MIAMI, FL – Both teams came into tonights Conference USA matchups hot as Liberty looked to keep their undefeated streak alive, and FIU looked to extend their three game winning streak.
Liberty got off to a quick start as Kaidon Salter found Bentley Hanshaw for a touchdown giving the Flames a 7-0 just four minutes into the game. Not long after, Liberty’s lead jumped out after Treon Sibley took it 68 yards to the house to extend the Flames lead to 14-0. Before the quarter ended FIU would get on the board as True-Freshman QB and Miami Central Alumni Keyone Jenkins would execute the QB draw to give the Panthers a lifeline, however the PAT would be no good and FIU would trail 14-6.
Liberty would continue their hot streak with another rushing touchdown, this time from Billy Lucas to give the Flames a 21-6 lead. Before halftime, Nick Brown would give the Flames a 24-6 lead with a 41 yard field goal.
Liberty would break down the gates in the 3rd quarter with two QB keeps from Kaidon Salter to give Liberty a 38-6 lead heading into the 4th quarter. Salter won a very controversial QB battle at Liberty this past off-season which saw the arrival of head coach Jamey Chadwell and departure of Hugh Freeze. Salter won a QB battle which involved himself and three other Quarterbacks, two of which he shared playing time with last season in their final run as an independent conference team.
Liberty seemed to slow down in the 4th quarter as FIU’s offense gained some momentum but it came to nothing in the end. Liberty took out Salter halfway through the 4th quarter and subbed in Johnathan Bennett who started most of Liberty’s games during the last season of the Hugh Freeze era. Bennett had sat backup to current Tennessee Titans backup QB Malik Willis during the 2021 season.
Some notes from the postgame press conference;
- Liberty Coach Chadwell believed the Flames defense and special teams were “tremendous” and the offense had “left some out there”
- Chadwell said there was an unbelievable effort from the team all around
- Believes Liberty could very well be that team if all the kinks are cleaned up
- FIU Coach MacIntyre said that Liberty is a very good team
- Says that team is focused on the road ahead
- MacIntyre believes that FIU is heading in the right direction and tonight was just a setback
With tonight’s win Liberty moves to 2-0 in Conference USA play and 4-0 on the season. FIU falls to 0-2 in Conference USA play and 3-2 on the season. FIU takes on New Mexico State next week in C-USA play before coming back to Miami to face off against UTEP on October 11th.
