The Liberty Flames picked up their second victory over an FBS opponent in two years when they knocked off the Georgia State Panthers 41-33 inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Josh Woodrum threw for 242 yards and Des Rice and DJ Abnar combined for 180 yards with Rice scoring 3 TDs in the victory.
Things got off to a rather inauspicious start for Liberty as backup QB Stephon Masha fumbled the ball inside the 10 yard line on the way to an opening TD and GSU scored the first of three long TDs thanks to Donovan Harden and Nick Arbuckle (More on that later). Liberty responded with the first of 5 10+ play drives, cashing in from 1 yard out courtest of Rice. The game went back and forth after than with Liberty retaking the lead every time GSU responded, until a defensive stand by the Flames late in the third quarter forced the Panthers to take a FG, and they never got inside of double figures until a late Arbuckle TD run.
This marks the first time ever that Liberty has beaten an FBS team in back to back seasons, and the third FBS win in the last 6 seasons, after only getting one FBS win in the first 36 seasons of LU football...COMBINED.
This was an important win for the program, maybe not from the standpoint of boosting our resume with the selection committee, but at the very least shows they can bounce back from a tough loss.
Here are the grades for this week:
Offense: A
After the running game was non-existent the last few games, it came back with a vengeance down in Atlanta, giving the Flames offense much needed balance. Josh Woodrum even got in on th efun busting a 36 yard run on his first option play.
Darrin "Petey" Peterson returned to the lineup and while he did not have a huge game (9 receptions 89 yards), he was enough of a presence that Josh Woodrum was able to spread the ball around. Also, a new face emerged in true freshman Damian King, who made a pair of crucial third down catches to keep Flames drives alive.
The line improved as well, paving the way for the running game (although they ned to work on getting better push in the middle) and keeping Woodrum upright as they did not allow a sack in thega,e
Defense: C+
The biggest issue I had with the defense is in the backfield. The Flames allowed 3 TDs of 50 yards or more including the earlier mentioned 76 yarder on GSU's first posession. There were young DBs back there with Wesley Scott out due to injury, but they still need to be more cognizant of the player in front of them and not get caught with their eyes in the backfield.
The line sacked Arbuckle 3 times and largely shut down the running game of the Panthers (although some could argue they didn't have one to begin with).
Special Teams: B
The Flames got very lucky on a roughing the kicker penalty during Trey Turner's one punt on the day, but he will need to work on that or it could be a block party down the road.
Lunsford found his mojo, hitting both of his field goals (from 28 and 56 yards respectively). the 56 yarder was a gutsy call in the 4th, but head coach Turner Gill has a ton of confidence in his senior starter sending him out that close to midfield.
The return game showed improvement again and DJ Abnar showed the burst all Flames remember from his debut against Gardner-Webb in 2012, as he very nearly took the opening kickoff for a TD (which I believe has never happened for the Flames)
Overall Grade: B
#15 Liberty 3-2 (0-0 Big South)
vs.
Gardner-Webb
This week the Flames head down to Boiling Springs, NC for the opener to Big South play against the Runnin Bulldogs. This is the 7th time the Flames have opened against G-W, and the first time doing so on the road since 2011. To say the Flames have dominated the series in recent history would be an understatement. Liberty has not lost a game in this series since 2006, has not allowed a point to G-W in the last 8+ quarters (G-W last scored on a Juanne Blount 4 yd. TD run in the 4th quarter...in 2012...) and has beaten the Runnin Bulldogs by double figures in all but 1 of those victories (7 points in 2012)
Matchup:
Series: 22nd Meeting (Liberty leads 12-8-1)
Last Meeting: Liberty 34-0 (10/25/14)
Kickoff: 37:00 PM
Radio: The Journey FM Radio Network/Liberty Flames Sports Network (Liberty) Alan York play-by-play, Runnin Bulldogs Radio Network (wgwg.org) Brendan Boylan play-by-play
Television: American Sports Network/National Mike Tilley play-by-play
Coaches: Turner Gill (4th Season at Liberty, 24-16 Record),Carroll McCray (3rd Season at Gardner-Webb, 12-16 Record)
Last Week: Liberty W 41-33 vs. Georgia State , Gardner-Webb had a bye week
Prediction:
G-W is a very young squad, and they have struggled on offense, only scoring more than 20 points once and that was in the opening loss to South Alabama. I think Liberty wins this one easily, but if G-W does not find some offense and fast, they will be the Runnin right out of their own stadium thanks to Liberty
Liberty 45
Gardner-Webb 7
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