Calum Sutherland game-winning FG vs Liberty 2021
Siddharth Gaulee/ULM Photo Services
28
Liberty LIB 5-2 , 0-0
31
Winner ULM ULM 3-3 , 1-2
Liberty LIB
5-2 , 0-0
28
Final
31
ULM ULM
3-3 , 1-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
LIB Liberty 0 14 0 14 28
ULM ULM 0 0 28 3 31

Game Recap: Football |

Second-Half Surge Propels ULM to 31-28 Win Over Liberty

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

MONROE, La.  – ULM fans will be reliving the Liberty game for years to come.

Calum Sutherland kicked a 53-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining for the winning edge and Mark Williams sealed the deal with an interception as ULM upset Liberty 31-28 at Malone Stadium.

"We kept fighting and playing," ULM coach Terry Bowden said. "It was a win with a lot of heroes for our football team."

The Warhawks were 32-point underdogs and trailed 14-0 at halftime but surged back with a 28-point third quarter.

"I've never coached in a game that I've been that much of an underdog and won a game," Bowden said. "We've had a couple of big games like that. I just credit our players for believing."

There were plenty of signature moments for ULM (3-3), which forced three turnovers and sacked quarterback Malik Willis four times. Willis, an NFL prospect, rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns and completed 16-of 23 passes for 135 yards and a score but also threw three interceptions.

"He was the main discussion," Williams said. "We came into it knowing (his reputation), but we didn't come scared. We looked at it as a challenge we needed to step up to and wanted to step up to get our name out there and make us better. He's definitely a good quarterback; I give him all the props. He makes plays out of nothing and extends plays. He's a good quarterback."

The offense started slow, but ULM overcame a two-touchdown halftime deficit with 28 unanswered points coming out of halftime. The Warhawks outgained Liberty (5-2) in total yards, 179-36, in the pivotal quarter, intercepted Willis to set up a touchdown and held the ball 9:18 of the period. Quarterback Chandler Rogers, who completed just four passes in the first half, was 9-of-9 for 91 yards and two touchdowns in the turnaround quarter.

"It really clicked in the third quarter after Coach Bowden challenged us to score that first drive," Rogers said. "After that touchdown, we felt the juice from everybody on the sideline."

Starting his third game in place of injured Rhett Rodriguez, Rogers completed 16-of-25 attempts for 225 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. Sacked six times, he added 42 yards rushing.

"We just got better and better," Bowden said. "He's beginning to understand how to run that offense."

After Sutherland's field goal, Liberty's last possession began at the 33-yard line with 1:38 left in the game. On first down, ULM's Zack Woodard sacked Willis, then Williams sealed the win with an interception with 1:04 left on the clock.

"The defense had a rough last couple of weeks," Williams said. "We pride ourselves on the game coming down to us and having to make a play and make a stand."

Woodard led ULM with 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

ULM's defense was instrumental from the start as it forced two turnovers on downs while pitching a first-quarter shutout.

ULM first stopped the Flames at its own 32 after Liberty opened the game with a 14-play, 48-yard drive that chewed 7:19 off the clock. Josh Newton's pass break-up at the ULM 21 halted Liberty's march.

The Warhawks couldn't capitalize at the end of their first drive as Liberty's Aakil Washington blocked a 27-yard field-goal attempt and Skyler Thomas made a 73-yard return back to the ULM 2. Bowden noted that tight end Zach Rasmussen chased down Thomas and kept him from scoring as he angled out of bounds. Then facing fourth-and-goal from the 1, Woodard and Jahaziel Lee combined to stuff Shedro Louis for no gain on a huge defensive stand.

"That one was a play that represented our football team and how badly they want to win and what they're willing to do," Bowden said.

On its third fourth-down attempt, Liberty finally converted a fourth-and-1 at the ULM 34 to keep a second-quarter drive alive. But ULM would end that series with an interception by Trey Odom at the 1. Woodard pressured Willis on the ill-advised pass.

Pitching out of the end zone two plays later, Rogers was picked off by Daijahn Anthony at the ULM 20 and returned to the 18.

Liberty turned the takeaway into points in four plays as Willis scrambled for a 3-yard touchdown run. The Flames led 7-0 with 5:11 left in the first half.

Bottled up for most of the half, Willis would finish the second quarter on a high note by orchestrating an eight-play, 85-yard drive ending with a 9-yard touchdown pass to CJ Daniels with 16 seconds remaining. Willis completed a 20-yard pass and ran for 25 yards on the possession that took just 1:33 off the clock.

Liberty's dangerous offense finished the first half with 236 yards and 15 first downs while building a 14-0 lead. Through two quarters, ULM accumulated 133 yards on 31 plays with eight first downs, two punts and a turnover. Rogers completed 4-of-11 passes for 86 yards and led ULM rushers with 24 yards on 12 carries.

ULM's opening drive of the third quarter was just what the Warhawks needed to get back into the game.

ULM moved 73 yards in 10 plays, including a leaping one-handed Boogie Knight catch for 15 yards on third down to the Liberty 10. Two plays later, Andrew Henry caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Rogers to shave the Liberty lead to 14-7 with 11:09 to go in the quarter.

Newton intercepted Willis on Liberty's next series and returned the takeaway 24 yards to the Flames' 1. Bruising running back Abraham Alce finished the mission one play later with a touchdown run and ULM was tied 14-14 with 10:12 showing in the third.

"The defense was playing well and we scored again," Rogers said. "After that, we had that adrenaline rush, we had momentum and we had great energy. Everything seemed to be flowing right in our direction."

The defense followed up with a three-and-out to set the table.

Now energized, ULM's offense came through again as Henry bolted 40 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Henry's score capped a five-play, 68-yard drive and ULM led 21-14 with 6:37 left in the third quarter.

Liberty's next series fizzled too, thanks to a third-down sack by Ja'Cquez Williams, who sat out the first half because of a targeting penalty a week earlier.

In a third quarter for the ages, ULM was rolling now and piling on. Rogers tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to the tight end Rasmussen with 1:22 to go in the period to go up 28-14. The Warhawks drove 62 yards in eight plays.

Liberty pulled within 28-21with 13:42 left in the game by finishing an eight-play, 65-yard drive. Louis scored the touchdown on a 7-yard run.

After swapping fourth-quarter punts on three consecutive series, Willis delivered a 53-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 28-28 with 7:49 left. It took Liberty just 40 seconds to complete its three-play, 60-yard drive.

A third consecutive three-and-out by ULM gave the ball back to Willis, but the Warhawks came up with another big stop and forced a punt with 4:24 left in the game.

On third-and-5 from the ULM 12, Rogers hit Will Derrick for a 33-yard gain to keep the game-winning drive going.

"Will Derrick, one of our captains for the game, made a huge catch on that last drive to give us a chance," Bowden said.

With a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer added on, the Warhawks moved to the Liberty 40.  Then facing fourth-and-6 from the 36, Bowden sent kicker Sutherland out for a 53-yard attempt. Sutherland's slipped the kick right over the crossbar for a 31-28 lead with 1:44 left in the game.

Bowden said ULM challenges Sutherland every day to test his range.

"Doing that in practice every day gives me the confidence to do it in a game," Sutherland said. "That showed today. It's just a blessing to be honest. Shout out to Trey Corley, my long snapper and shout out to Brian Garcia my holder. Without them, none of this is possible. They make my job a whole lot easier."

Something special: The ULM Club inducted three new members this weekend in Ray "Smoke" Laval (baseball coach, 1994-2000), Dave Roberts (football coach, 1989-93) and Robert Williamson (assistant athletic trainer, 1983-2008) were recognized at halftime.

Enemy lines: Former ULM linebacker Rashaad Harding, now playing for Liberty, registered his first sack of the season in the first quarter. Harding finished the contest with 15 tackles and two-and-a-half sacks against his old club.

Good call: After review of a called incompletion, the play was overturned and Jevin Frett was credited with a 37-yard reception from Rogers in the first quarter.

Up next: South Alabama visits Malone Stadium as ULM finishes a three-game homestand. Kickoff for ULM's Oct. 23 Homecoming game is 6 p.m.

Tail feathers: L Club Sports Hall of Famer James Folston, who introduced his former coach Dave Roberts at the Hall of Fame induction Saturday morning, also served as honorary team captain. … ULM remembered former football player Craig Pederson with a moment of silence before the game. Pederson, who passed away earlier this week, pitched in as ULM's scoreboard operator for more than 20 years. … Former ULM linebacker David Griffith made his debut as the color analyst for the ESPN+ broadcast. … ULM evened the series with Liberty at 1-1.
 
ULM goal-line stand vs Liberty 2021

 
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