Quick-hit notes following Liberty’s win over Southern Miss

Here are a few quick-hit notes following Liberty’s 56-35 win over Southern Miss:

• Liberty has now set a program record for best start in school history at 6-0, tying the 1989 and 2008 squads who also started their seasons with bang.
• Liberty and Clemson are currently the only two teams in the country that are 6-0.
• The Flames have now won 8 straight games overall and 10 straight at Williams Stadium.
• Liberty has now won six or more games in 15 consecutive seasons.
• It was a tale of two halves as the Flames raced out to a huge first half lead, but Southern Miss would respond with 21 unanswered points to make the second half interesting.
• Southern Miss starting quarterback Jack Abraham did not make the trip to Lynchburg. Redshirt-sophomore Tate Whatley got the start in his place, and Whatley looked good on his first drive, quickly marching the Golden Eagles down the field for the touchdown as they took the early 7-0 lead.
• The Flames responded with a touchdown within a minute of game time to tie the score. That began a stretch of a touchdown on all five first half possessions as Liberty seized control of the game at 35-7 entering the locker room.
• Malik Willis entered the game with just 3 touchdown passes in 4 games, but it was his arm that Liberty rode early in the game. The Flames’ signal caller threw for a career high 5 first half touchdown passes, as he completed 16 of his 21 pass attempts for 216 yards in the opening 30 minutes of play.
• Southern Miss wouldn’t go down without a fight. Liberty got the ball to start the second half, but Malik Willis was sacked on a blindside hit where he fumbled the ball. USM recovered it and scored a touchdown on their next play, to bring it within 35-14. The Golden Eagles would then do an onside kick that caught the Flames off guard and would recover the ball in Liberty territory. Southern Miss would then quickly get back into the end zone to get within two scores at 35-21.
• The Golden Eagles would cut the lead to 7 at 35-28 before the end of the 3rd quarter. The Flames and Willis would respond as Malik found CJ Daniels for his 6th passing touchdown of the game on a 42-yard bomb late in the 3rd quarter to put the Flames back up by two scores. The score tied the program’s record with 6 touchdown passes in a single game, set by Phil Basso against Mars Hill in 1984. It was also Daniels’ first career touchdown.
• Willis finished the game 24 of 31 passing for 345 yards and 6 touchdowns. He added 97 rushing yards on 12 attempts and another touchdown. His 7 touchdowns responsible for is a program record.
• Five different receivers caught a touchdown pass, led by Kevin Shaa who had two. Demario Douglas finished with 6 receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown, leading the team in receiving. DJ Stubbs added 6 receptions for 71 yards. CJ Daniels, Johnny Huntley and Chris Barrett also had receiving touchdowns.
• Shedro Louis led the Liberty running backs with 12 carries for 63 yards.
• The defense had a rough 3rd quarter, but they stood strong when needed to on several key possessions in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Faulks had a key interception, while Anthony Butler led the team with 11 tackles.
• Liberty starting cornerback Emanuel Dabney left the game in the first quarter with an apparent injury. He did not return as Jimmy Faulks took his place in the lineup.
• On Southern Miss’ final touchdown with 18 seconds left in the game, Stephen Sings was ejected for targeting. He will have to miss the first half of Liberty’s next game against Virginia Tech.
• Liberty now enters a bye week as the Flames have a week off before traveling to Blacksburg for the biggest game in school history against Virginia Tech on Nov. 7.