TAKEAWAYS: Liberty Survives Upset Bid From Middle Tennessee

An undefeated Liberty team were obvious favorites for their Tuesday matchup against Middle Tennessee. The Flames' spreads varied wildly prior to the game, but

© Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

An undefeated Liberty team were obvious favorites for their Tuesday matchup against Middle Tennessee. The Flames' spreads varied wildly prior to the game, but averaged out to roughly a two-touchdown favorite. 

However, Middle Tennessee traveled to Lynchburg to give Liberty a 77-point duel with a one touchdown differential. The Flames move to 7-0 thanks to the 42-35 win. 

Here's what stood out in the win for the CUSA frontrunners.

Mental Errors By Liberty

MTSU were able to capitalize on a host of mistakes by Liberty to make things interesting.

MTSU scored on their opening drive for just the second time this season after picking off Kaidon Salter's first pass of the game. On MTSU's next possession, Double penalty  Kobe Singleton accumulated a pass interference call and a personal foul for shoving a sidelined MTSU player on the same play. That moved the Blue Raiders thirty yards in one play, into the red zone where they scored another touchdown.

Liberty finished with eight penalties for 80 yards, as well as two turnovers. MTSU weren't mistake-free either, finishing with five penalties for forty yards, as well as three turnovers. 

Milestone Day For Liberty's Rushing

97-yard drive capped off with another Quinton Cooley touchdown

That's 4 TDs in the last 2 games for the @LibertyFootball running back!

📺: @CBSSportsNet pic.twitter.com/C4x3lD0coj

— Conference USA (@ConferenceUSA) October 17, 2023

Liberty's top-two rushing attack once again proved stellar, totaling 228 yards in the first half. However, MTSU found offensive answers for just about everything the Flames found success with. The first half ended with the score tied at 21-21.

Liberty ended the night with 401 rushing yards, a season high, and their highest total as a team in their FBS history. Running back Quinton Cooley rushed for 134 yards with three touchdowns, while Salter also ran for 160 yards.

The Joker Mask Made Several Appearances

Liberty's sideline prop used to highlight big individual performances used quite a bit in the second half. In particular, the secondary largely made up for their first-half mistakes in the second half.

Brylan Green and Preston Hodge each had an interception, while Hodges defended two other passes and made a tackle in the backfield, in addition to nine solo tackles. Singleton also recovered a fumble, atoning for his earlier foolishness.

The Flames will try to make it 8-0 next week at Western Kentucky. MTSU fall to 2-6 and await a November 4 matchup with New Mexico State.