Liberty wins C-USA, still alive for New Year’s bowl

LYNCHBURG, Va.– Kaidon Salter tossed 2 touchdowns and ran for another, and undefeated No. 20 Liberty maintained its hopes of a New Year’s 6 bowl bid, beating New Mexico State 49-35 in the Conference U.S.A. championship game on Friday night.Salter was 20-of-25 passing for 319 lawns and hurried 12 times for 165 backyards in a dominant efficiency for the Flames (13-0, 9-0 ), who could play on New Year’s Day as the highest-ranked Group of Five team if No. 17 Tulane falls to SMU in Saturday’s American Athletic Conference title game.” If you have actually enjoyed us for 13 weeks, we’re the very best G5 group in this country,” Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell stated to cheers from a crowd that had stormed the field.”Six wins over bowl teams. Our typical margin of triumph is 17 points. We have actually controlled our challengers. We belong in that New Year’s 6. “With the score connected at 35, Billy Lucas ran for a 2-yard goal early in

the fourth quarter to put Liberty ahead to remain. On New Mexico State’s next possession, Brandon Bishop stepped in front of Eli Stowers and made a one-handed interception of third-string quarterback Blaze Berlowitz’s pass in the end zone.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Four plays later, Salter turned a broken play into a 35-yard touchdown run

. He was named the

game’s MVP

.”I seem like today I simply headed out and I had fun,”Salter stated.”That was the main goal today, although this was a championship game and a big game to everybody. To us, this was simply the next one, and we just wanted to go out there and play for each other today. “Diego Pavia, who did not practice throughout the week since of a shoulder injury, threw 3 touchdown passes and ran

for a rating for the Aggies(10-4, 7-1), whose eight-game winning streak ended. Pavia left the game during the third quarter and did not return.” He’s the hardest kid I have actually ever been around, and you can quote me on that,” Aggies coach Jerry Eliminate said.In came Berlowitz, who had actually not tossed a

pass all season. His 11-yard TD pass to Trent Hudson connected the score with 2:57 left in the 3rd quarter.The Flames, with the nation’s No.

1 hurrying offense, ran for 393 backyards. Quinton Cooley had 11 carries for 71 lawns and 3 goals, Lucas completed with 86 lawns on 14 brings and Aaron Bedgood had 72 backyards on five hurries. Liberty ended up with 712 yards of offense, had 35 very first downs and didn’t turn the ball over while beating New Mexico State for the 2nd time this season. “That’s the second time we have actually played [Salter], and he simply doesn’t make mistakes,”Eliminate said.Despite getting few protective stops, New Mexico State kept it close until the final quarter. After Salter’s 20-yard goal pass to CJ Daniels put Liberty ahead 35-21 in the third quarter, Pavia threw a 75-yard scoring pass to

Jonathan Brady on the next play from scrimmage.Liberty’s next possession ended in a missed out on basket. Berlowitz capitalized, striking Hudson for the tying score. “We obviously took their best shot, “Chadwell stated, “but there was never ever a doubt on our sideline that we weren’t going to find a method

to get it done.”Hudson had 7 catches for 112 yards and two scores. Pavia was 11-of-18 passing for 188 backyards and had

45 lawns rushing. Berlowitz was 10-of-19 for 134 yards.Liberty will make a bowl look for the fifth straight year given that ending up being a full FBS member in 2019

. The Flames are 3-1 in bowl games.The Associated Press added to this report.