2023 Conference USA Football Championship Game

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.^[1]

2023 Conference USA Football Championship Game
Conference Championship
New Mexico State Aggies Liberty Flames (10–3) (12–0) 35 49 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	Conf.							Overall
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

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.^[2]

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.^[3] 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.^[4] Liberty clinched home field in the championship game following its defeat of Louisiana Tech on November 4.^[5] 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)

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