Football drops the ball at Coastal
Up-ended — SirChauncey Holloway found no running room on a swing pass thrown by Mike Brown. Liberty’s offense was upset by fast Coastal linebackers and persistent cornerbacks.
In the afternoon sun of Conway, South Carolina, a tale of two offenses unfolded as Liberty dropped its first Big South game 31-45 to rival Coastal Carolina.
Saturday’s game was a must win for both teams. A win for Liberty would keep them in contention of the bottle-neck for the Big South championship. Likewise, a loss for Coastal would essentially eliminate them from playoff contention. Both teams had a banner to play for. Coastal capitalized, Liberty capsized.
Liberty’s offense featured an average of better than 40 points a game in its Big South contests and a quarterback in contention for the Walter Payton award – the most prestigious FCS individual trophy.
However, the Chanticleer offensive unit featured a senior quarterback in Zac MacDowall who was fresh off a career outing against VMI. MacDowall threw for a career best 75 percent to 11 different receivers for three scores and 254 yards against the Keydets.
That high carried into Saturday’s game as well.
The Flames allowed 41 points to Coastal’s offense. Shocking. In the previous three contests combined, Liberty only allowed 45.
After a 33-yard scamper into the endzone by Liberty sophomore running back SirChauncey Holloway capping the opening 10 play, 71-yard drive, MacDowall led Coastal to four consecutive scores, two of them tossed to freshman wide-out Matt Hazell, ballooning the score to 24-7, Chanticleer’s favor.
Liberty interrupted Coastal’s offensive clinic with a 17-yard touchdown toss to senior wide receiver Kyle DeArmon on the ninth play of a 68-yard drive.
After another 80-yard surge by the Chanticleer offense, All-American Matt Bevins drilled his career long field-goal—a 52-yard launch with plenty of distance to spare to chisel the gaping lead to 17-31.
Coastal and Liberty traded scores into the waning minutes of the fourth and facing a 24-45 drumming, Brown heaved one last hail Mary to a quieted Summers for an 80-yard score. The touchdown was little more than consolation in Liberty’s frustrating loss.
Playoff Picture
With Liberty’s loss to Coastal Saturday, the Flames slide to a 7-3 overall mark (4-1 BSC) and Coastal moves to 5-5 overall and 4-1 in the Big South. As Liberty and Coastal wound down their contest, Stony Brook’s Seawolves rolled over Gardner-Webb in a 55-3 embarrassment, moving them to 5-0 in the Big South.
This makes Liberty’s upcoming matchup with Stony Brook Nov. 20 the decisive game in the Big South. Should Liberty win against Stony Brook, and Coastal Carolina win their matchup against last place Charleston Southern, all three teams would be marked at 4-1 in a deadlock for the Big South championship.