Liberty defeats Aggies 30-14
Purdie's passing and Davis's rushing powered the Flames to a decisive victory in Las Cruces.
By Leila Reynolds ·
Liberty defeated New Mexico State 30-14 on Saturday in Las Cruces, N.M., extending their winning streak in the rivalry.
The Aggies opened the scoring on their first possession. Trey Hedden completed a seven-play, 75-yard drive that concluded with a 24-yard pass to AJ Williams III, giving New Mexico State a 7-0 lead. Liberty responded with three field goals by Chase Reeves from 35, 41, and 49 yards to take a 9-7 advantage.
Deshawan Purdie threw for 252 yards and a touchdown for the Flames. He connected with Makai Jackson on a 15-yard score with 21 seconds remaining in the first half. After a scoreless third quarter, Hedden reduced the deficit to 16-14 with a five-yard touchdown pass to Williams.
Kam Davis ran for 63 yards on 15 carries and scored the decisive touchdown. He crossed from the five-yard line with 10:12 left in the game. Peyton Jones added a one-yard run with 1:03 remaining to finalize the 30-14 margin.
Liberty held the ball for 37 minutes and 5 seconds, compared to 22 minutes and 55 seconds for New Mexico State. Hedden finished with 256 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Williams recorded eight receptions for 150 yards and two scores.
The Flames improved to 8-2 all-time against New Mexico State, marking their fourth consecutive win over the Aggies. Liberty is currently 8-1 overall and 5-0 in Conference USA play. New Mexico State falls to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in conference action.
