No. 22 Liberty completed the first undefeated regular season in the program’s 50-year history, with Quinton Cooley rushing for three touchdowns in a 42-28 victory over UTEP on Saturday.
Quarterback Kaidon Salter ran for a team-leading 94 yards and threw for a score as the Flames made their Conference USA debut by becoming the league’s third team to go 12-0, joining Tulane (1998) and Houston (2011). They are the first team Division I team from the state of Virginia to win 12 games.
Liberty (8-0 C-USA), which rushed for a season-high 441 yards, will host New Mexico State in the conference championship game Friday, but likely will need a Tulane loss to have a shot at the Group of Five bid to the New Year’s Six bowls.