AMHERST, Mass. — In an intense college football showdown, Quinton Cooley achieved a remarkable 147 rushing yards and secured his third touchdown during overtime, helping Liberty narrowly defeat Massachusetts 35-34 on Saturday.

UMass found themselves in a favorable situation toward the end of regulation, commencing their drive from their own 10-yard line. Freshman quarterback AJ Hairston swiftly moved the ball forward with a series of successful 15-yard completions to T.Y. Harding and Jakobie Keeney-James, pushing the team close to midfield. Subsequently, Hairston linked up with tight end Dominick Mazotti twice in succession, advancing to Liberty’s 23-yard line.

With the clock winding down, UMass set up Jacob Lurie’s attempt for a 43-yard field goal from the center of the field. Just before the kick, Liberty called a timeout, and Lurie’s subsequent attempt went wide right, leaving the score level at the end of regulation and sending the game into overtime.

In the extra period, Jalen John orchestrated an impressive opening drive, executing a 23-yard run before scoring on the next play, giving UMass a temporary advantage. Unfortunately for them, Lurie’s extra point attempt struck the upright, leaving the score unresolved.

Liberty responded decisively with quarterback Kaidon Salter, who picked up 8 yards on a first-down run followed by Cooley’s powerful 12-yard rush. Cooley then charged across the goal line from five yards out, and Colin Karhu successfully kicked the point-after attempt, prompting celebratory cheers from his teammates.

In terms of individual performances, Salter completed 9 of 16 passes for 114 yards with one interception and rushed 13 times for 58 yards alongside his two touchdowns. For UMass, John concluded the game with a solid 119 yards on the ground and two touchdowns to his name.

This thrilling game showcased the competitive spirit and talent of both teams as Liberty improved its record to 7-2, while UMass fell to 2-8.