Thursday, September 24
Conway, S.C.
7:30 PM ET
Liberty University
3-1 , 0-0
34
at
17
Coastal Carolina
1-3 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 10 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 34 |
| Coastal Carolina | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Liberty Shines In Second Half to Secure Primetime Win Over Coastal Carolina
9/25/2026 1:19:00 AM | Football
CONWAY, S.C. – The Flames reeled off 24-unanswered points in the second half to post a convincing 34-17 victory over Coastal Carolina in a Thursday night primetime game on ESPN in Brooks Stadium.
The renewed rivalry between former Big South foes also featured the return of Flames Head Coach Jamey Chadwell to Conway where he served as the Chanticleers head coach for five seasons (2017, 2019-22).
Coastal Carolina seemed to have the momentum in the game at the halftime break after getting a 39-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left to take a 17-10 lead into the break.
However, the Flames controlled all aspects of play during the final 30 minutes. Liberty racked up 246 yards during the second half, while limiting Coastal Carolina to only 47 total offensive yards during the final half.
Liberty finished the game with 485 total offensive yards on 63 plays, averaging 7.7 yards per play. The Chanticleers were limited to 292 total offensive yards on 66 plays (4.4 yards per play).
The Flames rushed for a season-best 263 yards on 45 carries (5.8 yards per carry). Florida State transfer running back Kam Davis had a career night, recording his first career 100-yard game (166 yards) on 18 carries (9.2 yards per carry). He also scored his second touchdown as a Flame to cap the victory with a six-yard touchdown reception with 62 seconds left to play.
Deshawn Purdie finished the night completing 11-of-16 pass attempts for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He now has started four games for the Flames in 2026 and has thrown seven touchdown passes without throwing an interception.
Ethan Vasko, who played for Coastal Carolina in 2023-24 (20 games), threw the six-yard touchdown pass to Davis in the fourth. He rushed for another touchdown (eight yards) earlier in the quarter against his former team, his second rushing touchdown of the year.
Makai Jackson led the Flames with five receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He now has five receiving touchdowns on the year and is the first player in program to record a touchdown in his first four games at Liberty.
Ronald Moore, Jr., led a stout defensive effort for Liberty, finishing the game with a career-high eight tackles. Aidan Vaughan followed, tying his career high with seven tackles.
Liberty shut out Coastal Carolina during the second half of the game tonight. The Flames are outscoring opponents 66-14 during the second half in 2026 and 42-0 in the fourth quarter.
The Flames' win today:
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 34-17 (Liberty)
Liberty (3-1, 0-0 CUSA)
Coastal Carolina (1-3, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Location: Brooks Stadium (Conway, S.C.)
Attendance: 22,116
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
What's Next:
The Flames will continue midweek football and kick off their fourth season of play in Conference USA when they make their first-ever trip to Newark, Del., to face Delaware on Friday night at Delaware Stadium on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty scored a season-high 59 points in the last meeting against the Blue Hens in Lynchburg, winning the first-ever match up between the two teams, 59-30, on November 1, 2025.
Date: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
Location: Newark, Del. (Delaware Stadium)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. (EST)
The renewed rivalry between former Big South foes also featured the return of Flames Head Coach Jamey Chadwell to Conway where he served as the Chanticleers head coach for five seasons (2017, 2019-22).
Coastal Carolina seemed to have the momentum in the game at the halftime break after getting a 39-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left to take a 17-10 lead into the break.
However, the Flames controlled all aspects of play during the final 30 minutes. Liberty racked up 246 yards during the second half, while limiting Coastal Carolina to only 47 total offensive yards during the final half.
Liberty finished the game with 485 total offensive yards on 63 plays, averaging 7.7 yards per play. The Chanticleers were limited to 292 total offensive yards on 66 plays (4.4 yards per play).
The Flames rushed for a season-best 263 yards on 45 carries (5.8 yards per carry). Florida State transfer running back Kam Davis had a career night, recording his first career 100-yard game (166 yards) on 18 carries (9.2 yards per carry). He also scored his second touchdown as a Flame to cap the victory with a six-yard touchdown reception with 62 seconds left to play.
Deshawn Purdie finished the night completing 11-of-16 pass attempts for 216 yards and two touchdowns. He now has started four games for the Flames in 2026 and has thrown seven touchdown passes without throwing an interception.
Ethan Vasko, who played for Coastal Carolina in 2023-24 (20 games), threw the six-yard touchdown pass to Davis in the fourth. He rushed for another touchdown (eight yards) earlier in the quarter against his former team, his second rushing touchdown of the year.
Makai Jackson led the Flames with five receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He now has five receiving touchdowns on the year and is the first player in program to record a touchdown in his first four games at Liberty.
Ronald Moore, Jr., led a stout defensive effort for Liberty, finishing the game with a career-high eight tackles. Aidan Vaughan followed, tying his career high with seven tackles.
Liberty shut out Coastal Carolina during the second half of the game tonight. The Flames are outscoring opponents 66-14 during the second half in 2026 and 42-0 in the fourth quarter.
The Flames' win today:
- Gives the Flames their first three-game winning streak since Liberty won three in a row between Oct. 8 and Nov. 1, 2025.
- Improves the Flames' all-time record against Coastal Carolina to 9-7, including 3-5 in Conway. It marks Liberty's fourth win in the teams' last five matchups.
- Boosts the Flames' all-time record against Sun Belt foes to 11-6, snapping a three-game losing streak versus conference members.
- Enables the Flames to snap a three-game road losing streak and record their first win in Conway since Nov. 22, 2014.
- Improves Jamey Chadwell's head coaching record against Coastal Carolina to 4-1.
- Boosts the Flames' all-time record to 3-2 when playing on ESPN.
- Enables the Flames to finish the month of September with a 3-1 record, marking the sixth time in the last seven years Liberty has started a season 3-1 or better through four games.
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 34-17 (Liberty)
Liberty (3-1, 0-0 CUSA)
Coastal Carolina (1-3, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Location: Brooks Stadium (Conway, S.C.)
Attendance: 22,116
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter
- The Flames scored on their first drive of the game for the third game in a row, taking a 3-0 lead following a 29-yard field goal by Chase Reeves at 9:43. Liberty gained possession of the ball thanks to a Jeremiah Vessel interception and moved into scoring position on a season-long 56-yard run by Kam Davis.
- The Chanticleers answered on the following possession, driving deep into Flames territory on a 13-play, 52-yard scoring drive. However, the drive stalled at 23-yard line, forcing the home team to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Nico Cavanillas at 5:19 to knot the score at 3-3.
- The Flames were the first team to find the end zone as Deshawn Purdie found Makai Jackson for a score for the fourth game in a row. Jackson caught a slate pass at the CCU 41-yard line and then was off to the races on a 58-yard scoring play to give the Flames a 10-3 edge at 3:13.
- The game's next turnover gave the home team the ball back and allowed the Chanticleers to tie the game, 10-10, at 5:26 on a 24-yard touchdown reception by Colton Hilton. The nine-play, 73-yard drive was set up a Purdie fumble four minutes earlier.
- The Chanticleers took their last lead of the night during the waning seconds of the first half. Deuce Bailey found a small hole in double coverage for a 39-yard touchdown pass to Tristian Gardner, giving Coastal Carolina a 17-10 lead with 24 seconds left.
- The Flames wasted little time tying the game during the early part of the third quarter. Purdie connected on back-to-back lengthy pass plays, including a 34-yarder to Jamari Person followed by a 33-yard touchdown score to Jackson at the 13:10 mark to knot the score at 17-17.
- Following a three-and-out stop on defense, Liberty drove in the red zone on a 10-play, 65-yard drive. However, the visitors had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Reeves at the 4:52 mark, which allowed the Flames to regain the lead, 20-17.
- The Flames kept things rolling early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Ethan Vasko scored from eight yards out on a fourth-and-one play. Liberty's 17-unanswered points allowed the Flames to push their lead to 27-17 with 12:06 left to play in the contest.
- Liberty finished off another dominant fourth quarter when Vasko completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Davis with 1:02 left to play in the contest and seal the 34-17 road victory.
What's Next:
The Flames will continue midweek football and kick off their fourth season of play in Conference USA when they make their first-ever trip to Newark, Del., to face Delaware on Friday night at Delaware Stadium on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty scored a season-high 59 points in the last meeting against the Blue Hens in Lynchburg, winning the first-ever match up between the two teams, 59-30, on November 1, 2025.
Date: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
Location: Newark, Del. (Delaware Stadium)
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
K/P
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
S
/ FootballTeam Stats
LIB
CCU
Total Yards
485
292
Pass Yards
222
213
Rushing Yards
263
79
Penalty Yards
90
117
1st Downs
24
18
3rd Downs
4
5
4th Downs
1
2
TOP
32:41
27:19
1st Quarter
LIB 3, CCU 0
LIB - Reeves,Chase 29 yd field goal 7 plays, 69 yards, TOP 03:17
LIB 3, CCU 3
CCU - Cavanillas Alti,Nico 41 yd field goal 13 plays, 52 yards, TOP 04:24
LIB 10, CCU 3
LIB - Jackson,Makai 58 yd pass from Purdie,Deshawn (Reeves,Chase kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:06
2nd Quarter
LIB 10, CCU 10
CCU - Hinton,Colton 24 yd pass from Bailey,Deuce (Cavanillas Alti,Nico kick) 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 04:03
LIB 10, CCU 17
CCU - Gardner,Tristian 39 yd pass from Bailey,Deuce (Cavanillas Alti,Nico kick) 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 01:08
3rd Quarter
LIB 17, CCU 17
LIB - Jackson,Makai 33 yd pass from Purdie,Deshawn (Reeves,Chase kick) 4 plays, 77 yards, TOP 01:44
LIB 20, CCU 17
LIB - Reeves,Chase 24 yd field goal 10 plays, 65 yards, TOP 05:56
4th Quarter
LIB 27, CCU 17
LIB - Vasko,Ethan 8 yd run (Reeves,Chase kick), 8 plays, 45 yards, TOP 04:51
LIB 34, CCU 17
LIB - Davis,Kam 6 yd pass from Vasko,Ethan (Black,Tyler kick) 3 plays, 20 yards, TOP 00:57
Game Leaders
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22