CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern finished its perfect 2015 Big South – and FCS - season with a resilient 31-24 win over Liberty on Saturday afternoon at Buccaneer Field. 

CSU (9-1, 6-0 Big South) becomes only the second team to finish a Big South season unbeaten, but it didn't come easy. 

The Buccaneers overcame a pick-six and another turnover deep in their own territory that led to a score, with a stingy defense and a career-high 301 yards and four touchdown passes from quarterback Austin Brown. 

The Bucs' defense, which entered the game No. 1 nationally in total defense, held Liberty to 284 total yards and 3-of-13 on third down. Head coach Jamey Chadwell enjoyed his second Gatorade bath in as many weeks and praised his team's toughness in earning the school's first outright Big South title. 

"We make things interesting," Chadwell said. "We played about as bad as we could at times in the first half. But our defense kept us in it and we persevered. It wasn't pretty, but we are outright Big South champs and that is special. 

No one was too upset [at half time]," Chadwell added. "We are a second half team. Our best performances have come in the second half of games. We knew that and I think it allowed us to stay calm even though we weren't playing well and come out ready to play like we knew we could in the second half." 

The Bucs finish the regular season unbeaten in FCS play at 8-0 and will find out their playoff fate on Nov. 22, when the FCS Playoff bracket is announced. The selection show is live on ESPNU at 11 a.m. The first round of the FCS Playoffs are Nov. 28 with the top-eight seeds receiving a bye to the second round on Dec. 5. CSU is one of three playoff-eligible teams unbeaten against FCS teams this season. 

"Hopefully we've done enough to get that first round bye," Chadwell said of his team's playoff potential. "We've put together a pretty good resume. We really deserve it. But, hey, when you get into the dance, you want to win the whole thing. That's what we are gearing up to do." 

Brown found Kenny Dinkins and Nathan Perera for two touchdowns each and became the first player to throw for 300 yards since Chadwell took over at CSU. He struggled at times to get moving downfield in the Bucs' option attack, but denied Liberty a chance to tie the game in the closing minutes with a clutch conversion on fourth-and-1. 

Despite controlling much of the first half, CSU found itself trailing at the half for the first time in almost a month. 

The Bucs struck first as Brown found a diving Dinkins in the corner of the end zone for 12 yards and a 7-0 lead. CSU capitalized on an early fumble by Liberty to start with good field position at the Flames' 39. 

Liberty's defense kept the Flames in the game early. Jeremy Peters stepped in front of an Austin Brown pass and returned the interception 44 yards for Liberty's first score, tying the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter. 

CSU tried to answer right back, driving the ball inside the Flames' 1-yard line, but the Liberty defense pinned CSU running back Michael Holloway in the backfield on fourth-and-goal from the one to end the threat. 

Liberty grabbed a 14-10 lead just before the half on a 13-yard run by quarterback Josh Woodrum, taking advantage of a CSU fumble deep in its own territory. 

The Bucs seemed to right the ship offensively after two costly turnovers in the first half. Brown found Dinkins for his second touchdown of the game less than two minutes into the half. A pump fake left a streaking Dinkins wide open behind the Flames' secondary to give CSU a 17-14 lead. 

A 15-yard TD reception on third-and-goal by Nathan Perera gave CSU a 24-21 lead with 3:35 to play in the third. 

Perera added his final score, the go-ahead TD, with 5:16 to play, finding a hole in the middle of the end zone to give CSU a 31-24 lead. 

The Bucs' defense turned back Liberty on its final two possessions. Nick Sands slung down Todd Macon for a 4-yard loss on one possession and Anthony Ellis bulldozed his blocker into Woodrum for a sack to end Liberty's last gasp. 

CSU outgained Liberty, 460-274, and held the Flames to only 53 rushing yards. Brown was 20-of-34 for 301 yards and four touchdowns. 

Ben Robinson had 67 yards rushing on four carries and Holloway added 64 to lead CSU's rushing attack. Punter Truett Burns had his most effective game of the year with three kicks for a 48.0 average. 

Liberty defensive end Chima Uzowihe led the Flames with three tackles for loss. 

Linebacker Aaron Brown had eight tackles and Anthony Ellis added three tackles for loss for CSU. 

CSU travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. next Saturday to face Alabama. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. ET at Bryant-Denney Stadium. The game will be carried on the SEC Network.

-CSU-