2023 Conference USA Football Championship Game

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College football game

Conference Championship

New Mexico State Aggies

Liberty Flames

(10–3)

(12–0)

Head coach:
Jerry Kill

Head coach:
Jamey Chadwell

AP	Coaches	CFP
20	22	24

	1	2	3	4	Total
New Mexico State	7	14	14	0	35
Liberty	7	14	14	14	49

Date

December 1, 2023

Season

2023

Stadium

Williams Stadium

Location

Lynchburg, Virginia

MVP

Kaidon Salter, QB, Liberty

Favorite

Liberty by 11

Referee

Ron Hudson

Attendance

20,077

United States TV coverage

Network

CBSSN

Announcers

Rich Waltz, Aaron Taylor and Amanda Guerra

Conference USA Football Championship Game
< 2022	2024 >

2023 Conference USA football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
No. 25 Liberty y$	8	–	0	13	–	1
New Mexico State y	7	–	1	10	–	5
Jacksonville State*	6	–	2	9	–	4
Western Kentucky	5	–	3	8	–	5
Middle Tennessee	3	–	5	4	–	8
UTEP	2	–	6	3	–	9
Sam Houston*	2	–	6	3	–	9
Louisiana Tech	2	–	6	3	–	9
FIU	1	–	7	4	–	8
Championship: Liberty 49, New Mexico State 35
$ – Conference champion y – Championship game participant * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules Rankings from AP Poll

The 2023 Conference USA Football Championship Game was a college football game played on December 1, 2023, at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia. It was the 19th edition of the Conference USA Football Championship Game and determined the champion of Conference USA (CUSA) for the 2023 season. The game begun at 7:00 pm and aired on CBS Sports Network. The game featured the Liberty Flames, the team with the best conference record, against the New Mexico State Aggies, with the second best conference record. By virtue of having the best record, Liberty hosted the game.

Teams

This season was the first for both Liberty and New Mexico State in Conference USA. Both had been Independents prior to the 2023 season. It is also the first conference championship game appearance for both schools.

New Mexico State

Main article: 2023 New Mexico State Aggies football team

The Aggies clinched their spot in the Championship game following their defeat of Western Kentucky on November 11. New Mexico State was attempting to win its first conference championship since winning the Missouri Valley Conference in 1978. 2023 was the Aggies' first season as a member of Conference USA, having previously competed as an FBS independent from 2012 to 2022.

Liberty

Main article: 2023 Liberty Flames football team

The Flames clinched their spot in the championship game following their defeat of Western Kentucky on October 24. Liberty clinched home field in the championship game following its defeat of Louisiana Tech on November 4. Liberty was seeking to win its first conference title since winning the FCS Big South Conference in 2016.

Scoring summary

2023 Conference USA Football Championship Game
New Mexico State Aggies (10–3) vs. No. 24 Liberty Flames (12–0)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Aggies	7	14	14	0	35
No. 24 Flames	7	14	14	14	49

at Williams Stadium • Lynchburg, Virginia

Date: December 1, 2023
Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Game weather: 44 degrees, rain
Game attendance: 20,007
Referee: Ron Hudsoon
TV announcers (CBS Sports Network): Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Aaron Taylor (color), and Amanda Guerra (sideline)

Game information
First Quarter (10:08) NMSU – Diego Pavia 25 yard rush, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:52; New Mexico State 7–0) (6:09) LIB – Quinton Cooley 1 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:52; Tied 7–7) Second Quarter (14:55) NMSU – Ron Tiavaasue 10 yard pass from Diego Pavia, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:14; New Mexico State 14–7) (5:38) LIB – Quinton Cooley 12 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 2:17; Tied 14–14) (0:27) LIB – Noah Frith 26 yard pass from Kaidon Salter, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 8 plays, 89 yards, 1:24; Liberty 21–14) (0:03) NMSU – Trent Hudson 17 yard pass from Diego Pavia, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 0:22; Tied 21–21) Third Quarter (13:15) LIB – Quinton Cooley 4 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:40; Liberty 28–21) (9:19) LIB – CJ Daniels 20 yard pass from Kaidon Salter, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 2:30; Liberty 35–21) (9:07) NMSU – Jonathan Brady 75 yard pass from Diego Pavia, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 1 plays, 75 yards, 0:12; Liberty 35–28) (2:57) NMSU – Trent Hudson 11 yard pass from Blaze Berlowitz, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:24; Tied 35–35) Fourth Quarter (13:51) LIB – Billy Lucas 2 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:00; Liberty 42–35) (8:23) LIB – Kaidon Salter 35 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:19; Liberty 49–35)

Game information

First Quarter

(10:08) NMSU – Diego Pavia 25 yard rush, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:52; New Mexico State 7–0)
(6:09) LIB – Quinton Cooley 1 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:52; Tied 7–7)

Second Quarter

(14:55) NMSU – Ron Tiavaasue 10 yard pass from Diego Pavia, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:14; New Mexico State 14–7)
(5:38) LIB – Quinton Cooley 12 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 2:17; Tied 14–14)
(0:27) LIB – Noah Frith 26 yard pass from Kaidon Salter, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 8 plays, 89 yards, 1:24; Liberty 21–14)
(0:03) NMSU – Trent Hudson 17 yard pass from Diego Pavia, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 0:22; Tied 21–21)

Third Quarter

(13:15) LIB – Quinton Cooley 4 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:40; Liberty 28–21)
(9:19) LIB – CJ Daniels 20 yard pass from Kaidon Salter, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 5 plays, 64 yards, 2:30; Liberty 35–21)
(9:07) NMSU – Jonathan Brady 75 yard pass from Diego Pavia, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 1 plays, 75 yards, 0:12; Liberty 35–28)
(2:57) NMSU – Trent Hudson 11 yard pass from Blaze Berlowitz, Ethan Albertson kick (Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:24; Tied 35–35)

Fourth Quarter

(13:51) LIB – Billy Lucas 2 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:00; Liberty 42–35)
(8:23) LIB – Kaidon Salter 35 yard rush, Nick Brown kick (Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:19; Liberty 49–35)

Statistics	NMSU	LIB
First downs	28	34
Plays–yards	63–499	70–712
Rushes–yards	28–177	45–393
Passing yards	322	319
Passing: comp–att–int	21–35–1	20–25–0
Time of possession	30:13	29:47

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
New Mexico State	Passing	Diego Pavia	11/16, 188 yards, 3 TD
	Rushing	Diego Pavia	5 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Trent Hudson	7 receptions, 112 yards, 2 TD
Liberty	Passing	Kaidon Salter	20/25, 319 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Kaidon Salter	12 carries, 165 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	C.J. Daniels	7 receptions, 157 yards, 1 TD

References

"2023 CUSA Football Championship". Conference USA. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
"Conference USA Adds Four Members" (Press release). Conference USA. November 5, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
"New Mexico State football clinches CUSA championship game spot". Las Cruces Sun News. November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
Walls, Dave (October 24, 2023). "Liberty clinches spot in Conference USA title game with win at Western Kentucky". WSET. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
Barral, Kevin (November 4, 2023). "TAKEAWAYS: Liberty Flames to host CUSA Championship Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 11, 2023.

v t e 2023 NCAA football conference championship games
Division I FBS	ACC American Big 12 Big Ten Conference USA MAC Mountain West Pac-12 SEC Sun Belt
Division I FCS	SWAC

v t e Conference USA Football Championship Game
Years	2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Venues	Citrus Bowl (2005) Robertson Stadium (2006, 2011) Bright House Networks Stadium (2007, 2010) Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium (2008, 2012) Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium (2009) Rice Stadium (2013) Joan C. Edwards Stadium (2014, 2020) Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium (2015, 2016) FAU Stadium (2017, 2019) Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium (2018) Alamodome (2021, 2022) Williams Stadium (2023) Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium (2024)
Broadcasters

v t e Liberty Flames football
Venues	City Stadium (1973–1989) Williams Stadium (1989–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Coastal Carolina
Culture & lore	Sparky "Fan the Flames!" Spirit of the Mountain
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

v t e New Mexico State Aggies football
Venues	Miller Field (1893–1932) Quesenberry Field (1933–1949) Memorial Stadium (1950–1977) Aggie Memorial Stadium (1978–2019, 2021–present) Sun Bowl (2020)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games New Mexico: Rio Grande Rivalry UTEP: Battle of I-10
Culture & lore	Pistol Pete Aggie Fight Song Pride of New Mexico KXPZ
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

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