Deshawn Purdie, Ethan Vasko guide Liberty to a 35-3 romp over Sam Houston

Lynchburg, Va. (AP) — Deshawn Purdie orchestrated a dominant performance, connecting on a touchdown pass before Ethan Vasko added two of Liberty's four rushing touchdowns, leading to a lopsided 35-3 triumph over Sam Houston in the Flames' Conference USA opener. Purdie completed 10 out of 14 passes for 114 yards and contributed 57 yards on seven rushing attempts, aiding Liberty's (5-1, 2-0) five-game winning streak to five.

The Flames amassed 297 yards rushing, with Jaylon Coleman leading with 92 yards on seven carries, and Kam Davis adding 67 yards and a touchdown on 10 rushes. Deshawn Purdie made a 15-yard scoring pass to Bryce Randolph on an eight-play, 75-yard drive, securing a 7-0 lead at the opening play. Ethan Vasko scored from a yard out for a 14-0 halftime advantage, and Sam Carpenter's 36-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the half narrowed the gap to 14-3.

Liberty's lead expanded to 21-3 by the third quarter, with Coleman and Purdie combining for 50 yards on consecutive rushes, and Vasko scoring on a 3-yard run. In the fourth quarter, Kam Davis sealed the victory with a 9-yard touchdown run, while Terron Kellman added a 9-yard score for Liberty, giving them a 35-3 margin. Landyn Locke contributed 138 yards passing for Sam Houston, which returned to host Western Kentucky later in the week.