[Ed Dantes]

"Biggest win in history"? Sorry to douse some of the 'flames'.

Youngstown State, while a good program, isn't in the top 25. We've done that before. In fact, we've beaten a D I-A school before -- and we did it on their home turf.

We've beaten a top 15 team, away, in 1997, in a year we went 9-2, -- and that game should have put us into the playoffs (it didn't, though).

And -- at the end of the day, while this is a great win, it doesn't mean anything in the long scheme of things. We've only won one game that had real 'meaning' to it... that was last year when we won the last game of the season to clinch the Big South Championship.


Awesome, awesome win. Kudos to the team for not giving up. This win is among the best in LU History... but not the best.

[Rooster Cogburn]

"Biggest win in history"? Sorry to douse some of the 'flames'.

Youngstown State, while a good program, isn't in the top 25. We've done that before. In fact, we've beaten a D I-A school before -- and we did it on their home turf.

We've beaten a top 15 team, away, in 1997, in a year we went 9-2, -- and that game should have put us into the playoffs (it didn't, though).

And -- at the end of the day, while this is a great win, it doesn't mean anything in the long scheme of things. We've only won one game that had real 'meaning' to it... that was last year when we won the last game of the season to clinch the Big South Championship.


Awesome, awesome win. Kudos to the team for not giving up. This win is among the best in LU History... but not the best.

Well said!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rooster Cogburn]

So, any word on Tim Torrence? Any other injuries???

[rogers3]

There have been some great wins- most memorable for me was the Eric Green inspired W @ EMU. I believe that I was so pumped after that game that a carload of us went up to YSU- and watched Liberty get torn up. Beating a team like YSU is a big deal and if we can run the conference and split Laf. and Elon, maybe we'll see postseason.

[Cider Jim]

I remember listening to the Eastern Michigan game on the radio. Eric Green was a beast back then. Coach Sam used to say that it should be illegal for Green to be playing I-AA. A few months later, he was a first round draft pick by the Steelers.

Still, a huge win tonight, but not nearly as big as the one Eric Green & company stole from Eastern Michigan in the '90s.

On the Youngstown message board, there is NO conversation during or after the game that I could find:

http://www.ysupenguins.com/cgi-bin/ib3n ... act=SF;f=1

[guinzone.com]

HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUNGSTOWN TV

You can hear the crowd, that was a huge win for you guys! BE PROUD:

http://guinzone.com/2008/09/liberty-win ... second-fg/

[ToTheLeft]

Watching the Brock play on the highlights... it COULD have and maybe SHOULD have worked, but he had a man in his face, and threw really off balance... If he was able to overthrow the guy underneath and put it up for Rashad it would have been complete... that being said, that ball should have been caught by a ball boy on the sidelines. Once you get to that point, just get rid of it!

Either way, the play was pretty good, it was a different look and sometimes you have to try to mix in a different look. Just didn't work...

[Rooster Cogburn]

OH MADMAT???? Where are you? We need the lowdown from you and your enterage!

[krh44]

Great win over a very good program who doesn't lose often at home. Sure we may had some bigger wins in the 90s but if this leads to the playoffs this win will be even bigger. Lets enjoy this but we got to get ready for another tough road game next week.

[PAmedic]

SJ I have to say this is one of the biggest wins but beating Central Michigan at their place when they were 1-A is bigger. I agree with Proto that in context and the implications it has that this one might actually be the biggest.

Though he obviously meant Eastern Michigan; the bald one is correct, as usual

[Fumblerooskies]

Whole
Lee
Krapp!

I picked a bad night to be wore out and go to bed real early! Congratulations to the team and coaching staff. AWESOME WIN for the school and for the conference. I pray they can keep their intensity and focus and not have a let down against Coastal.

[Fumblerooskies]

From the Youngstown fishwrap...since Chris' game article is not posted, yet:

YSU’s late rally was overcome by the Flames’ last-second field goal by Matt Blevins.

YOUNGSTOWN — After last week’s stunning win over North Dakota State, Youngstown State University coach Jon Heacock said there was often magic in the air when playing at Stambaugh Stadium.

That magic nearly came through again for the Penguins Saturday night when YSU rallied from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit.

But it dissipated quickly when a last-second field goal by Liberty’s Matt Blevins gave the Flames a 31-28 win.

“We set out for this to be a statement game for our program,” Liberty coach Danny Rocco. said. “This was to validate our program and to validate the progress we’ve made.

“This win just doesn’t get any better than this for us.”

http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/sep/28/p ... t-liberty/

[Baldspot]

Nice win on the road but in terms of greatest wins ever, let's keep things in perspective - YSU has three losses and its still September.

[jcmanson]

Matt Blevins

You should at least get the guy who just beat you's name right

[Cider Jim]

Here is my favorite stat from Lang's article:

O
Game winning kicks attempted by Matt Bevins while at Warwick High School.

And my favorite quote:

Rocco had little to say to freshman kicker Matt Bevins in the waning moments at Youngstown State...Rocco's words were short and encouraging.
"Just stroke it, kid, Rocco said. "I don't even think he heard me."

[Chris Lang]

Article was posted ... it was just buried in "College Sports"

http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/sports/c ... boot/8858/

[Fumblerooskies]

Thanks...all I saw were your blog entries under the Liberty headings...
...and great synopsis of the playoffs.

[Chris Lang]

It was just tagged wrong. I went back and changed it and it shows up in the Liberty section now.

[Champion]

I think the win over YSU is a "program definig win". It puts LU back in the playoff picture after being way out of the picture for many years. Liberty's biggest win in the program history would be either the victory over D1 Eastern Michigan on the road or the win over #15 Appalachian State on the road. I tend to think the win over ASU was bigger. What most people forget is that LU was a top 20 team themselves coming into that game (the final regular season game). Two teams ranked in front of LU always declined to participate in the playoffs. The media and both coaches were hyping this game as a "play-in" game for the playoffs. It was generaly accepted that the winner of the game would easily get into the playoffs. Long story made short....Liberty won and both teams were passed over. That was the year where LU by all rights should have made their first playoff appearance. It took a real effort by the committee to keep them out. It seems that the committee traditionaly only chose one team who was not affiliated with a conference into the playoffs back then. I can't remember who the independent was who they chose, but as we alll know...it wasn't LU. I was actualy at that game. It was a great game, but not nearly as exciting as the YSU game appeared to be!

[olldflame]

I'm pretty sure the Independent team that was chosen over us that year was Hofstra.

[BJWilliams]

Im thrilled with this win tonight...but as I woke up this morning my thoughts had already turned to Coastal Carolina. We canNOT afford a letdown after a win like this.

[Stevev]

The 2 independent teams to make it over us that year was Western Kentucky and Hofstra which beat LU 40-27 the week before the App State game. If we beat Hofstra we would be automatically in the playoffs. But Hofstra beat Maine and that knocked us out. I believe Florida A & M got in ahead of us as well. As far as all time best wins I would put the win over Eastern Michigan and the Troy State win in 92 up there to. Troy was in transition between division 2 and were not eligible for the playoffs but were undefeated and we beat them. The next year Troy became eligible and went to the final four before loosing to Marshall 17-14.


We can't overlook Coastal next week. Coastal tends to be tough at there place and they are billing it up with the black-out thing. It looks as if Coastal is improved over last year.

[Sly Fox]

And now the Youngstown perspective ...

Penguins’ magic’ runs out; Liberty makes its ‘statement’

Published:Sunday, September 28, 2008
By Chuck Housteau

YSU’s late rally was overcome by the Flames’ last-second field goal by Matt Blevins.

YOUNGSTOWN — After last week’s stunning win over North Dakota State, Youngstown State University coach Jon Heacock said there was often magic in the air when playing at Stambaugh Stadium.

That magic nearly came through again for the Penguins Saturday night when YSU rallied from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit.

But it dissipated quickly when a last-second field goal by Liberty’s Matt Blevins gave the Flames a 31-28 win.

“We set out for this to be a statement game for our program,” Liberty coach Danny Rocco. said. “This was to validate our program and to validate the progress we’ve made.

“This win just doesn’t get any better than this for us.”

Click Here for Full Story

[Sly Fox]

And for a video that is completely different, check this out from a guy from Singapore ....

Click Link for Blog & Video Link

[madmat]

I don't have all the historical references that most of you have, but the feeling amongst the players, coaches, Jeff Barber, is that this is a landmark game for the program. It validates who we think we are and what we could be. A team that has gotten and continues to improve week by week, and is willing to aggressively deal with specific areas to improve upon. We had an awesome time at our tailgate, renting about 10 spaces, using 2 tents, 3 grills, tons of food and beverage, etc. Great atmosphere, YSU fans were great. Some came down and offered us food, including penquin cookies, in which we all promptly bit their little heads off. We had the tuba section of the YSU band tailgating a few spots down, and before they had to leave for the game, they came down and played and sang (their alma mater) for us. Got to the game and Liberty was well represented behind our bench, off to the right. It was pretty neat to have the team continuously look up to us waving their hands to rally all of us.

Game: We did a great job stopping their run game. We were very patient giving up the dink and dunk stuff, which was frustrating, but keep that stuff underneath. Muffed coverage on the last YSU td needs to be looked at carefully. Hursky back is huge, he was all over the field. We lost contain a lot with our pass rush and that puts way to much pressure on the secondary. Great and continous push by the O line. This alone had YSU scrambling for answers, loading the box with 7 or 8 all night.

After the field goal, they shut out the lights, literally, while our guys were celebrating, and while they were gathered and praying in the end zone, off went an awesome fire works display. It was kind of surreal.

Now, we must avoid what happened to YSU after their huge win vs NDSU, and realize that the party is over, and we go back to another extremely hostile environment at the beach.

sorry this is late, as we celebrated late watching the replay of the game late into the morning.