LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Malik Willis threw two touchdown passes and accounted for 370 yards of offense to lead Liberty to a 36-34 victory over Florida International on Saturday.
Willis was 24-of-30 passing for 285 yards and added 85 yards rushing. His 67-yard run helped set up Alex Barbir’s 27-yard field goal that stretched the Flames’ lead to 36-28 with 6:32 remaining.
Lexington Joseph returned the ensuing kickoff 63 yards. Four plays later Stone Norton made it 36-34 with a 6-yard TD pass to D’vonte Price with 4:30 to play. Joseph also ran 100 yards into the end zone on the opening kickoff.
Norton was sacked twice as the Panthers went four-and-out on their final possession deep inside their own territory with 1:32 left.
DJ Stubbs had eight catches for 119 yards that included a spectacular one-handed 14-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter for Liberty (2-0). Joshua Mack had a 2-yard TD run in the fourth and finished with 107 yards rushing.
Price, a senior, ran for a career-high 148 yards with TD runs from 30 and 65 yards in the Panthers’ season opener. The freshman Norton was 9-of-13 passing for 120 yards with two touchdown passes.
Capacity was limited to 1,000 at 25,000-seat Williams Stadium. It was the first meeting between the teams.
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