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Saturday, September 21
Lynchburg, Va.
6:00 PM ET
Liberty University
4-0 , 2-0
35
vs
24
East Carolina
2-2 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
East Carolina
14
3
7
0
24
Liberty
0
7
14
14
35
Salter-To-Smith Combination Leads Flames to Win Over Pirates
9/22/2024 3:10:00 AM | Football
LYNCHBURG, Va. - East Carolina came out strong following a lengthy weather delay, but Liberty once again rallied in the second half to secure a 35-24 late-night win at Williams Stadium.
Following the first six offensive plays of the game, the players were pulled from the field for a weather delay that would nearly negate the contest.
Officials had determined they would not restart the game any later than 11 p.m., but the skies clear at 10:45 p.m., following a four-hour and 37-minute delay.
East Carolina showed no signs of being sluggish, as the visitors opened up a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Pirates could have gone up 20-0, but missed a field goal, and Liberty responded with its first points of the game just before the half.
During the final 30 minutes of the game, quarterback Kaidon Salter found wide receiver Reese Smith three times for touchdown passes, helping Liberty overcome a deficit for the fourth-straight game.
Smith, who missed the 2023 season after transferring from West Virginia, tied a school record with three touchdown receptions and led the Flames in receiving yards (80).
East Carolina came into the game ranked No. 17 in the country in rushing defense, holding opponents to 73.0 rushing yards per game.
However, the Flames' stout rushing attack helped Liberty rally by rushing for 191 yards. Quinton Cooley posted his third 100-yard game of the season, rushing 19 times for 105 yards and he sealed the victory with a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Salter completed 19-of-32 passing attempts for 223 yards and a season-high four passing touchdowns.
Liberty's defense was paced by A'Khori Jones and Joseph Carter, who both recorded seven tackles. Jones had a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter that set up Liberty's final scoring drive.
A Williams Stadium record 24,076 fans filled the home of the Flames before the lengthy rain delay. The number surpassed the previous record of 24,012 fans set against BYU in 2022.
The Flames' win today:
Final Score: 35-24
Liberty (4-0, 2-0 CUSA)
East Carolina (2-2, 0-0 American)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 24,076
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
The Flames will wrap up the month of September when they renew an old FCS series when Liberty travels to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State, next Saturday.
The Flames and the Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) have met 10 times previously with Liberty having won three times at Kidd Brewer Stadium, including the last match-up 10 years ago. Liberty stunned Appalachian State with a 55-48 overtime victory on Oct. 11, 2014.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
Location: Boone, N.C. (Kidd Brewer Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Following the first six offensive plays of the game, the players were pulled from the field for a weather delay that would nearly negate the contest.
Officials had determined they would not restart the game any later than 11 p.m., but the skies clear at 10:45 p.m., following a four-hour and 37-minute delay.
East Carolina showed no signs of being sluggish, as the visitors opened up a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Pirates could have gone up 20-0, but missed a field goal, and Liberty responded with its first points of the game just before the half.
During the final 30 minutes of the game, quarterback Kaidon Salter found wide receiver Reese Smith three times for touchdown passes, helping Liberty overcome a deficit for the fourth-straight game.
Smith, who missed the 2023 season after transferring from West Virginia, tied a school record with three touchdown receptions and led the Flames in receiving yards (80).
East Carolina came into the game ranked No. 17 in the country in rushing defense, holding opponents to 73.0 rushing yards per game.
However, the Flames' stout rushing attack helped Liberty rally by rushing for 191 yards. Quinton Cooley posted his third 100-yard game of the season, rushing 19 times for 105 yards and he sealed the victory with a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Salter completed 19-of-32 passing attempts for 223 yards and a season-high four passing touchdowns.
Liberty's defense was paced by A'Khori Jones and Joseph Carter, who both recorded seven tackles. Jones had a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter that set up Liberty's final scoring drive.
A Williams Stadium record 24,076 fans filled the home of the Flames before the lengthy rain delay. The number surpassed the previous record of 24,012 fans set against BYU in 2022.
The Flames' win today:
- Extends the Flames' regular-season winning streak to 16 and push their home winning streak to 11. It would tie the second-longest home winning streak in program history (also Nov. 4, 2006 through Oct. 11, 2008).
- Enables the Flames to start 4-0 for the second year in a row and the third time in the last five seasons.
- Marks the Flames' first-ever win over an American Athletic Conference opponent.
- Marks the Flames' 15th straight home win against an opponent from North Carolina.
- Boosts the Flames' record to 11-2 since 2020 when facing a first-time opponent.
- Gives the Flames a 35-6 home record as an FBS member (2018-present).
- Represents the Flames' 18th victory in their last 20 September contests (dating back to 2019).
- Makes Jamey Chadwell 5-0 all-time when coaching against Mike Houston.
Final Score: 35-24
Liberty (4-0, 2-0 CUSA)
East Carolina (2-2, 0-0 American)
Location: Williams Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.)
Attendance: 24,076
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- Following the four-plus hour delay, East Carolina marched down the field to take a 7-0 lead at 9:52. The Pirates put together a 10-play, 68-yard drive, that was kept alive by a Liberty personal foul and ended on an eight-yard touchdown by Jake Garcia.
- After a punt pinned Liberty at its own one-yard line, the Flames fumbled a handoff near the goal line, which East Carolina recovered. On the next play, the Pirates doubled their lead, 14-0, on a one-yard touchdown run by Marlon Gunn, Jr., at 3:18.
- The Pirates continued to move the ball on the Flames, but Liberty was able to get its first sack of the game on a stop by Joseph Carter to keep East Carolina out of the end zone. The visitors were forced to settle for a 35-yard field goal by Andrew Conrad, pushing their lead to 17-0 at 11:52.
- After another defensive stand for the Flames and a missed field goal by East Carolina, Liberty pieced together its best drive of the first half to narrow its deficit to 10 points, 17-7. Salter capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Canion at 2:53.
- The Flames continued to claw their way back into the game, scoring on an 11-play, 75-yard drive to start the third quarter. Facing a third-and-five inside the red zone, Salter found Reese Smith in the end zone and the wide receiver bested two defenders with a leaping 17-yard touchdown reception to pull Liberty within three, 17-14, at 9:16.
- Another Salter-to-Smith connection on third down allowed Liberty to take its first lead of the game at 2:52, 21-17. Salter found Smith in the back corner of the end zone on a 14-yard touchdown strike, finishing off a nine-play, 69-yard scoring effort.
- The Pirates answered on the following drive, regaining the lead, 24-21, with 41 seconds left in the quarter. Rahjai Harris took a handoff on the last three plays of the seven-play, 52-yard drive, including the two-yard scoring play.
- For the third and final time, Salter found his favorite target on the night when he needed it, threading the needle to Smith. The 16-play, 75-yard drive was capped by a 15-yard scoring play at 8:10 to allow the Flames to regain the lead, 28-24.
- The Flames closed out the game with a 10-play, 77-yard drive, capped by Quinton Cooley's fourth rushing touchdown of the season. The 21-yard burst up the middle with 2:00 left to play seal another come-from-behind Flames' victory.
The Flames will wrap up the month of September when they renew an old FCS series when Liberty travels to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State, next Saturday.
The Flames and the Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) have met 10 times previously with Liberty having won three times at Kidd Brewer Stadium, including the last match-up 10 years ago. Liberty stunned Appalachian State with a 55-48 overtime victory on Oct. 11, 2014.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
Location: Boone, N.C. (Kidd Brewer Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Team Stats
ECU
LU
Total Yards
331
414
Pass Yards
204
223
Rushing Yards
127
191
Penalty Yards
30
91
1st Downs
21
26
3rd Downs
7
13
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
23:17
36:43
1st Quarter
ECU 7, LU 0
ECU - Garcia,Jake 8 yd run (Conrad,Andrew kick), 10 plays, 68 yards, TOP 03:35
ECU 14, LU 0
ECU - Gunn Jr.,Marlon 1 yd run (Conrad,Andrew kick), 1 plays, 1 yards, TOP 00:05
2nd Quarter
ECU 17, LU 0
ECU - Conrad,Andrew 35 yd field goal 10 plays, 23 yards, TOP 04:31
ECU 17, LU 7
LU - Canion,Elijah 14 yd pass from Salter,Kaidon (Karhu,Colin kick) 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 06:32
3rd Quarter
ECU 17, LU 14
LU - Smith,Reese 17 yd pass from Salter,Kaidon (Karhu,Colin kick) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:44
ECU 17, LU 21
LU - Smith,Reese 14 yd pass from Salter,Kaidon (Karhu,Colin kick) 9 plays, 69 yards, TOP 04:27
ECU 24, LU 21
ECU - Harris,Rahjai 2 yd run (Conrad,Andrew kick), 7 plays, 52 yards, TOP 02:03
4th Quarter
ECU 24, LU 28
LU - Smith,Reese 15 yd pass from Salter,Kaidon (Karhu,Colin kick) 16 plays, 75 yards, TOP 07:31
ECU 24, LU 35
LU - Cooley,Quinton 21 yd run (Karhu,Colin kick), 10 plays, 77 yards, TOP 04:05
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
19
TD
4
YDS
223
INT
1
Players Mentioned
WR
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LB
/ Football
RB
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S
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WR
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