SI

Liberty Wins on Field Goal After Virginia Tech's Decision to Ice Kicker Backfires Spectacularly

With a 38-35 victory that ended in a wild fashion, Hugh Freeze and the Flames are now 7-0, their best start in program history.

Madeline Coleman

It had all come down to the final eight seconds. 

No. 25 Liberty (7-0) prepared a 59-yard field goal attempt. The Flames were tied 35-35 to Virginia Tech (4-3), their second ACC opponent of the season. As the ball lifted off the ground, it was blocked and a Hokie intercepted it. 

Jermaine Waller ran down the field all the way to the end zone, pushing Virginia Tech into the lead in the final moments of the game. 

Only, his own team had called a timeout in an attempt to ice the Liberty kicker, negating the touchdown and tying the game once again.

A classic "you had one job" moment. 

Virginia Tech's defense spread out deep, assuming that when Liberty brought out its quarterback the team would go for a Hail Mary. 

Only, they didn't.

Rather than lining up for another field goal, the Flames chose to run the ball out of bounds, leaving five seconds on the clock. Now eight yards closer on the Hokies' 33-yard line, the Flames took another field goal attempt—this time, putting it through the uprights.

With a second remaining on the clock, Liberty punted the ball deep into VT territory. In an attempt to keep the chance of winning alive, the Hokies channeled their inner Rutgers with a wild lateral play that ended with a tackle. 

With the 38-35 victory that ended in a wild fashion, Hugh Freeze and the Flames are now 7–0—their best start in program history. 

Published
Madeline Coleman
MADELINE COLEMAN

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