Liberty gets it going in second half, defeats Campbell 41-24 in opener

Updated Aug. 31, 2024 11:10 p.m. ET

Associated Press

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Kaidon Salter threw two touchdown passes, Quinton Cooley had 110 yards on the ground and Liberty defeated Campbell 41-24 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

Campbell took a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter on a short field goal and a 36-yard touchdown pass from Chad Mascoe Jr. to Sincere Brown.

Liberty tied it with a field goal then took the lead for good when Salter connected with Treon Sibley for a 70-yard touchdown to lead 17-10 at halftime. Sibley had five receptions for 109 yards.

Salter's second TD pass and short touchdown runs by Billy Lucas and Ryan Burger helped Liberty push its lead to 41-17 with about four minutes remaining in the game.

Salter completed 16 of 23 passes for 242 yards.

Mascoe was 10 of 17 passing for 170 yards. Brown had five receptions for 126 yards.

Liberty has not lost a regular-season game under coach Jamey Chadwell, now in his second season. The Flames went 13-0 in 2023 before losing to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

Saturday's game was the debut of Braxton Harris, who was named interim coach of the Fighting Camels in April.

___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football