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Friday, November 29
Huntsville, Texas
3:30 PM ET/2:30 PM CT
Liberty University
18
at
20
Sam Houston
Flames Rally Falls Short at Sam Houston
11/29/2024 8:57:00 PM | Football
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Liberty scored twice during the final eight minutes of the game, but was unable to convert on a two-point play, allowing Sam Houston to secure a hard-fought 20-18 Conference USA victory, Friday afternoon, at Bowers Stadium.
The win keeps Sam Houston's hopes of making the CUSA Football Championship game alive, as they are 9-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play. The Bearkats need Jacksonville State to defeat Western Kentucky tomorrow to secure the title game berth.
The loss snaps Liberty's three-game win streak and halted the Flames bid to try to defend its 2023 CUSA Football Championship title. Liberty now sits at 8-3 and 5-3 in conference play and will await its bowl game announcement on Sunday, December 8.
Sam Houston's stout defense held Liberty to a season-low 262 total offensive yards, with 179 of the yards coming on the ground.
The Flames entered the day ranked No. 2 in the country in rushing offense, averaging 266.7 yards per game, after rushing for 300-plus each of the last three games.
Liberty allowed the Bearkats to tally 333 total offensive yards, passing for 202 yards and rushing for 131 yards.
Quinton Cooley failed to record his fifth-straight 100-yard game, as he finished the contest with 19 carries for 90 yards. Billy Lucas followed with nine carries for 59 yards.
Despite the limited rushing yards, the numbers allowed Cooley (3.057), who transferred from Wake Forest, and Lucas (3,049), a Duquesne transfer, to surpass 3,000 rushing yards for their careers.
Kaidon Salter, a native of Cedar Hill, Texas, which is roughly three hours from Sam Houston, gutted out an impressive performance in front of his gathered friends and family.
Playing through an injury suffered during last week's victory over Western Kentucky, Salter completed 12-of-35 pass attempts for 83 yards a touchdown. He also had a 33-yard rushing touchdown through several defenders with 1:10 left to play to put the Flames in position to potentially force their third overtime game of the year.
Jerome Jolly, Jr., and Jayden Sweeney tied for team-high tackle honors with six stops each. Sweeney, who got his first career start at cornerback, finished the day with a new career single-game high.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 20-18 (Sam Houston win)
Liberty (8-3, 5-3 CUSA)
Sam Houston (9-3, 6-2 CUSA)
Location: Bowers Stadium (Huntsville, Ala.)
Attendance: 8,651
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
What's Next:
With the Flames regular season now complete, Liberty will await its bowl game selection, which will be announced during the afternoon hours of Sunday, December 8.
Liberty will be making its sixth-straight bowl game appearance. The Flames have qualified for a bowl game each year they have been bowl eligible since moving up to the FBS level (2019).
The win keeps Sam Houston's hopes of making the CUSA Football Championship game alive, as they are 9-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play. The Bearkats need Jacksonville State to defeat Western Kentucky tomorrow to secure the title game berth.
The loss snaps Liberty's three-game win streak and halted the Flames bid to try to defend its 2023 CUSA Football Championship title. Liberty now sits at 8-3 and 5-3 in conference play and will await its bowl game announcement on Sunday, December 8.
Sam Houston's stout defense held Liberty to a season-low 262 total offensive yards, with 179 of the yards coming on the ground.
The Flames entered the day ranked No. 2 in the country in rushing offense, averaging 266.7 yards per game, after rushing for 300-plus each of the last three games.
Liberty allowed the Bearkats to tally 333 total offensive yards, passing for 202 yards and rushing for 131 yards.
Quinton Cooley failed to record his fifth-straight 100-yard game, as he finished the contest with 19 carries for 90 yards. Billy Lucas followed with nine carries for 59 yards.
Despite the limited rushing yards, the numbers allowed Cooley (3.057), who transferred from Wake Forest, and Lucas (3,049), a Duquesne transfer, to surpass 3,000 rushing yards for their careers.
Kaidon Salter, a native of Cedar Hill, Texas, which is roughly three hours from Sam Houston, gutted out an impressive performance in front of his gathered friends and family.
Playing through an injury suffered during last week's victory over Western Kentucky, Salter completed 12-of-35 pass attempts for 83 yards a touchdown. He also had a 33-yard rushing touchdown through several defenders with 1:10 left to play to put the Flames in position to potentially force their third overtime game of the year.
Jerome Jolly, Jr., and Jayden Sweeney tied for team-high tackle honors with six stops each. Sweeney, who got his first career start at cornerback, finished the day with a new career single-game high.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 20-18 (Sam Houston win)
Liberty (8-3, 5-3 CUSA)
Sam Houston (9-3, 6-2 CUSA)
Location: Bowers Stadium (Huntsville, Ala.)
Attendance: 8,651
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- Sam Houston took the game's first lead, 3-0, driving deep into Flames' territory by keeping the ball on the ground six times during the 10-play, 53-yard drive. However, Liberty was able to keep them out of the end zone, forcing the Bearkats to set for a 39-yard field goal from Christian Pavon at 10:30.
- The Flames' defense was able to cut into the deficit with Liberty's first safety since the 2022 season. After Sam Houston mishandled a punt, the Bearkats were pinned near their own goal line. Liberty's Donovan Dozier pressured Hunter Watson and the quarterback threw the ball away without a receiver in the area, resulting a sack and safety at 2:34.
- The Bearkats were the first team to get into the end zone, taking a 10-2 lead at 10:14 on a Watson 17-yard touchdown pass to Simeon Evans. The 13-play, 87-yard drive saw Sam Houston convert on two third-down plays and a fourth-down conversion.
- Following the game's first turnover, Sam Houston pushed its lead to 17-2 at the 6:45 mark. Salter was picked off by former Flame Jaylon Jimmerson and five plays later, Watson found Evans again for a two-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone.
- The Flames put together their most successful drive of the opening half late in the second quarter, trimming their deficit to 17-9 just before the break. Dozier made his presence know again, this time intercepting Watson. Salter than completed 4-of-5 passing attempts on a seven-play drive, including a 10-yard scoring strike to Elijah Canion at 1:14.
- The Bearkats were the first team to crack the scoreboard during the second half, getting a second field goal on the day from Pavon at 5:13 (38-yard field goal). Watson completed of four of his pass attempts on the drive, setting up the field goal attempt.
- After getting a fourth-down stop, the Flames started to move the ball down the field, but an intentional grounding call when Salter was trying to avoid being tackled halted the drive. Liberty was forced to settle for a 43-yard field goal by Colin Karhu at 7:20 to cut its deficit to 20-12.
- Later in the quarter and after converting on a fourth-down play to keep the drive alive, Salter showed the speed and agility Flames Nation was used to by getting outside the pocket and staying in bounds on a 33-yard sideline touchdown run at 1:10.
- Salter tried to keep Liberty's hopes alive, but his two-point conversion attempted pass was intercepted. The Bearkats then recovered the on-side kick attempt to seal their victory.
What's Next:
With the Flames regular season now complete, Liberty will await its bowl game selection, which will be announced during the afternoon hours of Sunday, December 8.
Liberty will be making its sixth-straight bowl game appearance. The Flames have qualified for a bowl game each year they have been bowl eligible since moving up to the FBS level (2019).
Players Mentioned
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