Through a slow start on both sides of the ball, Liberty overcame UAB 36-12 with 544 yards of total offense. Quarterback Malik Willis was again the star for the Flames, paving the way for their fourth win of the season.
- UAB came out with steam to blow by Liberty down the field and open the scoring with a 37-yard field goal. UAB with the lead 3-0.
- The Blazers had a near 53-yard touchdown pass, but UAB commited a personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct, which brought the ball back for a loss of 15 yards.
- Liberty found life after no success in their first drive. On Flames’ second drive of the game they found a way to match the score with a 21-yard field goal. This was freshman kicker Brayden Beck’s first career made field goal.
- Liberty’s defense finally settled down and forced UAB to punt.
- Through a slow start in the passing game, Liberty adjusted and transitioned to a heavy run attack with quarterback Malik Willis.
- In a passing play, the pocket collapsed quickly for Willis, forcing him to scramble quickly. He avoided several tackles and found his way to a first and goal with a 19-yard scramble, putting Liberty on UAB’s two-yard line.
- The next play, running back Joshua Mack rushed the ball, but in a questionable call by the officials, Mack fumbled the ball on the opposing one-yard line and was recovered by UAB.
- Through a low-scoring first half, Liberty came out in the second half with one goal. To score.
- On Liberty’s first play of the second half, Willis connected with Demario Douglas for a 34-yard pass.
- After a electric first play, Liberty drove down the field with Willis running the ball, and finished it off with a eight-yard rushing touchdown for Willis. Liberty leads 10-3.
- UAB’s offense struggles to catch up after another punt. Flames’ offense took over at UAB’s 39-yard line and it took one play for Liberty to score again and blow this game open. Willis found wide receiver C.J. Daniels on the left side with a 39-yard passing touchdown to lengthen the lead 17-3.
- Liberty finds another way to get the ball back and Willis finds one of his favorite receivers, Douglas for a 70-yard pass to line up a one-yard rush for Willis to get another touchdown and extend the score 24-3.
- Once the Flames entered the fourth quarter, they still were driving and Willis was taking over the game, however running back Joshua Mack ran the ball in for a eight-yard gain to get his first touchdown of the game, pushing the score to 30-3.
- UAB felt a need to get a grasp and stop the bleeding, so they pushed the passing game, but linebacker Storey Jackson intercepted Dylan Hopkins’ pass attempt.
- Head Coach Hugh Freeze felt comfortable enough with the lead to take out Willis and put in quarterback Johnathan Bennett to close out the game. Despite resulting to the backup, Bennett wanted a piece of the action and threw a 33-yard deep ball to wide receiver Treon Sibley, to extend the lead to, 36-3. After Liberty scored, their extra point attempt was blocked and UAB returned it for two points. Barely lessing the lead, 36-5.
- After being exposed in their debut in the new Protective Stadium, UAB running back Jermaine Brown ran the ball for 59-yards to score the Blazers’ first touchdown of the game. Liberty lead 36-12.
- Willis throttled UAB with 287 passing yards, one passing touchdown and 144 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns. Douglas finished his career game with 128 receiving yards on just four receptions.
Liberty will return to Lynchburg next week for a home game against Middle Tennessee Oct. 9, at 3:30 p.m.
