No. 24 Liberty (13-0, 8-0 CUSA) defeats New Mexico State (10-4, 7-1), 49-35, at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia in front of 20,077 fans in the 2023 Conference USA Championship Game.

It was a back and forth affair in the first half. The Aggies got the ball to begin the game and quickly marched down the field for a touchdown as quarterback Diego Pavia ran it in from 25 yards for the score. Liberty responded with a 9-play, 80-yard drive punctuated by a Quinton Cooley 1-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7. New Mexico State scored a touchdown on its second drive to regain the lead at 14-7 at the start of the second quarter.

On Liberty’s ensuing possession, the Flames moved the ball inside the 10-yard line before facing a 4th and 2. The coaching staff elected to go for it, and Salter pitched the ball to Vaughn Blue off the right side. Blue was knocked down right near the line to gain. The officials called for a measurement, originally awarded Blue and Liberty with the first down by one chain link. After an official review though, the call was overturned and he was ruled down short of the first down as the Flames turned the ball over on downs.

The Flames’ defense would respond though, forcing a three and out and punt as Kobe Singleton broke up the Pavia pass on third down. Set up by a 32-yard pass from Salter to CJ Daniels, Cooley got in the end zone for a second time on the night, running it in from 12-yards out to tie the game at 14.

New Mexico State moved the ball to near the Liberty 40-yard line before being forced to punt after Amarian Williams’ PBU on third down. Liberty effectively utilized its two-minute offense, marching down the field quickly to score a touchdown with just 26 seconds remaining in the half. Salter’s 26-yard pass for Noah Frith went for the score and the Flames took the 21-14 lead.

Liberty kickoff specialist, Max Morgan, apparently tried to squib kick the kickoff, but it only traveled to the 42-yard line where the Aggies recovered it. That gave NMSU the opportunity to take advantage of the special teams miscue, and they stepped into that opening. Pavia and the Aggies’ offense moved 58 yards and scored a touchdown to tie the game going into the halftime break.

Both offenses kept up the fireworks in the second half, exchanging blow for blow. Liberty’s Brandon Bishop got a key interception in the end zone to allow the Flames to get some separation.

LIBERTY’S OFFENSE UNSTOPPABLE

Like has been the case nearly all season, the Liberty offense was unstoppable on Friday night in the championship game. The Flames scored touchdowns on five of the team’s first six offensive drives of the game. The only one that didn’t end in points was the turnover on downs Liberty had inside the NMSU 10-yard line.

Liberty would go on to score touchdowns on 7 of the team’s first 10 drives. The three others were the turnover on downs, a 31-yard missed field goal, and when Liberty took a knee at the end of the first half.

Kaidon Salter put up insane, video like numbers. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 319 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing 12 times for 165 yards and a score.

The Flames put up 712 total yards of offense, just shy of the school record of 730 yards set against UMass in 2019.

DEFENSE GETS STOP WHEN NEEDED

Liberty’s defense has had its struggles at times this year, and it certainly struggled to even slow down the Aggies on Friday night. But, as has been the case all season, the defense did what was needed to pick up the win.

This week it was Brandon Bishop who picked off a pass in the end zone. That turnover allowed the Flames to put separation on the scoreboard between themselves and New Mexico State.

CHAMPIONS IN FIRST YEAR

Liberty finishes the season undefeated at 13-0 and the unquestioned champions of Conference USA. That’s an incredible achievement, but even more so that it comes in the program’s first year in Conference USA and in the first year of a new head coach.

Talk about the strength of schedule, talk about how weak the conference is, but the Flames took care of business, stay focused each and every week, and got the job done.

13-0.

Up Next

Liberty will now await their bowl destination with the official announcement expected Sunday afternoon between noon and 4 p.m. with a selection show on ESPN. Perhaps with a little help coming by way of a loss by Tulane in the AAC Championship game Saturday, Liberty could be the highest rared Group of Five champion and get a New Year’s Six Bowl Bid.