JMU Defeats Liberty In The Battle of the Blue Ridge! (9-20-25)
By: Ty Tracy
Headline Photo Credit: Brynne Smith-LMS Network
Head Coach Jamey Chadwell and the Liberty Flames welcomed the James Madison Dukes to Williams Stadium for the first time in more than a decade, rekindling a rivalry that dates back to their FCS days before both programs made the jump to the FBS level. For Liberty, the stakes were high. After dropping their last two contests, the Flames were desperate to avoid a three-game losing streak and regain momentum. Adding to the intensity, the programs unveiled the Battle of the Blue Ridge trophy last week, officially cementing their rivalry with a ten-game series set to span from 2025 through 2040.
It was a tight battle through the first two quarters as Liberty and James Madison traded blows, heading into halftime deadlocked at ten to ten. Quarterback Ethan Vasko had the Flames’ offense moving with a sense of urgency that head coach Jamey Chadwell has been searching for over the past several weeks. But Liberty’s momentum took a major hit late in the second quarter when Vasko went down with a shoulder injury after two JMU defenders landed on him. Chadwell later confirmed it was the same shoulder Vasko injured three weeks ago against Jacksonville State, an issue that has lingered since. The setback drastically altered Liberty’s game plan. With QB Ryan Burger unavailable due to concussion concerns and now Vasko sidelined, the Flames were left without an experienced quarterback, forcing them to adjust on the fly. Redshirt freshman QB Michael Merdinger stepped in to begin the second half under center, trying to keep the offense on track. Midway through the third quarter, Liberty found itself deep in JMU territory, but the drive unraveled with a holding penalty, a four-yard loss on a tackle, and an incompletion that left them facing third-and-long. Merdinger managed to connect with tight end Jacob Jenkins for a nine-yard gain to salvage some yards, but it wasn’t enough to move the chains. The Flames were forced to settle for a field goal, taking a 13–10 lead after a 13-play drive.
After Liberty’s field goal briefly gave them the lead, quarterback Alonzo Barnett and the Dukes seized control of the second half. James Madison exploited the Flames’ struggles on both sides of the ball, The Dukes marched down the field on their next possession, capping the drive with a short rushing touchdown to reclaim the lead, 17–13, late in the third quarter. The shift in momentum put pressure back on Liberty’s young quarterback and a banged-up offense to find an answer. By the early fourth quarter, the Dukes had built a commanding 24–13 lead. Though there was still time for Liberty to mount a comeback, Barnett delivered the dagger midway through the fourth quarter. On a designed run, the Junior QB broke free around the edge for a 13-yard touchdown — his second rushing score of the game — effectively sealing the 31–13 victory and sending JMU home with the inaugural Battle of the Blue Ridge trophy. The loss marked Liberty’s third straight defeat, the first time under head coach Jamey Chadwell that the Flames have dropped three in a row. For a program that had grown accustomed to resilience under Chadwell, it was a sobering moment. Defensively, Liberty had no answers for the rushing attack. James Madison piled up 233 yards on the ground, led by running backs Wayne Knight and Ayo Adeyi, who combined for 176 yards. The Dukes averaged six yards per carry, repeatedly finding success on the perimeter and wearing down the Flames’ front seven. It was a performance that underscored a troubling trend: Liberty’s run defense has now allowed an average of 226.8 rushing yards per game, the worst mark in the conference.
The Flames now face a critical stretch with conference play looming, and the list of issues remains long. Liberty has struggled to put together a complete four-quarter performance, their run defense has been exposed, and now the starting quarterback situation is up in the air with Vasko sidelined. Coach Chadwell didn’t shy away from addressing the defensive concerns postgame. “It’s been two weeks in a row where we scored, and the opposing team went right down and answered,” Chadwell said. “We’ve got to be better in those moments. When we score, we can’t let teams respond right back. We’ve got to do a better job of getting stops and not letting teams answer like that.” Safety Brylan Green echoed that sentiment, pointing to missed opportunities on key downs. “We had bad miscues at the wrong time and couldn’t get off the field on third downs,” Green said. The defense knows that if it can correct those mistakes, it can swing momentum in tight games instead of letting it slip away. Perhaps the biggest question heading into this week is who will line up under center. With Vasko’s shoulder status uncertain, redshirt freshman Michael Merdinger may be called on to make his first career start. Coach Chadwell emphasized postgame that while the adversity has been tough, the team must regroup quickly with another key matchup looming next week. The Flames travel to Norfolk on Saturday to face Old Dominion, a team coming off a bye week and brimming with confidence after upsetting Virginia Tech in Lane Stadium. For Liberty, it’s another test against an in-state rival — and a chance to right the ship before conference play begins.
