Murfreesboro, TN (AP) - In a game where MTSU had its biggest crowd in a decade, it was the visiting Flames who came in and wreaked havoc on the high powered Raider defense, defeating them 26-21 to stay atop Conference USA.
Heisman hopeful outsider QB Nick Vaittano, who was leading the country in TD passes/yards, had a game that only happens in nightmares. The coveted QB threw 8, yes that is correct, 8 INT's in the game, all of them forced, as the signal caller pressed all evening en route to the loss.
"He is a mess in the locker room right now. He feels like he let himself, the team and the school down today. He has been our rock all season, I am generally excited to see what he does after this game and how he bounces back."
The MTSU defense did everything they could and held the star Liberty RB to under 100 yards of offense, and did everything they could to keep their team in it. Ultimately though, the 8 TO's were far too much to over come.
"We had a goal of winning the conference and making a bowl game. One of those goals is still very possible, so we are back on the field Tuesday to get ready for NM St and FIU to end the season on a high note."
GG Badger, can not wait to play in the future as well.
Liberty Flames Triumph Over Middle Tennessee in Thrilling Football Showdown
Murfreesboro, TN — In a high-stakes encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Liberty Flames emerged victorious against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders with a final score of 26-21. This thrilling contest, held at Middle Tennessee's home turf, showcased a blend of strategic prowess and athletic brilliance from both teams.
First Half: A Strong Battle
From the kickoff, Liberty defense showed up to play. On MTSU opening drive, A 'Khori Jones reads Nicholas Vattiato and picks him off on the opening drive for a 57-yd TD. The Flames defense was fired up and they never stopped afterwards. While MTSU looked to bounce back from a poor start. Frank Peasant helped lead the Blue Raiders down the field and finished off the drive on a 1-yd TD run by Peasant. This was a grulling battle on defense on both sides while the offenses couldn't get much going all game. With only Liberty finding only 3 points in the second quarter and the Blue Raiders looked for some momentum going into halftime. Vattiato helped MTSU take a 14-10 lead going into the half on a 1-yd QB sneak.
Middle Tennessee responded with determination. Their quarterback, Jake Turner, capitalized on a Liberty fumble to score a 10-yard rushing touchdown, bringing the game to a 7-7 tie. The Blue Raiders' defense tightened up, putting pressure on Bennett and disrupting the Flames' rhythm.
Second Half: Liberty defense shows out
The second half began with the Flames driving down the field and eventually Kaidon Salter connected with Tyson Mobley on a 21-yd TD pass to open up the 3rd quarter. Nicholas Vattiato looked completely different coming out of the half, while the Flames defense forced him to throw 8 interceptions in the game and 2 of them returned for touchdowns, which 1 of them came in a crucial spot midway through the quarter. Thats when Dominick Hill looked to put a cap on this game by taking the interception 46 yards the other way to put the Flames up 26-14 heading into the 4th.
MTSU, however, was not to be outdone. Demonstrating resilience and tactical adjustments, the Blue Raiders mounted a comeback. Vattiato found Peasant on a 5-yd TD pass to pull within 5points with under 5 minutes to go. But the Flames defense sealed the game late after Picking off Vattiato for the final time to pick up a big road game victory and stay undefeated in conference play.
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