Liberty is able to hang on in an exhilarating win over the FIU Panthers, 36-34, as the Flames move to 2-0 to open the season.
“Happy to be 2-0,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said. “There’s a lot of things that, obviously, I’m not real pleased with, but certainly our kids finding a way to win a game at home, on national TV, against a very athletic, very good, well coached FIU team. I think they’re going to win a lot of games. For us to find a way to win, even though it wasn’t as pretty as we would have liked, we are thrilled to be sitting here 2-0.”
What a game. It had everything. One team played three quarterbacks, the other had to go to a backup on the final drive of the game. There was a kickoff return for a touchdown. Two point conversions. Explosive plays. Big defensive plays.
In a game that had over 800 yards of total offense, ultimately, it was a defensive play that sealed the win for the Flames. On 4th and 13 for FIU, on their own 22 with less than 2 minutes in the game, defensive end Jayod Sanders was able to come around the edge for the sack as Treshaun Clark forced Norton out of the pocket..
“I had to make a play,” Sanders said of the play. “I made up my mind, like I got to make this play, end the game. Turns out, I did. I just want to thank God for that opportunity.”
Liberty starting quarterback Malik Willis was injured late in the 4th quarter and Chris Ferguson had to come in as his replacement. Ferguson entered the game with 4:30 left with Liberty up by two. Two first downs and the Flames could seal the win.
After fumbling the snap on first down and falling on it, Ferguson and the Flames faced a 3rd and 12 from their own 23 yard line. The former Maine quarterback was able to find Kevin Shaa for a gain of 23 and to keep the drive alive.
That would be all for the Flames on the drive though, as Ferguson’s pass on 3rd and 8 from the 47 was incomplete. Liberty had to punt, and FIU took over at their own 25 with 2:11 left on the clock.
“I started warming up, but I wanted to make sure to check on him, let him know I love him and whatever happens we’re all there for him,” Ferguson said about Willis’ injury as he prepared to go into the game. “In those kind of instances, it’s never good, that’s never the way you want it to go, but at the same time you got to put that aside and get your mind right to go into the game. When you’re up two, you got to hold the lead.”
Earlier in the 4th quarter, Liberty had the ball with a 33-28 lead with 9:44 left in the game. The Flames were looking to finish off the Panthers with a touchdown. After a couple of plays, LU faced a 3rd and 7 from their own 21 yard line. FIU was able to get into Liberty’s backfield and flush Willis out of the pocket, but Willis was able to escape containment and picked up 67 yards to move the ball inside the FIU 15.
Liberty’s drive would stall at that point, something that was a reoccurring theme on the afternoon as the Flames settled for a 27-yard Alex Barbir field goal. On four separate trips that reached inside the FIU 10 yard line, Liberty had to settle for just 9 points, all field goal attempts on the drives.
Florida International opened the game by receiving Alex Barbir’s kickoff two yards deep in the end zone and Lexington Joseph returned it for a touchdown giving the Panthers the early 7-0 lead. It marked the first deficit the Flames had faced this season.
Liberty would respond quickly, as quarterback Malik Willis engineered a 5 play, 75 yard drive that took just 2:11. The drive was capped by Willis’ first touchdown pass in a Liberty uniform, a 24-yarder to Noah Frith who was making his season debut after missing the season opener at Western Kentucky last week.
Former Maryland quarterback Max Bortenschlager got the start at quarterback for FIU, and Liberty was able to force a quick three and out thanks to a Durrell Johnson sack on 3rd down.
The Flames marched down the field on a 10 play, 57 yard drive that took nearly six minutes and was capped by a Peytton Pickett two yard touchdown as the Flames gained the lead 14-7.
The Panthers would settle in as they responded by going to the ground, capped by a 30-yard touchdown run by running back D’vonte Price to even the score at 14 prior to the end of the first quarter.
There was no scoring in the second quarter, despite the Flames driving all the way from their one yard line inside the FIU 10, but having to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Alex Barbir which was missed.
Willis left the game with a sling on his left arm. His status was not immediately known. He finished the game 24 of 30 passing for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing for 85 yards on 13 carries.
For a second consecutive game, Joshua Mack topped 100 rushing yards, finishing with 107 and 1 touchdown on 13 carries.
DJ Stubbs led the Flames with 8 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown that is certain to make all the highlight reels this week.
