To cap off a perfect 13-0 season as a conference newcomer, Liberty Flames Football defeated New Mexico State 49-35 in a back-and-forth game on Friday in the Conference USA Championship at Williams Stadium.
20,077 people attended to see Liberty create history on the mountain. Flames Nation’s spirit remained unfazed by the drizzle and fog. The Liberty University Indoor Practice Facility hosted a Pregame Bash for fans, where each team’s drumline and cheer squads entertained the crowd. During halftime, the marching bands of both teams took the field once more to perform.
At the trophy ceremony, students and supporters flocked to the field, supporting the recently crowned Conference USA Champions. Jamey Chadwell, the head coach, spoke briefly with his players on the field.
Chadwell remarked, “They are a special group of young men.” “We urge them to welcome the shift and the procedure. We urged them to put their faith in God’s Word as well as in one another. We have won the conference almost a year after my hiring.
“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we believe in the name of the Lord our God,” he said, quoting the team’s theme verse from Psalm 20.
In addition, Chadwell was adamant that his team should have played in the New Year’s Six Bowl.
He declared, “If you’ve watched us for 13 weeks, we are this country’s best Group of Five team.” Six victories with an average victory margin of seventeen points over teams eligible for bowl games. We deserve to be in the New Year’s Six because we have defeated our rivals.
At No. 24 in the CFP rankings, Liberty is currently the second-best Group of Five schools in the nation, behind No. 22 Tulane.
The Flames’ season records for wins (13), home wins (8), and winning streak (13) were all surpassed by the championship victory, which also made them the first FBS team in Virginia history to win 13 games in a season.
As the quarterback responsible for 484 of Liberty’s offensive yards, Kaidon Salter was named the MVP of the CUSA Football Championship. In addition to completing 20 of 25 passing attempts for 319 yards and two touchdowns, he ran for 165 yards and one touchdown. Salter acknowledged his teammates’ assistance in keeping the offense on course during the ceremony.
“We are a single unit. We travel together, we play together. We do everything for one another,” he remarked. “Though it seemed like a championship game today, to us it was just us against each other.” Nobody beats Liberty except for us. We competed against ourselves because we knew that was what we had to do.
Both Chadwell and the players gave credit to Liberty fans for encouraging the team to victory during the press conference held after the game.
According to Chadwell, “our student body along with our fans stay through all four quarters.” “They are aggressive and boisterous when we need them in critical situations. When the poor calls occur, they are doing all of those things, including booing. I know that our team values it since we have visited many locations and some people don’t have that. It’s unique.
This triumph was symbolic of Liberty University founder Dr. Jerry Falwell’s goal to establish a competitive athletic program in addition to a distinguished academic program.
“We weren’t the only ones who won today,” Salter remarked. This dates back to Liberty’s founding. That’s why we ventured out and carried it out.
After three-quarters of play, the back-and-forth heavyweight match was tied 35–35. In the fourth quarter, Liberty added two of its five rushing touchdowns to seal the win.
Liberty, the top rushing team in the country, once again demonstrated their superiority by rushing for 393 yards on 45 carries (8.7 yards per carry).
With three more on the day to bring his season total of 16 rushing touchdowns, Quinton Cooley moved up to second place on Liberty’s all-time list. He gained 71 yards on 11 carries by the end of the game.
Salter’s primary target, CJ Daniels, equaled his career high with 157 yards on seven receptions. Along with his 10th receiving touchdown of 2023, the junior also moved up to third place on Liberty’s all-time list of touchdown receptions in a single season.
The top team in the country in interceptions grabbed its 21st of the year when the Flames needed a defensive stop in the fourth quarter. With less than ten minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, and with New Mexico State leading 42-35, Brandon Bishop intercepted a potentially game-tying touchdown pass in the end zone.
After four plays, Salter ran 35 yards for a touchdown, giving the Flames a two-point lead and taking command of the game.
Bishop recorded a career-high 11 tackles while his third interception of the year by the end of the game. Following with 10 stops, Joseph Carter recorded his second 2023 double-digit tackle performance.
With the College Football Playoff selection show airing on ESPN on Sunday afternoon at noon, the Flames will now be able to see where and who they will play in the bowl for the fifth consecutive season. (Go to LibertyFlames.com/BowlCentral for the most recent information on bowl games, including how to buy tickets.)
Liberty, which won the LendingTree Bowl in 2021 and the Cure Bowl in 2019 and 2020, is currently 3-1 in bowl game appearances. In the 2022 Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, Toledo defeated the Flames.