Flames keep rolling
Playoff run will continue after toppling JMU for the first time in 22 years
The last time Liberty beat in-state foe James Madison (JMU), most of the players on both teams had not been born.
Celebrate — Javan Shashaty (18) and John Lunsford (49) had plenty of reasons to be happy, each playing key roles in the Flames 26-21 playoff victory over James Madison. Photo credit: Joel coleman
Victory could not have come at a better time for the Flames, defeating the Dukes for the first time since 1992 in what was Liberty’s first Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff game in program history.
After driving down the field for a late go-ahead score against archrival Coastal Carolina to capture the Big South title and a playoff berth, there were more than shades of déjà vu in Harrisonburg, as the Flames drove down the field late in the game. Fullback Nicky Fualaau’s one-yard touchdown punctuated a mammoth, clock-gobbling 17-play, 85-yard drive that ate up just over 11 minutes of the fourth quarter to put the Flames ahead 26-21 with 2:53 remaining.
With the win, Liberty advances to the second round of the FCS Championship, facing 6-seed Villanova in Philadelphia Dec. 6. The Wildcats only loss to an FCS school this season was a 10-9 defeat against Richmond, who Liberty fell to in a 46-39 overtime loss earlier in the year.
Key play:
Facing a fourth-and-four from its own 39-yard line early in the second quarter, kicker John Lunsford trotted out to attempt a 56-yard field goal. Instead, Liberty faked it by running holder and backup quarterback Javan Shashaty down the right sideline for 26 yards. D.J. Abnar’s touchdown three plays later and the subsequent extra-point cut JMU’s lead to 21-17 and forced the Dukes into a state of shock. It was Shashaty’s only rush attempt of the season.
Key player: Kenny Scott
Scott, who dropped what would have been the game-icing interception against Coastal Carolina, made big play after big play against the Dukes. He helped the Flames defense hold Dukes quarterback Vad Lee to completing just six of 15 passes in the second half, after he went 12-19 in the
first half.
Scott also intercepted Lee in the end zone late in the second half, which put the Flames in much better position to make a comeback. And…
Clincher:
Facing a fourth-and-13 at the Liberty 27, Lee floated a pass to Daniel Brown near the end zone, but Scott was there to break it up, effectively ending the game with 53 seconds remaining and JMU down to one timeout. The stop came on the heels of the Flames go-ahead drive that ate up most of the fourth quarter.
Other Notes:
• Josh Woodrum had three first-half turnovers in his first start since sustaining a leg injury and infection against Monmouth Nov. 8. He cleaned things up in the second half to finish with 244 yards passing and 46 rushing.
• Liberty nearly doubled JMU’s time of possession, winning the clock battle 39:01 to 20:59.
• This marked the second game all year in which Liberty failed to score a passing touchdown. D.J. Abnar scored twice on the ground and Nicky Fualaau punched in the other Flames touchdown. The other game in which the Flames failed to score through the air was in their season opener at North Carolina.
• Freshman running back Todd Macon secured 13 carries for 41 yards in his second game back since missing six games because of injury.
Tichenor is the sports editor.