Kaidon Salter throws 4 TD passes, 3 the Reese Smith, and Liberty rallies, beats ECU 35-24
East Carolina Pirates vs. Liberty Flames: Full Highlights
East Carolina Pirates vs. Liberty Flames: Full Highlights
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- — Kaidon Salter threw three of his four touchdown passes to Reese Smith to help Liberty rally from a 17-point deficit and beat ECU 35-24 Saturday night in a game that was delayed shortly after kickoff for more than 4 1/2 hours due to inclement weather.
Liberty (4-0) has won 16 consecutive games in the regular season.
Salter was 19-of-32 passing for 233 yards and Smith finished with six receptions for 80 yards. Quinton Cooley ran for 105 yards and a touchdown and Elijah Canion's 17-yard TD reception from Salter with 2:53 left in the second quarter trimmed Liberty's deficit to 17-7 at halftime.
Salter hit Smith for a 17-yard TD to cap the opening drive of the second half and a 14-yard touchdown that gave the Flames a 21-17 lead with 2:52 left in the third quarter. Rahjai Harris' 2-yard TD run about 2 minutes later put ECU back in front going into the fourth.
Liberty responded with a 16-play, 75-yard drive that took more than 7 1/2 minutes off the clock and culminated with a 15-yard scoring strike from Salter to Smith.
Cooley capped the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown with 2 minutes to go.
Jake Garcia's 8-yard touchdown run for ECU opened the scoring about 5 minutes into the game, Marlon Gunn Jr. added a 1-yard TD run with 3:18 left in the first quarter before Andrew Conrad kicked a 35-yard field goal to give the Pirates a 17-0 lead with 11:52 to go in the second.
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Game Information
2024 American Athletic Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Army | 7-0 | 9-0 |
Tulane | 6-0 | 8-2 |
Navy | 5-1 | 7-2 |
Memphis | 4-2 | 8-2 |
East Carolina | 3-2 | 5-4 |
North Texas | 2-3 | 5-4 |
South Florida | 2-3 | 4-5 |
UTSA | 2-3 | 4-5 |
Charlotte | 2-3 | 3-6 |
Rice | 2-4 | 3-7 |
Temple | 1-4 | 2-7 |
UAB | 1-4 | 2-7 |
Tulsa | 1-4 | 3-6 |
Florida Atlantic | 0-5 | 2-7 |
2024 Conference USA Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Western Kentucky | 5-0 | 7-2 |
Jacksonville State | 5-0 | 6-3 |
Sam Houston | 4-1 | 7-2 |
Liberty | 4-2 | 6-2 |
Florida International | 2-3 | 3-6 |
Louisiana Tech | 2-4 | 3-6 |
Middle Tennessee | 2-4 | 3-7 |
UTEP | 2-5 | 2-8 |
Kennesaw State | 1-4 | 1-8 |
New Mexico State | 1-5 | 2-7 |