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Wednesday, October 8
El Paso, Texas
8:00 PM ET/6:00 PM MT
Liberty University
2-4 , 1-1
19
at
8
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UTEP
1-5 , 0-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Liberty
7
6
6
0
19
UTEP
0
0
0
8
8
Defense and Special Teams Shine in UTEP Win at the Sun Bowl
10/9/2025 1:38:00 AM | Football
EL PASO, Texas - After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, the Flames' defense and special teams units took over and led Liberty to a 19-8 #WeekdayCUSA win over UTEP, Wednesday night, at the Sun Bowl.
With the victory, Liberty levels its Conference USA record at 1-1 and ends a four-game losing streak to move to 2-4 in 2025. UTEP dropped to 1-5 on the year and 0-2 in CUSA play.
Liberty's defense limited UTEP to 167 total offensive yards, the fewest yards allowed in a game in the Flames' three seasons under head coach Jamey Chadwell.
The Flames' stingy defense also held the Miners to the fewest yards allowed by a Liberty team since 2016 (175 by Presbyterian).
The Flames also got a career day from Gardner-Webb transfer kicker Jay Billingsley. The redshirt senior knocked down 4-of-5 field goal attempts. This included Liberty's longest field goal since 2020 when Billingsley sent a 50-yarder through the upright in the third quarter.
Liberty's offense more than doubled its opponent on the night, finishing the game with 403 total offensive yards on a season-best 83 total plays (4.9 yards per play).
The Miners got 65 of their 167 total offensive yards on their lone scoring drive of the game. UTEP scored a touchdown at the 11:39 mark of the fourth quarter on a drive that benefited from a 44-yard passing play, the home team's longest play of the game.
After missing the last three halves of football for the Flames (second half against JMU and the entire ODU game), Ethan Vasko returned under center in the game.
He finished the contest completing 19-of-33 pass attempts for 243 yards, while rushing 14 times for 31 yards. The quarterback scored Liberty's only touchdown of the game with a two-yard rushing touchdown to end the game's opening drive.
Vaughn Blue, who also returned from an injury that forced him to miss the Old Dominion game, led the Flames on the ground with a career high 17 carries for a career best 75 yards.
Jamari Person was Vasko's favorite target in the game, finishing the contest with five receptions for 52 yards.
The Flames stout defensive effort was paced by senior linebacker Jospeh Carter, who posted his second-straight double-digit game. The linebacker led all Flames with 11 tackles, while adding a tackle for a loss and a quarterback hurry.
The Flames' win today:
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 19-8 (Liberty)
Liberty (2-4, 1-1 CUSA)
UTEP (1-5, 0-2 CUSA)
Location: Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas)
Attendance: 9,286
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
What's Next:
The Flames #WeekdayCUSA action will only last six days during the 2025 season, as Liberty returns to the gridiron less than a week from tonight's road game.
Liberty will host New Mexico State at Williams Stadium on Tuesday, October 14, for its second and last midweek conference game of 2025. Kickoff for the contest is set for 7 p.m.
Liberty has won all three matchups between the two programs since they both joined Conference USA in 2023, including a memorable 49-35 victory over the Aggies in the 2023 CUSA Football Championship.
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (ET)
With the victory, Liberty levels its Conference USA record at 1-1 and ends a four-game losing streak to move to 2-4 in 2025. UTEP dropped to 1-5 on the year and 0-2 in CUSA play.
Liberty's defense limited UTEP to 167 total offensive yards, the fewest yards allowed in a game in the Flames' three seasons under head coach Jamey Chadwell.
The Flames' stingy defense also held the Miners to the fewest yards allowed by a Liberty team since 2016 (175 by Presbyterian).
The Flames also got a career day from Gardner-Webb transfer kicker Jay Billingsley. The redshirt senior knocked down 4-of-5 field goal attempts. This included Liberty's longest field goal since 2020 when Billingsley sent a 50-yarder through the upright in the third quarter.
Liberty's offense more than doubled its opponent on the night, finishing the game with 403 total offensive yards on a season-best 83 total plays (4.9 yards per play).
The Miners got 65 of their 167 total offensive yards on their lone scoring drive of the game. UTEP scored a touchdown at the 11:39 mark of the fourth quarter on a drive that benefited from a 44-yard passing play, the home team's longest play of the game.
After missing the last three halves of football for the Flames (second half against JMU and the entire ODU game), Ethan Vasko returned under center in the game.
He finished the contest completing 19-of-33 pass attempts for 243 yards, while rushing 14 times for 31 yards. The quarterback scored Liberty's only touchdown of the game with a two-yard rushing touchdown to end the game's opening drive.
Vaughn Blue, who also returned from an injury that forced him to miss the Old Dominion game, led the Flames on the ground with a career high 17 carries for a career best 75 yards.
Jamari Person was Vasko's favorite target in the game, finishing the contest with five receptions for 52 yards.
The Flames stout defensive effort was paced by senior linebacker Jospeh Carter, who posted his second-straight double-digit game. The linebacker led all Flames with 11 tackles, while adding a tackle for a loss and a quarterback hurry.
The Flames' win today:
- Marks the Flames' third win over UTEP in as many years, improving Liberty's record to 3-0 in the head-to-head series.
- Improves the team's all-time record against CUSA opponents (at time of meeting) to 24-5, including 15-4 since the Flames joined the conference in 2023.
- Boosts the Flames' all-time record against opponents from Texas to 8-3, including a 5-2 mark in the Longhorn State.
- Was the Flames' first road win of 2025, snapping a four-game road losing streak dating back to last season.
- Halts the Flames' four-game losing streak and prevent their first five-game losing skid since losing the final 10 contests of the 2005 season.
- Moves the Flames' October record under Jamey Chadwell to 6-2 and give Liberty an 18-3 record in October contests since the 2020 campaign.
- Improves the Flames' record in October midweek CUSA tilts to 6-2, marking the team's first win in three tries on Wednesday.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 19-8 (Liberty)
Liberty (2-4, 1-1 CUSA)
UTEP (1-5, 0-2 CUSA)
Location: Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas)
Attendance: 9,286
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- The Flames took the lead for good midway through the first quarter by grinding out its second-longest scoring drive of the season. On the 12-play, 94-yard drive, Liberty converted on a pair of fourth-down plays, helping set up a two-yard rushing touchdown by Ethan Vasko at 6:21 to give Liberty a 7-0 lead.
- Liberty pushed its lead to 10-0 on the second play of the second quarter thanks to a 27-yard field goal by Jay Billingsley, capping an 11-play, 62-yard scoring drive.
- The Flames picked up their third fourth-down conversion of the game to keep a drive alive and get into the red zone. However, the Miners came up with a stop on back-to-back run plays by Vasko, forcing Liberty to settle for a 29-yard Billingsley field goal at 8:25 to push its lead to 13-0.
- Billingsley continued to push Liberty's lead with this longest field goal as a Flame. The Flames pieced together a nine-play, 43-yard drive on the opening drive of the half which ended on a 50-yard kick by Billingsley to extend the lead to 16-0 at 11:18.
- Billingsley continued his career game when he knocked down a 41-yard field goal at the 7:27 mark, pushing Liberty's lead to 19-0. The six-play, 38-yard drive started with a 22-yard pass play from Vasko to Donte Lee, Jr., marking the receiver's team-leading fifth 20-yard pass play of the season.
- The Miners avoided what would have been Liberty's first shutout since 2020, thanks to a 44-yard pass play from Skyler Locklear to Kenny Odom. UTEP's longest play of the game put the home team in the red zone for the first time on the night, setting up a 13-yard scoring touchdown run by Locklear with 11:39 left in the contest.
What's Next:
The Flames #WeekdayCUSA action will only last six days during the 2025 season, as Liberty returns to the gridiron less than a week from tonight's road game.
Liberty will host New Mexico State at Williams Stadium on Tuesday, October 14, for its second and last midweek conference game of 2025. Kickoff for the contest is set for 7 p.m.
Liberty has won all three matchups between the two programs since they both joined Conference USA in 2023, including a memorable 49-35 victory over the Aggies in the 2023 CUSA Football Championship.
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. (ET)
Team Stats
LIB
TEP
Total Yards
403
167
Pass Yards
243
111
Rushing Yards
160
56
Penalty Yards
57
40
1st Downs
22
9
3rd Downs
3
3
4th Downs
4
1
TOP
39:57
19:08
1st Quarter
LIB 7, TEP 0
LIB - Vasko,Ethan 2 yd run (Billingsley,Jay kick), 12 plays, 94 yards, TOP 06:32
2nd Quarter
LIB 10, TEP 0
LIB - Billingsley,Jay 27 yd field goal 11 plays, 62 yards, TOP 04:23
LIB 13, TEP 0
LIB - Billingsley,Jay 29 yd field goal 11 plays, 45 yards, TOP 05:10
3rd Quarter
LIB 16, TEP 0
LIB - Billingsley,Jay 50 yd field goal 9 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:42
LIB 19, TEP 0
LIB - Billingsley,Jay 41 yd field goal 6 plays, 38 yards, TOP 02:42
4th Quarter
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LIB 19, TEP 8
TEP - Locklear,Skyler 13 yd run (Schuchts,Josh pass), 8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 03:16
Game Leaders
CMP
19
TD
0
YDS
243
INT
0
Players Mentioned
K
/ Football
RB
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WR
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WR
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