LYNCHBURG, VA - Liberty senior running back Dre Barnes rushed for 211 yards on 30 carries and Sam Gado added 150 yards as the Flames ran past Charleston Southern, 34-6, in Big South Conference action on Saturday.

Liberty improves to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in the Big South while the Buccaneers fall to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league play. Charleston Southern will host Allen University in a non-conference game on next Saturday.

Liberty rushed for 375 yards against a Buccaneer defense that was allowing only 135 yards rushing per game for the season. Liberty finished the contest with 485 total yards, 200 more yards than CSU's defensive average in the first six games.

"Barnes had a `S' on his chest today," said CSU head coach Jay Mills. "He really looked in top form today and their offensive line did a great job. Not to take anything away from Liberty, but this was not our best performance today. We didn't tackle very well defensively and we didn't play our best offensively either."

Liberty put the game away with a 20-point second quarter after taking a 7-0 lead in the first. Gado scored two first-half touchdowns and Barnes scored once as Liberty rolled up 303 yards in the first 30 minutes.

Offensively, the Buccaneers managed only 66 yards rushing in the game while quarterback Collin Drafts threw for 243, completing 25-of-45 passes with a touchdown pass to Eddie Gadson in the fourth quarter.

"Collin missed some throws today and our receivers missed a few that we should've caught, but that happens in this game," said Mills. "I think the difference today was that we weren't able to overcome the mistakes. For most of the first six games, we had been able to do that. I think every player on this team will be the first to tell you that they didn't play to the best of their ability today. We'll move on and try to have a better day next week."

Gado opened the scoring with 8:36 to play in the first quarter, scoring on a 21-yard run to cap a 68-yard drive. The Flames scored through the air in the second quarter when quarterback Brock Farrell hit Lauren Williams with a nine-yard pass.

Gado added a one-yard with 2:30 to play in the second quarter. On CSU's first offensive play after the score, Drafts fumbled a high snap in the shotgun and the Flames recovered at the CSU 37-yard line. Liberty needed four plays to score with Barnes taking it in from three yards out and the Flames led, 27-0.

CSU's defense did come away with a better feeling after a stronger second-half performance. Liberty scored just once over the final two periods and Mills saw a better effort from his unit.

"We lost the game today and we're not happy about that but I saw some character from our kids in the second-half," said Mills. "I thought we competed very well in the second half and I thought we played with some pride."

A victory next Saturday would tie the school record for wins in a season with five.