Liberty Upsets Division I-A Foe

Itwas a featthatmany thought plau- Libertystudents-whomadethe 10-hourtrip sible, yetvery unlikely. It was a challenge to thesmalltown nearDetroit-orfans that thatwould driveeveryLibertyfootballteam werepresentamong the fourteenthousand member thatplayedthateveningtohisulti- that evening. Question what the atmosmatepotentialandbeyondhismaximum ef- phere was likeafterEricGreen caughtthe fort Itwas a good Division I-AA squad winning touchdown passwith eleven secworking its way steadily up theladder of onds left, and many exuberant wordslike successversusan established DivisionI-A bedlamandfrenzywillcometomind;yet,all team thathad received national exposure willagree thatthis victorywas something duetoitsundefeatedrecordandexceptional special. play. But when itwasover,LibertyUniver- Variouscomponentsofthe game added sity had defeated itsfirstDivisionI-A foot- u p to make this one soextraordinary.Perballteam inastirring25-24win. hapsitwas the way inwhichLU wasthrust

Specialgames likethisone played be- into the overmatched,underdog role that tween Liberty and Eastern Michigan Uni- made the victoryunique,orthe way Robbie versifyhappen only occasionally. Inquire among any ofthe the few hundred, unified •

Justino,who wasstartinghisfirstgameever and filling in atquarterbackfor the injured Paul Johnson, survived a stormy second half and led LU's finalcharge of66 yards that was inspiring The performance of the Liberty defense, who played sowell the entiregame,was gallantas it twice stopped Eastern Michiganon4th and shortlatein the game to give the offense one last shot. And who can forget the moment when Green's winning catchwas made and the Liberty faithful hugged, screamed,andnearlybrought down the bleachers only to stormthe fieldastimeexpired. It's too bad that these games happen onlyoccasionally. And asLibertystriveson its pursuit of Notre Dame, many will never remember LU's first win against aDivisionI-A school. But for those who participated and were present on that night,it will neverbe forgotten. '

Paul Jimenez