stalled at the four-yard line, forcing the home team to settle for a 22-yard Jacob Lurie field goal at 7:20 to give UMass a 10-0 lead.
- The Flames responded on the next drive, getting sizeable rushing plays from Quinton Cooley. The running back picked up 62 yards on the six-play, 82-yard drive, including a 11-yard run at 5:01 to pull the Flames back within three, 10-7.
- UMass would score twice more during the last five minutes of half, aided by Liberty's second turnover of the game. Lurie knocked down a 43-yard field goal at 1:33 to push the home team's lead back to six, 13-7.
- On the following drive, Salter was sacked and fumbled the ball away near midfield. Six plays later, AJ Hairston gave UMass a 20-7 lead at halftime with a two-yard rushing touchdown with 10 seconds left before the break.
- The Flames opened the second half with their second longest drive of the day, piecing together an 11-play, 82-yard scoring drive to trim the deficit to six, 20-14. Salter called his own number on a third-and-five play, scoring from eight yards out at the 10:01 mark.
- Liberty took its first lead of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter when Cooley capped a 12-play, 89-yard drive with a six-yard rushing touchdown at the 13:09 mark. The Flames picked up two third-down conversions on the drive and rushed the ball seven times to take a 21-20 lead.
- Each team would score one more time before the clock hit all zeros in regulation. Ahmad Haston scored on a two-yard run at 7:08 to allow the Minutemen to regain the lead. UMass converted on a two-point conversion to give themselves a seven-point lead, 28-21.
- Salter capped an eight-play, 65-yard scoring drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown at 3:49 to knot the game, 28-28, and send the contest into overtime.
- Following a 23-yard run by John on the first play in overtime, the running back scored from two yards out; However, Lurie would miss the extra point to set up Liberty's road victory.
- A five-yard rushing touchdown by Cooley and a successful extra point attempt from Karhu secured Liberty's seventh win of 2024 and their second in a row on the road.
What's Next:
The Flames will wrap up their regular season home schedule with a celebration of their senior class on Senior Day when they host Western Kentucky (7-3, 5-1 CUSA), next Saturday, at Williams Stadium.
The Flames' final home game of the regular season will also be Military Appreciation Day at Williams Stadium. Liberty will spend the day honoring those who protect our freedom, including a moving halftime presentation by the Spirit of the Mountain marching band where all branches of the military will be honored for their service.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 1 p.m. (EST)
Players Mentioned
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