{{short description|Postseason college football bowl game}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox NCAA football yearly game | game_name = LendingTree Bowl | subheader = 23rd LendingTree Bowl | title_sponsor = | image = | caption = | date_game_played = December 18 | year_game_played = 2021 | football_season = 2021 | stadium = Hancock Whitney Stadium<ref name="hancockwhitney">{{Cite web |date=2021-11-12 |title=LendingTree Bowl Moving to Hancock Whitney Stadium |url=https://lendingtreebowl.com/2021/11/lendingtree-bowl-moving-to-hancock-whitney-stadium/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-12-04 |website=LendingTreeBowl.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112214902/https://lendingtreebowl.com/2021/11/lendingtree-bowl-moving-to-hancock-whitney-stadium/ |archive-date=2021-11-12 }}</ref> | city = Mobile, Alabama | visitor_school = Eastern Michigan University | visitor_name_short = Eastern Michigan | visitor_nickname = Eagles | visitor_record = 7–5 | visitor_conference = MAC | visitor_rank_AP = | visitor_rank_coaches = | visitor_rank_CFP = | visitor_coach = Chris Creighton | visitor_1q = 3 | visitor_2q = 7 | visitor_3q = 0 | visitor_4q = 10 | home_school = Liberty University | home_name_short = Liberty | home_nickname = Flames | home_record = 7–5 | home_conference = Independent | home_rank_AP = | home_rank_coaches = | home_rank_CFP = | home_coach = Hugh Freeze | home_1q = 13 | home_2q = 20 | home_3q = 16 | home_4q = 7 | MVP = Malik Willis (QB, Liberty)<ref>{{cite tweet |user=CregStephenson |number=1472394882023104519 |title=Malik Willis is your game MVP after accounting for 289 yards & 5 TDs. |date=December 18, 2021 |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> | odds = Liberty by 8.5 | anthem = | halftime = | referee = Trennis Livingston (Sun Belt) <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.footballzebras.com/2021/12/2021-22-bowl-officiating-assignments/|title=2021-22 bowl officiating assignments|website=footballzebras.com|date=December 2021|accessdate=December 11, 2021}}</ref> | attendance = 15,186 | payout = | us_network = ESPN | us_announcers = Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), and Jalyn Johnson (sideline) | ratings = | intl_network = | intl_announcers = | different_previous = 2020 (Dec.) }} The '''2021 LendingTree Bowl''' was a college football bowl game played on December 18, 2021, and televised on ESPN.<ref>{{cite web |title=2021 College Football Bowl Schedule |url=https://fbschedules.com/college-football-bowl-schedule/season/2021/ |website=FBSchedules.com |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref> It was the 23rd edition of the LendingTree Bowl, and was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Online lending marketplace LendingTree was the game's title sponsor. This was the first LendingTree bowl to be played at Hancock Whitney Stadium, following 22 editions at Ladd–Peebles Stadium.
Originally scheduled to kickoff at 5:45 p.m. EST (4:45 p.m. local CST), the start of the game was pushed back 15 minutes due to local weather conditions.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=CregStephenson |number=1472335484382859272 |title=Due to a short weather delay, the LendingTree Bowl between Liberty & Eastern Michigan will kick off at 5 p.m. (rather than 4:45 as originally scheduled). |date=December 18, 2021 |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> Liberty defeated Eastern Michigan, 56–20, to claim their third consecutive bowl victory.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://newsadvance.com/sports/college/liberty_university/willis-shines-as-liberty-wins-lendingtree-bowl/article_2726ac3e-6074-11ec-a2e0-ff3fcbe2fe6b.html|title=Willis shines as Liberty wins LendingTree Bowl|date=December 18, 2021|agency=The News & Advance|author=Sordelett, Damien|accessdate=December 19, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219204810/https://newsadvance.com/sports/college/liberty_university/willis-shines-as-liberty-wins-lendingtree-bowl/article_2726ac3e-6074-11ec-a2e0-ff3fcbe2fe6b.html|archivedate=December 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/2021/12/eastern-michigan-cant-contain-liberty-qb-malik-willis-in-lending-tree-bowl-loss.html|title=Eastern Michigan can't contain Liberty QB Malik Willis in Lending Tree Bowl loss|date=December 19, 2021|agency=MLive.com|author=Wickliffe, Greg|accessdate=December 19, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219204923/https://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/2021/12/eastern-michigan-cant-contain-liberty-qb-malik-willis-in-lending-tree-bowl-loss.html|archivedate=December 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/2021/12/18/emu-football-score-liberty-qb-malik-willis-lending-tree-bowl/8957959002/|title=Eastern Michigan football burned by Liberty, QB Malik Willis, 56-20, in Lending Tree Bowl|date=December 18, 2021|agency=Detroit Free Press|author=Stephenson, Craig|accessdate=December 19, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219204931/https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/2021/12/18/emu-football-score-liberty-qb-malik-willis-lending-tree-bowl/8957959002/|archivedate=December 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2021/12/18/liberty-qb-willis-accounts-five-touchdowns-rout-eastern-michigan/8957979002/|title=Liberty QB Willis accounts for five touchdowns in rout of Eastern Michigan|date=December 18, 2021|agency=The Detroit News|author=Stephenson, Creg|accessdate=December 19, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219205006/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2021/12/18/liberty-qb-willis-accounts-five-touchdowns-rout-eastern-michigan/8957979002/|archivedate=December 19, 2021}}</ref>
==Teams== This will be the second meeting between Eastern Michigan and Liberty; the Flames defeated the Eagles (then known as the Hurons), 25–24, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on October 14, 1989.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Winsipedia - Liberty vs. Eastern Michigan |url=http://www.winsipedia.com/liberty/vs/eastern-michigan |url-status=live |access-date=2021-12-05 |website=Winsipedia.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202153039/http://www.winsipedia.com/liberty/vs/eastern-michigan |archive-date=2020-12-02 }}</ref>
===Liberty Flames=== {{main|2021 Liberty Flames football team}}
===Eastern Michigan Eagles=== {{main|2021 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team}} {{Clear}}
==Game summary== {{Americanfootballbox |titlestyle= background:#00B67C; color:#ffffff; {{box-shadow border|a|#000000|2px}}; text-align:center; |state=uncollapsed |bg=#fff |bg2=#eee |title=2021 LendingTree Bowl |date=Saturday, December 18, 2021 |time=5:45 p.m. EST (4:45 p.m. local CST) |road=Eastern Michigan |R1=3|R2=7|R3=0|R4=10 |home=Liberty |H1=13|H2=20|H3=16|H4=7 |stadium= Hancock Whitney Stadium • Mobile, Alabama |attendance=15,186 |weather=Overcast, humid • '''Temperature''': {{convert|71|F|C}} • '''Wind''': N {{convert|7|mph|kph|abbr=on}} |referee= |TV=ESPN |TVAnnouncers=Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), and Jalyn Johnson (sideline) |reference= [https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401331169 Box score] |scoring= ;First quarter * 7:48 EMU – Chad Ryland 27-yard field goal. ''Drive: 14 plays, 66 yards, 7:12.'' '''Eastern Michigan 3–0''' * 3:08 LIB – DJ Stubbs 54-yard pass from Malik Willis, Brayden Beck kick good. ''Drive: 5 plays, 85 yards, 1:32.'' '''Liberty 7–3''' * 2:27 LIB – Skyler Thomas 27-yard interception return, Brayden Beck kick failed. '''Liberty 13–3''' ;Second quarter * 13:01 EMU – Samson Evans 2-yard run, Chad Ryland kick good. ''Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:26.'' '''Liberty 13–10''' * 12:07 LIB – T. J. Green 24-yard run, Brayden Beck kick failed. ''Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:54.'' '''Liberty 19–10''' * 6:22 LIB – Johnny Huntley 20-yard pass from Malik Willis, Brayden Beck kick good. ''Drive: 12 plays, 88 yards, 3:32.'' '''Liberty 26–10''' * 0:16 LIB – Malik Willis 2-yard run, Brayden Beck kick good. ''Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 1:56.'' '''Liberty 33–10''' ;Third quarter * 11:02 LIB – Malik Willis 35-yard run, conversion run failed. ''Drive: 2 plays, 52 yards, 0:34.'' '''Liberty 39–10''' * 7:08 LIB – Brayden Beck 43-yard field goal. ''Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 1:32.'' '''Liberty 42–10''' * 2:44 LIB – Demario Douglas 2-yard pass from Malik Willis, Brayden Beck kick good. ''Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 3:22.'' '''Liberty 49–10''' ;Fourth quarter * 10:58 LIB – Kevin Shaa 64-yard pass from Johnathan Bennett, Brayden Beck kick good. ''Drive: 1 plays, 64 yards, 0:08.'' '''Liberty 56–10''' * 5:26 EMU – Chad Ryland 43-yard field goal. ''Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 5:32.'' '''Liberty 56–13''' * 4:29 EMU – Jeff Hubbard 34-yard interception return, Chad Ryland kick good. '''Liberty 56–20''' }}
===Statistics=== {{AmFootballGameStatistics | Float = left | Visitor = Eastern Michigan Eagles | VisitorDisplay = EMU | Home = Liberty Flames | HomeDisplay = LIB | VisFirsts = 23 | VisPlaysYds = 84–379 | VisRushing = 39–125 | VisPassYds = 254 | VisPassing = 28–44–1 | VisTOP = 37:23 | HomeFirsts = 21 | HomePlaysYds = 61–528 | HomeRushing = 35–223 | HomePassYds = 295 | HomePassing = 14–26–1 | HomeTOP = 22:37 }} {{AmFootballGameTopPlayers | Float = right | Visitor = Eastern Michigan Eagles | VisitorDisplay = Eastern Michigan | Home = Liberty Flames | HomeDisplay = Liberty | VisPasser = Ben Bryant | VisPassStats = 23/36, 200 yards, INT | VisRusher = Samson Evans | VisRushStats = 13 carries, 52 yards, TD | VisReceiver = Hassan Beydoun | VisReceivingStats = 11 receptions, 83 yards | HomePasser = Malik Willis | HomePassStats = 13/24, 231 yards, 3 TD | HomeRusher = T.J. Green | HomeRushStats = 8 carries, 88 yards, TD | HomeReceiver = Kevin Shaa | HomeReceivingStats = 3 receptions, 94 yards, TD }} {{clear}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=380558 Game statistics] at statbroadcast.com
{{2021 bowl game navbox}} {{LendingTree Bowl navbox}} {{Eastern Michigan Eagles bowl game navbox}} {{Liberty Flames bowl game navbox}}
LendingTree Bowl Category:68 Ventures Bowl Category:Eastern Michigan Eagles football bowl games Category:Liberty Flames football bowl games LendingTree Bowl LendingTree Bowl