Liberty bounced back from a tough double OT loss at home last week to score the last two touchdowns in a high scoring affair down in Boone and pick up the program's third win ever over a Division I-A/FBS opponent 55-48 in OT.
Josh Woodrum bounced back in a big way after having his string of 300 yard passing games snapped last week, finishing with 356 yards and 3 TDs through the air and the tying TD in the fourth quarter on the ground. DJ Abnar, after a tough first half, finished with 129 yards rushing and one of the most vicious hits I have seen from a Flames running back since I started following Liberty football in 2002 (Seen at 5:22 of this video, credit to the Liberty Flames Athletics Youtube page):
The pass defense was again torched, as freshman taylor Lamb threw for 397 yards and consistently beat the young Flames DBs deep after Liberty tried to prevent the quick passing game that had plagued them the last two games. Tyrin Holloway did have an interception and Jacob Hagen was...well...Jacob Hagen, forcing a fumble and snagging the game clinching pick in overtime.
Special teams...was special again as Dakota Kelly muffed a punt for one Mountainner TD and John Lunsford whiffed on an onside kick attempt to open the game and ASU scored on the very first play from scrimmage. Lunsford did atone somewhat, nailing two field goals while missing another 57 yarder weeks after nailing one against Bryant.
This was an important win for the Flames, though. With this being the last game before the bye week, Liberty could ill afford to go into it on a three game skid, but the boys from Lynchburg made the one play that mattered, something that was missing from last week's game, and now they prepare for the final run as the Gardner-Webb Runnin Bulldogs to open Big South Conference play for the 4th time since 2006 and third time in 4 seasons.
Inside the Numbers
Here are some interesting numbers from this past week
103- the two teams combined for 103 points, the second consecutive season that Liberty has been in a game where both teams did that (Liberty and CCU combined for 107 last season, also an overtime game, 2 overtimes to be precise)
4- Josh Woodrum tossed his 4th 300 yard passing game of the season, and in the process moved to 4th all time in career passing yards, passing former Flames standout Antwan Chiles
7- With his 356 yards, Woodrum tied Phil Basso for second all time in 300 yard passing games with 7, and moved within striking distance of the all time record of 11 set by Robby Justino.
14- DJ Abnar became the 14th different Flames running back to post consecutive 100-yard rushing games and the first since Aldreakis Allen in 2011.
48- Liberty scored an offensive TD for the 48th consecutive game, a streak dating back to the 2010 season (when Liberty lost 10-3 to JMU, also the last time the Flames failed to reach double figures in points).
With the bye week coming this week, I will post my midseason report card on Friday, and hopefully get a midseason review from Flames beat writer Chris Lang as well as my midseason MVPs for both offense and defense.
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