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  • Liberty Gives The Flamers, Fans Of The Flames, A Big Win Over Middle Tennessee, 42-35

Liberty Gives The Flamers, Fans Of The Flames, A Big Win Over Middle Tennessee, 42-35

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Football

After trading offensive blows for the first three quarters, Liberty's defense kept Middle Tennessee in check during the fourth to secure a hard-fought 42-35 Conference USA win, Tuesday night, at Williams Stadium.

With the victory, the Flames remain perfect on the season (7-0, 5-0 CUSA) and are now the only team in CUSA with an unblemished conference record. MTSU falls to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in CUSA play.

Liberty came into the night ranked No. 1 in the country in fourth-quarter defense, having allowed only six total points. After surrendering 35 points in the first three quarters, the Flames kept their sixth opponent this season scoreless in the final quarter to secure the CUSA win.

The two teams combined for 949 total offensive yards, but Liberty limited Middle Tennessee to just 45 yards and only four first downs during the final 15 minutes of play.

Liberty, who came into the game ranked No. 1 in the country in interceptions, added two more to its season total (15) during the fourth quarter to end a pair of Blue Raider drives.

Liberty outgained Middle Tennessee on the night 541 to 428 total offensive yards, including 401 rushing yards on 61 carries (6.6 yards per rushing attempt).

Tonight's total was the fifth-most rushing yards in a single game in program history and the most since rushing for 429 yards at Presbyterian College (Oct. 13, 2012).

Liberty had a pair of players rush for 100 yards for the second time this year. Quarterback Kaidon Salter carried the ball 16 times for 160 yards, while Quinton Cooley finished the night with 24 carries for 134 yards and a career-high three rushing touchdowns. Cooley had rushed for 100 yards in the last four games and five times in 2023.

Salter completed 12-of-20 passing attempts for 140 yards, with his top target being CJ Daniels (six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown).

Tyren Dupree matched his career high for the second game in a row, finishing the night with 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss.

Preston Hodge (career-high nine tackles) and Brylan Green (five tackles) each had an interception during the fourth quarter. Green now ranks No. 3 in the country in total interception in 2023 (4), while adding a forced fumble and a tackle for a loss on the night.  

The Flames' win today:

  • Improves the Flames' all-time record against Middle Tennessee to 2-1, including 2-0 at Williams Stadium.
  • Gives the Flames their fifth winning streak of seven or more games all-time and longest since winning 10 in a row, Nov. 30, 2019 through Nov. 14, 2020.
  • Enables the Flames to start out 7-0 for the first time since 2020, when they opened the year at 8-0.
  • Makes Jamey Chadwell the first Liberty head football coach ever to win his first seven games with the Flames.
  • Gives the Flames their first 5-0 start in conference play since opening the 2011 Big South slate at 5-0.
  • Makes the Flames the first team ever to win their first five CUSA games as conference members.
  • Marks the Flames' 13th straight win over a CUSA opponent, improving their all-time record against CUSA foes to 14-1.

What's Next:

The Flames will play their final midweek game of the regular season next Tuesday when Liberty travels to Bowling Green, Ky., to face Western Kentucky (4-3, 2-1 CUSA). The game between the top two preseason teams in Conference USA will be televised on ESPNU.