The Liberty Flames defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies by a score of 38-35.
The Flames started the game off scoring in the first quarter with a Malik Willis 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver CJ Yarbrough. The Hokies responded to the touchdown with a 41-yard field goal completion by kicker Brian Johnson.
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In the second quarter, Liberty scored again with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Willis to tight end Jerome Jackson. In response to the Liberty touchdown, Virginia Tech quarterback Hendon Hooker completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nick Gallo. Later in the same quarter, Hooker scored again for the Hokies, in the fashion of a 12-yard touchdown run.
The Hokies ended the first half with a completed 18-yard field goal by Johnson.
In the third quarter, Liberty’s Willis rushed for a 19-yard touchdown to give the Flames the one-point lead at 21-20. Then in the fourth quarter, Willis extended the Liberty lead to eight points with a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Johnny Huntley.
Virginia Tech answered back to Liberty’s 14 unanswered points with a touchdown of their own as Hendon Hooker completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kaleb Smith. Virginia Tech was also able to complete a two-point conversion to tie the game thanks to a Hendon Hooker completion to wide receiver Raheem Blackshear.
Liberty responded late in the fourth quarter with a 9-yard rushing touchdown by runningback Peytton Pickett to give the Flames a 7-point lead in the last two minutes of the game. The lead did not last long as Hooker drove the Hokies down the field in the next drive to cap the drive off with a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tre Turner.
With less than 10 seconds left on the clock, the Flames sent out their kicker Alex Barbir to attempt a 51-yard field goal, which was a success, and gave Liberty the lead with one second remaining. Virginia Tech was unable to answer back with the time left which ended the game.
Leading the game rushing for both teams was Hooker for the Hokies, who carried the ball 20 times for 156 yards and the one touchdown on the ground. Hooker also completed 20 of 27 passes for 217 yards and 3 touchdowns in the air.
Virginia Tech looks to get back to their winnings ways as they host the #11 ranked Miami Hurricanes on Sunday, Nov. 4, which a kickoff time yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, Liberty goes back home to Lynchburg to take on the Western Carolina Catamounts on Sunday, Nov. 4 with kickoff at noon.