Fourth Quarter Rally Falls Quick at Jax State

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Liberty acquired two prolonged offensive performs late through the fourth quarter to drag inside a rating of Jax State; nevertheless, the Gamecocks stored heading off the Flames to safe a 34-24 CUSA win, Saturday afternoon, at AmFirst Stadium.
 
The recreation pitted the final two Conference USA champions in an early key convention battle. Jax State ranges its document at 1-1 in 2025 and strikes to 1-0 in CUSA play. Liberty falls to 1-1 total and is now 0-1 in convention motion.
 
The Flames won’t play one other Conference USA recreation till they journey to El Paso, Texas, to face UTEP in a midweek recreation on October 8.
 
Liberty dominated the stat sheet, ending the sport with 534 whole offensive yards to Jax State’s 390 yards of whole offense. The Flames additionally averaged 8.1 whole offensive yards per play to the Gamecocks’ 6.3 common.
 
However, the Flames turned the ball over twice (one fumble misplaced, one interception), whereas the Gamecocks completed the competition with none turnovers.
 
Liberty beginning quarterback Ethan Vasko was liable for each turnovers. He was sacked within the first quarter and misplaced the ball, whereas additionally throwing his first interception as a Flame through the second quarter.
 
Vasko completed the sport finishing 19-of-29 cross makes an attempt for 335 yards and two touchdowns. He additionally ran the ball 13 occasions for a internet of twenty-two yards, a quantity decreased by 4 sacks that resulted in 31 misplaced yards.
 
Evan Dickens posted his first 100-yard recreation as a Flames, because the Georgia Tech switch completed the sport with 13 carries for 114 yards. He picked up almost half his yards on a 52-yard landing run to begin the fourth quarter.
 
Vasko linked with 9 totally different receivers within the recreation, with Jamari Person main the group. The Colorado State switch completed the sport with 4 receptions for 47 yards.
 
Donte Lee, Jr. had a 62-yard landing reception within the fourth quarter, whereas operating again Julian Gray recorded a 72-yard landing reception within the first.
 
Liberty’s high tackler within the recreation was linebacker Joseph Carter, who completed the competition with 9 stops (three solo, six assisted).
 
The Flames solely created one unfavorable yardage cease within the recreation as security Brylan Green recorded his fifth profession sort out for a loss.  
 
Box Score Highlights:
Final Score: 34-24 (Jax State)
Liberty (1-1, 0-1 CUSA)
Jax State (1-1, 1-0 CUSA)
Location: AmFirst Stadium (Jacksonville, Ala.)
Attendance: 20,755
 
Play-By-Play Breakdown:
First Quarter

• The recreation’s first turnover allowed the house workforce to take a 7-0 lead on the 9:58 mark of the primary quarter. Vasko was sacked on Liberty’s second offensive play of the sport and Jax State rapidly recovered the ball. The Gamecocks stored the ball on the bottom for the following 4 performs, together with a three-yard scoring run up the center by Andrew Paul.  
• The Flames tied the sport on a 72-yard sideline cross from Vasko to Julian Gray. Vasko’s longest profession reception and a brand new profession lengthy streak down the sidelines for Gray knotted the rating at 7-7 on the 4:09 mark.

Second Quarter

• Jax State regained the lead on the sixth play of the second quarter. Following Vasko’s second turnover of the sport, this one an interception, the Gamecocks capped a six-play, 53-yard drive with an 11-yard dashing landing by Cam Cook on the 12:35 mark.
• Rain moved into the realm about an hour after kickoff and the sport entered a lightning delay at 12:04 p.m. CT with 7:53 left on the sport clock. Following an hour and 21-minute delay, play resumed at 1:25 p.m. CT.
• The two groups traded discipline objectives as soon as play resumed, permitting Jax State to take a 17-10 lead into the halftime intermission. Garrison Rippa linked on a 50-yarder on the 6:33 mark, whereas Jay Billingsley knocked down a 35-yarder as the primary half clock expired.

Third Quarter

• A pair of prolonged runs by quarterback Gavin Wimsatt (44 yards) and Cook (23) arrange a objective line state of affairs for the Gamecocks.
• Liberty stopped Jax State on the primary two makes an attempt, however Cook was in a position to leap over the road for a one-yard rating to push the house workforce’s result in 24-10 at 7:13 on an eight-play, 83-yard drive.  

Fourth Quarter

• The fourth quarter noticed the 2 groups rating a mixed 24 factors with Liberty pulling with a landing twice through the last interval.
• Following Dicken’s 52-yard run and Lee’s 62-yard reception, Liberty’s protection stored Jax State out of the top zone, as the house workforce needed to accept a 24-yard discipline by Rippa to push the Gamecocks’ result in 10 factors.
• Liberty acquired to midfield on its final possession of the sport, however Jax State picked up two of its 4 sacks within the recreation to maintain the Flames out of the top zone and safe the win.

 
What’s Next:
 
The Flames keep on the street for the second week in a row as they journey to Bowling Green, Ohio, to face MAC foe Bowling Green.
 
The two groups have met twice earlier than on the gridiron, with the house workforce successful every matchup. Bowling Green handed the Flames, then an FCS program, a 62-3 loss in Bowling Green in 2023, whereas Liberty opened the Jamey Chadwell period of soccer with a 34-24 victory over Bowling Green in 2023.
 
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025
Location: Bowling Green, Ohio (Doyt L. Perry Stadium)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station: The Journey 88.3 FM Lynchburg)
Kickoff: 5:00 p.m. (EST)