Liberty rallies past Gardner-Webb 24-23
9 sourcesUpdated Sep 12, 2026
Liberty rallied late to defeat Gardner-Webb 24-23, overcoming a 23-17 deficit after the Runnin’ Bulldogs scored 20 unanswered points. Backup quarterback Jaylen Henderson entered in the fourth quarter and threw a 54-yard touchdown to Darius Copeland with 2:34 remaining, while Copeland finished with only that catch. Liberty had taken an early 14-3 lead behind Deshawn Purdie’s 65-yard touchdown pass and Jaylon Coleman’s 20-yard scoring run, but its offense stalled afterward. The narrow escape intensified questions about Liberty’s quarterback situation and increased pressure on coach Jamey Chadwell after last season’s 4-8 finish.
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Purdie looked solid early but the Flames still need to fix their quarterback play fast.
Henderson's deep ball to Copeland turned the whole game around at the end.
