The Flames made the trek to the Land of Enchantment….or the World of Walter White (whichever you prefer), to tussle with the New Mexico Lobos this past Saturday. Despite traveling some 1,700+ miles, not having their starting running back, and being a touchdown underdog, Liberty found themselves with a 14-point lead by the end of the 1st quarter. The Lobos’ lashing continued into the second quarter as the Flames tacked on 3 more touchdowns, totaling 6 in the first half. They took a 32-point lead into the locker room. This lead was all but safe as New Mexico scored 19 unanswered points and eventually cut Liberty’s lead down to 6 points. Regardless of the adversity faced in the second half, the Flames managed to get their first every FBS road win and break records in the process. Here are your MVPs for the New Mexico game:
OFFENSE
MVP: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
At this point, you would think we would be used to his dominance, but Gandy-Golden continues to awe us with his ability to work the sideline and make contested catches. The junior wideout set a Liberty record for most receiving yards in a game with a whopping 245 yards. Those 245 yards came on 11 catches, averaging over 22 yards a catch. AGG was a force the Lobos knew they had to contain, but still couldn’t. His 245 receiving yards were also the 3rd most in a game at the FBS level this season. Now in his junior year, Gandy-Golden has emerged as a premier receiver any team would be thrilled to have. We’re just glad he’s on our side.
DEFENSE
MVP: DE Jessie LEMONIER
With their transition to the FBS ranks, Liberty sought defensive line help from a number of JUCO prospects and that paid off Saturday as Ventura College transfer Jessie Lemonier had a day against the New Mexico Lobos. The Florida native, who also had an offer from New Mexico, spent ample time in the offensive backfield, racking up 2.5 tackles of loss along with a sack and a half. Through 4 games, Lemonier now leads the Flames in those respective areas.
SPECIAL TEAMS
MVP: P Aidan Alves
Alves has had an interesting season so far. From his targeting penalty against Army, to his 25 yards per punt average last week against North Texas. But Alves’ performance this week was worth highlighting, earning him the special teams MVP. Liberty’s offense found little resistance against the Lobos in the first half but struggled to get things going after halftime. Alves ended up punting 7 times, averaging 42 yards a punt, nearly doubling his performance last week. He also had a 60-yard boot, his longest of the season.
