LYNCHBURG, Va. – Quinton Cooley rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns, Christian Bodnar forced a game-winning turnover in overtime and Liberty held off Florida International 31-24 on Tuesday night to extend the nation’s longest active regular-season winning streak to 17 games.
Cooley opened the overtime session with three straight runs to get Liberty inside the 10 before Kaidon Salter scored on a keeper for his second rushing touchdown of the game.
Then Bodnar went unblocked on the right side for a big hit on FIU quarterback Keyone Jenkins to force a fumble that Jerome Jolly Jr. fell on to end the game.
Liberty (5-0, 3-0) has won 12 straight home games and 20 consecutive matchups with Conference USA foes (at the time of meeting).
Salter completed 9-of-16 passes for 125 yards and rushed for 60 yards for Liberty. Cooley had 100-plus yards rushing for the fourth time this season and 11th in his career. Liberty finished with 50 carries for a season-high 281 yards.
Jenkins threw for 245 yards with an interception for FIU (2-4, 1-2).
Cooley gave Liberty a 24-10 lead early in the fourth quarter after a 9-yard touchdown run. But FIU answered with a scoring drive, highlighted by Jenkins’ 40-yard pass to Eric Rivers to set up a short touchdown run by Kejon Owens for a one-possession deficit.
Liberty went three-and-out to give the ball back to FIU with 5:26 left. The Panthers went 61 yards in nine plays, capped by Jenkins’ 1-yard run. FIU elected to kick a PAT to tie it at 24-all with 1:42 left.
Liberty was forced to punt again, and the Panthers ran out the final 22 seconds of regulation deep in their own territory.
Liberty was playing for the first time since Sept. 21 because of a cancellation against Appalachian State due to Hurricane Helene.
FIU was playing its first game outside of south Florida since a season opener at Indiana.