Liberty, Coastal Carolina Grab Gridiron Victories Saturday
Liberty 28, Savannah State 0
For the second time this season, Rashad Jennings rushed for three touchdowns in a game and the Flames recorded a shutout victory as Liberty posted a 28-0 road victory over Savannah State, Saturday evening, at Ted Wright Stadium. The victory pushes Liberty’s record to 3-1 on the year and marks the fourth time in school history that Liberty has recorded two shutouts in the same season. The Flames first shutout of the year was in a 27-0 season-opening victory over St. Paul’s on August 31. The Flames wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as the two teams traded three-and-out possessions, while Ben Beasley pinned the Tigers deep inside their own territory as his 29-yard punt gave Savannah State possession on its own nine-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Quinton Beasley was given the ball and the tailback got outside the tackles; however linebacker Manny Rojas was able to strip the ball from the running back and Ryan Greiser recovered the miscue on the six-yard line. On the next play, Brock Smith handled the ball to Jennings and the tailback found a hole up the middle, leading to his team-leading sixth rushing touchdown of the year and first of the evening to give Liberty a 7-0 lead with 10:54 left to play in the first quarter.
The score remained the same until early in the second quarter when Liberty looked like it was going to have to give up the ball after being held; however, Beasley was struck by Charles Huggins on the punt attempt, giving Liberty new life after the roughing the kicker penalty at their own 47-yard line. And the Flames made the Tigers pay for their second mistake of the contest as Jennings got outside on the left side of the field and found an opening that enabled him to score his second rushing touchdown of the night. The touchdown gave Liberty a 14-0 lead at 11:10 in the second quarter on the 53-yard touchdown run, his longest run since joining the program. Liberty looked like it was going to add to its lead midway late in the second quarter as a 25-yard run by Jennings got the Flames down to the Tiger’s one-yard line. However, after a pair of penalties pushed the Flames back to the 20-yard line, Liberty had to settle for a field goal attempt, but Beasley pushed the 25-yard attempt wide left, leaving the score at 14-0 at halftime, marking the fourth-straight game that Liberty has held their opponent scoreless in the first half. Liberty came out of the locker room and put together a solid scoring drive on the first drive of the third quarter as the Flames capped off a seven-play, 86-yard drive that used up 3:34 on the clock with a three-yard quarterback keeper by Zach Terrell. The sophomore found an opening on the outside for his third rushing touchdown of the year as the score pushed Liberty’s lead to 21-0 at the 11:01 mark of the third quarter. The Flames pushed their lead to 28 points, 28-0, on the third play of the fourth quarter as Jennings broke through the middle of the line for a three-yard score, his third of the evening, with 13:41 left to play in the game. The scoring opportunity was set up by a 45-yard pass play from Terrell to Brandon Turner to get Liberty inside the Tiger’s 10-yard line and help set up the final scoring drive of the game.
The Tigers dominated time of possession with a near eight-minute advantage (33:56 – 26:04); however, the Flames’ bend but don’t break defense kept Liberty in the game. Liberty has allowed just 17 total points over the first four games of the season, marking the best four-game defensive span in school history as the previous record was 25 points over four games in 1974 and 34 points in 1988 to account for the best four-game span since making the move to Division I play. Jennings finished the night with 194 yards on 21 carries, averaging 9.2 yards per carry and three scores. The 194 ties him with Kim Raynor for the 27th-best single game rushing performance in school history as Raynor rushed for 194 yards against Ferrum on November 3, 1979. Terron Lawrence took most the rushing attempts late in the contest as Liberty was winding down the clock and rushed for a season-high 87 yards on nine carries. Chad Cone led the Tigers’ rushing attack with 93 yards on 19 carries. Liberty finished the game with 120 passing yards as Terrell threw for 63 yards as he completed 3-of-6 passes, while Smith threw for 57 yards by completing 5-of-13 pass attempts. Garrett Williams led Savannah State as he passed for 168 yards on 15-of-25 passing, while getting picked off twice. Turner led Liberty’s receivers as he caught three passes for 74 yards, while Mark Williams led all receivers with 76 receiving yards on seven receptions. Stevie Ray Lloyd led the Flames’ strong defensive effort with a season-high nine tackles, while Tyler Turner followed with seven stops including two tackles for a loss, a sack and a fumble recovery.
The Flames close out a three-game road swing next week when they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., to face Wake Forest. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN360.
Coastal Carolina 33, South Carolina State 14
In front of a record 9,287 fans, Coastal Carolina's football squad got back in the win column, earning a 33-14 win over visiting South Carolina State, Sept. 23. With the win, the Chanticleers evened their record at 2-2 while the Bulldogs fell to 1-3. Coastal got on the board first late in the first quarter, capitalizing on South Carolina State failing to convert a fourth-down opportunity. The Chanticleers got the ball on their own 36-yard line and got it to midfield on the first play, as running back Arthur Sitton (Greer, S.C./Greer) went up the middle for 14 yards. After a two-yard run by Sitton, quarterback Tyler Thigpen (Winnsboro, S.C./Fairfield Central) connected with wide receiver Santini Washington (Jonesboro, Ga./Lovejoy) for a 40-yard strike. Running back Aundres Perkins (Effingham, S.C./West Florence) then bulled his way in from eight yards out to wrap up the four-play, 64-yard drive in just 1:19 and give CCU a 7-0 lead with 3:44 to go in the first quarter. The Bulldogs evened it up late in the half, marching 86 yards in 15 plays over 6:16. DeShawn Baker put it in from three yards out on a 4th-and-1 play and the extra point evened the game at seven with 1:11 to play until intermission. That was the score when both teams headed to the halftime lockerroom.
Kicker Josh Hoke (Statesville, N.C./West Iredell) put Coastal back on top on the opening drive of the second half. Coastal went 71 yards in 10 plays over 5:25, with Hoke hitting from 31 yards out to make it 10-7 Chanticleers with 9:25 remaining in the third. CCU added another score in the second half, taking advantage of a short field by getting it on SCSU's 35-yard line after another turnover downs. Coastal covered the distance in six plays and 2:36 on the clock, cashing in on Thigpen's 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Perry Parks (Rock Hill, S.C./Sumter). Hoke's extra point made it 17-7 with 1:20 remaining in the third. The Bulldogs had an immediate answer on the ensuing kickoff, as William Ford returned it 90 yards for a SCSU score to cut the margin to 17-14 just 16 seconds later. However, that was where the Chants took over the game the remainder of the way. On Coastal's next drive, the team marched 10 plays and 74 yards back into the end zone. Fullback Mike Tolbert (Douglasville, Ga./Douglas County) surged in from four yards out and the margin went back to 10 at 24-14 with 11:55 to go in the contest. After forcing another turnover on fourth down, this time a 4th-and-1, Coastal took the ball over on the Bulldogs' 43-yard line. Seven plays later, Thigpen had several cutbacks, broke tackles and ran over a SCSU defender at the goal line for a 26-yard touchdown run. Hoke added the PAT and CCU had the game in control at 31-14 with 5:24 to go. The defense got into the act as well on the next possession. After a holding call on the first play backed SCSU up to its own seven, linebacker Ron Washington (Jamestown, S.C./Timberland) sacked Cleveland McCoy in the end zone for a safety, making the final score 33-14.
The Coastal offense amassed 439 yards of total offense, 273 in the final half, including 240 yards on the ground. CCU is now 20-1 when rushing for more than 200 yards in a game. The CCU defense limited the Bulldogs to just 194 yards in the contest, just 46 of those in the second half. Thigpen was again solid for the Chanticleers, going 12-for-19 for 199 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions through the air and adding 91 yards on nine carries and another score. Perkins added 78 yards on 18 carries and one touchdown as well. SCSU was led on the ground by DeShawn Baker with 17 carries for 87 yards and one touchdown. McCoy and Russell Hemby combined to go just 7-for-17 for 61 yards and one interception in the air. The Chants are back in action next week in Winston-Salem, N.C., taking on Winston-Salem State, Sat., Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs are off next week and host Norfolk State, Sat., Oct. 7 at 2 p.m.
#2 Appalachian State 41, Gardner-Webb 6
Second-ranked Appalachian State ran off 41 unanswered points, including two long punt returns for scores by Dexter Jackson in the third quarter, to top Gardner-Webb, 41-6, Saturday night. The Mountaineers (3-1) won their third-straight game of the season despite a slow start, leading just 13-3 at the half in front of a Spangler Stadium-record crowd of 8,490 fans. Jackson effectively put the game out of reach by himself in the third quarter though, taking a punt 86 yards for a touchdown with 11:02 to play in the quarter, and doing the same on his next return – going 68 yards this time to push the Mountaineers’ lead to 27-3 with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter. Gardner-Webb (2-2), which saw its offense struggle for the second week in a row, had no answer – as Appalachian State picked off its’ third pass of the game on GWU’s next drive, and turned that into short, 45-yard scoring drive that culminated with a 10-yard pass from Armanti Edwards to Josh Johnson to push the lead to 34-3. ASU wrapped up its scoring with a 64-yard drive in the fourth quarter, with All-American Kevin Richardson darting in from one yard for a 41-3 edge. Gardner-Webb’s Hunter Smith knocked in a 45-yard field goal with 7:32 left for the final margin.
The Mountaineers finished the night with 446 yards on offense, with Edwards rushing for 101 yards, throwing for 195 yards and accounting for three total touchdowns. Jackson set an Appalachian State record with his two punt return touchdowns. The Bulldogs held strong early, with its young defense blocking a field goal and an extra point as Appalachian held a slight, 6-3, lead with two minutes left before the half. Smith gave GWU an early 3-0 lead with a 29-yard field goal, as Gardner-Webb went 40 yards on its opening drive for a score. Edwards darted 18 yards to push Appalachian State’s lead to 13-3 with 1:03 remaining before the half, taking the Mountaineers 86 yards after Gardner-Webb fumbled inside the ASU 15-yard line – one play after the defense picked up a fumble by Richardson. Two Bulldog touchdowns in the fourth quarter were negated by penalties, and GWU was held without a six-pointer for the first time since 2003 – a stretch of 33-straight games. Gardner-Webb had just 222 total yards (145 passing / 77 rushing), and ASU held the ‘Dogs to 4-for-14 on third downs. The Bulldogs will travel to face Southeastern Louisiana next Saturday at 7 pm ET in Hammond, La.
William & Mary 38, VMI 6
In a tough, physical football game, VMI fell 38-6 to the homestanding William & Mary Tribe Saturday night before a crowd of 10,208 spectators at Zable Stadium. William & Mary running back Elijah Brooks rushed for 146 yards on 15 carries and scored three first half touchdowns to lead the Tribe attack. VMI running back Sean Mizzer bounced back from a 34-yard effort last weekend at Richmond and notched his 16th career 100-yard rushing game with 101 yards on 26 carries. The Keydets got their points on a pair of Barrett Way field goals from 26 and 40 yards. William & Mary outgained VMI, 472-243, but the Keydets were able to hold the advantage in time of possession for the first time this season, 35:15 to 24:45. The Keydets lost the services of senior quarterback Jonathan Wilson with three minutes in first quarter when he went down with a separated shoulder. Wilson is expected to miss 2-3 weeks of action.
Freshman quarterback Kyle Hughes, a local Williamsburg product from Lafayette High School, took over for Wilson and completed four of nine passes for 72 yards including a 28-yarder to Chris Gilliland in the fourth quarter. The Keydets took the opening drive of the game up field but fumbled it away at the VMI 46. Four plays later, Brooks cut back on a 20-yard scamper for the game’s first score with 11:26 remaining in the first quarter. VMI cut the deficit to 7-3 with a 12-play, 50-yard drive that was capped by Way’s 26-yard field goal with 5:12 remaining. The drive consumed 6:14 of the clock and Mizzer rushed six times for 35 yards on the possession. Brooks added touchdown runs of 16 yards and 11 yards before halftime, putting the Tribe up, 21-3 at the break. By that time the Keydets had lost Wilson (with three minutes to go in the first quarter) and Hughes took over at quarterback and completed his first collegiate pass on a 26-yarder to Joey Robinson.
A Trevor McLaurin interception of a tipped pass intended for Tim Maypray set up a 30-yard field goal by Blake Pritchard with 7:53 left in the third quarter, putting William & Mary up, 24-3. W&M head coach Jimmye Laycock yanked starter Jacob Phillips on the next drive and reserve QB Micheal Potts responded with two touchdown passes in six snaps, one to Elliott Mack for 32 yards and one for Joe Nicholas for 54 yards to close out the W&M scoring. VMI forced three Tribe turnovers including an interception by junior cornerback Marcus Brown in the second quarter. Senior Eric Hall and freshman Kris Ware both recovered fumbles. The Keydets return home next Saturday to face James Madison at 1:00 p.m. It will be homecoming and VMI’s newly refurbished stadium will be officially dedicated and renamed Foster Stadium.