Fan the Flames Football Preview: Akron

 After coming OH so close against Wake Forest, the Flames return to the friendly confines of Williams Stadium and welcome another first-time visitor in the Akron Zips, the second team from the MAC to come to Lynchburg since the move to FBS (Buffalo visited in 2019)

Akron (1-2)

vs.

Liberty (2-1)

Liberty and Akron meet for the first time in 20 years this Saturday night. The Zips hosted the Flames in 2002 when Liberty was still an FCS program. Akron won that game 49-21, but the Flames have come a VERY long way since that meeting, and the Zips have been one of the worst teams in FBS in the last 10 years. Dating back to 2003, Akron has finished with a sub-.500 record 13 times, including 3 seasons of 1-11 and an 0-12 season in 2019. Liberty hopes to even things up this week, and expect the Flames to be favored in this one.

Matchup

Location: Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA

Series:  Akron leads 1-0

Last Meeting: October 12, 2002 (Akron 49-21)

Kickoff: 6:00 p.m.

Radio: The Journey FM Radio Network/Liberty Flames Sports Network (Liberty) Alan York play-by-play; Akron Zips Radio Network (Akron) Mike Skoczen play-by-play

Television: ESPN+/Liberty Flames Sports Network, Matt Warner play-by-play

Coaches: Hugh Freeze (4th season at Liberty 29-11 record), Tom Arth (4th season at Akron 4-29 record

Last Week: Liberty lost to Wake Forest 37-36, Akron lost to Tennessee 63-6

Akron has not gotten their offense going outside of a 30-23 win over St. Francis in the opener. Granted, their last two games were against Power 5 schools on the road, but the offense has to travel to have any success and if the Zips don't find a way to move the ball against a very good Liberty defense, this could be another blowout. 

Liberty 49

Akron 14

Fan the Flames Football Preview: Wake Forest

 Well folks, after a three-year hiatus, I am back. Thank you to Jacob Bleymaier and The Point for giving me an opportunity to return to my roots and write about Liberty Football. After taking the first couple of weeks to get things somewhat settled, I am back in action so let's open this week with a quick recap of the Flames' home opener against UAB.

Kaidon Salter opened the game as the starter and with the exception of a couple plays near the goal line, carried the load for Liberty all night, finishing 13/25 for 202 yards while adding  89 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries as the defense bowed up and made the plays when it mattered and LU won 21-14

The Blazers' double-barreled rushing attack of Dewayne McBride and Jermaine Brown Jr, did finish with 285 yards and 2 TDs, but the Liberty defense forced four fumbles and extinguished the Blazers when it mattered most. Robert "Rocket" Rahimi and "The General" Javon Scruggs each had 6 tackles and a fumble recovery to lead the way.

Now on to the biggest game of the year for the Flames thus far...

#18 Wake Forest (2-0)

vs.

Liberty (2-0)

The Liberty Flames make their first trip to Winston-Salem since 2012 to face off with the Demon Deacons. This is also the first road game for Liberty against a ranked FBS opponent since their own move to FBS. This is also the first time LU has traveled to a ranked ACC school since 2014 when they traveled to North Carolina in 2014 (a game the Flames lost 56-29). Wake Forest is coming off an outstanding 2021 season, winning 11 games, qualifying for the ACC Championship game (where they lost to Kenny Pickett and Pittsburgh), and winning the Gator Bowl over Rutgers 38-10. 

The Deacs are red hot on offense, led by Sam Hartman, who returned to the program after contemplating going to the NFL, and they have scored 40+ points in wins over FCS (and former Big South rival to Liberty) VMI and Vanderbilt from the SEC. 

On paper, this sounds like it would be a blowout loss for Liberty, but we all know football games arent played out on paper, or on internet message boards. Kaidon Salter is improving as he acclimates to being "the guy" under center for Liberty, but head coach Hugh Freeze knows he has weapons at his disposal and has a defense that has gotten after it in the first two games, with LU currently in the top 5 in the country in a number of defensive categories.

Matchup

Location:Truist Field at Wake Forest, Winston Salem, NC

Series:  Wake Forest leads 3-0

Last Meeting: September 1, 2012 (Wake Forest 20-17)

Kickoff: 5:00 p.m.

Radio: The Journey FM Radio Network/Liberty Flames Sports Network (Liberty) Alan York play-by-play; Wake Forest Radio Network (Wake Forest) Stan Cotten play-by-play

Television: ACC Network, Mike Corey play-by-play

Coaches: Hugh Freeze (4th season at Liberty 28-11 record), Dave Clawson (9th season at WF 53-48 record

Last Week: Liberty d. UAB 21-14, Wake Forest d. Vanderbilt 45-25

If you followed the chatter on the message boards and social media communities for both schools, you'd think that Wake Forest would roll over Liberty like their first two opponents. The thing that Liberty could use to their advantage though is Wake hosts Clemson in their ACC opener next Saturday night, and while not as dominant as the team when Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson (both now in the NFL) were calling signals for the Tigers, Wake Forest could be looking ahead because Clemson has won 13 straight meetings in this series, and this may be one of the best opportunities for a win in that series. With that in mind, it would be a prime opportunity for the Flames to pull an upset.

Liberty cannot afford a slow start offensively though if they want to pull that off. This is a Wake Forest team that has scored LESS than 30 points just twice in the last 16 games. If Liberty's defense eats like they did against UAB and forces a LOT of turnovers, this could be a very low-scoring game. Otherwise, this one could get ugly very quickly.

Liberty 27

Wake Forest 24

Fan the Flames 2019 Season Postmortem

Well the 2019 season came to a close last Saturday and what  finish it was. Stephen Calvert finished his final game in a Liberty uniform with 270 yards and 2 touchdowns, Frankie Hickson finished with 125 yards and became the first Liberty back since Rashad Jennings with back-to-back 1,000 yard rushing seasons and the Liberty defense held one of the top rushing offenses in the country to 154 net yards rushing and one touchdown to win the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl 23-16 in Orlando, Florida.

This put a bow on a season that exceeded expectations. Liberty ended a string of six-win seasons, won the first bowl game in school history, and saw a number of records broken.

The season began with the first ever Power 5 team to come to Lynchburg in Syracuse, and Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze battling an infection that left him in a hospital bed coaching from the press box and a 24-0 Liberty loss, the first shutout against the Flames since 2005. After another loss to Louisiana down on the bayou, the Flames ripped off seven wins in the next 10 games, Freeze returned to the sidelines and thanks to Memphis (who lost in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl 53039 to Penn State as I write this), qualified for the first bowl in school history.

I said on the A Sea of Red Forums, that this is a special time and Liberty is a special place, and this has a chance to be a great program that can become a cornerstone of athletic success for everyone to build on. Liberty will have to replace major players on offense in Calvert, record setting favorite target Antonio Gandy-Golden and Hickson, but there are very talented players looking to be the "next man up" at all three areas and I look forward to seeing the Flames in spring ball and as we head toward the 2020 opener at Virginia Tech.

Fan the Flames Bowl Game Preview: FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl

The Liberty Flames become the fifth team to play in a bowl game in their first year of bowl eligibility today as they take the field for the final game of year one of the Hugh Freeze era down in Orlando Florida...

Liberty (7-5, FBS Independent)

vs. 

Georgia Southern (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt)

Liberty joins Appalachian State, and today's opponent among those five teams. Georgia Southern was one of the blue blood 1-AA/FCS programs when they relaunched their football program in 1981, winning six national championships before making the move to FBS following the 2012 season along with Appalachian State (who is playing in the New Orleans Bowl later this evening). The Eagles have rebounded nicely in the second full season under Chad Lunsford after winning only five total games under Tyson Summers after winning the GoDaddy Bowl in 2015. Liberty 's story has been well documented under first year head coach Hugh Freeze, who took two years off following his ouster at Ole Miss. The Flames won exactly six games four straight seasons under former head coach Turner Gill, and five of his seven seasons at the helm ended with exactly 6 wins. Hugh Freeze improved the record from the previous year at each of his previous stops in the first season (though the vast majority of his victories at Ole Miss have since been vacated by the NCAA as a result of violations) and improved it at Liberty as well (albeit by one victory). 

Let's take a look at the game itself

Matchup

Location:Exploria Stadium Orlando, FL

Series:  First Meeting

Last Meeting: First Meeting

Kickoff: 2:30 p.m.

Radio: The Journey FM Radio Network/Liberty Flames Sports Network (Liberty) Alan York play-by-play; Georgia Southern Sports Network, Danny Reed play-by-play

Television: CBS Sports Network, Carter Blackburn play-by-play

Coaches: Hugh Freeze (First season at Liberty 7-5 record) , Chad Lunsford (2nd* season at GSU 19-12 record

Last Week: Liberty d. New Mexico State 49-28, Georgia Southern d. Georgia State 38-10

If there is one thing that the Eagles are known for, especially post-Paul Johnson, it is the triple option. Georgia Southern finished 8th in the nation in rushing with 261.5 yards per game and six different players rushing for 100 or more yards at least once in a game, including quarterback Shai Werts. Liberty finished the regular season 100th in FBS in rushing yards allowed at 192.5 yards per game. Liberty's strength is the passing game, finishing 21st in the regular year with just south of 291 yards passing per game, with Stephen Calvert resetting the passing annals in school history after finishing with 3,393 yards in his senior campaign.

This has been an interesting one to handicap for me. My heart wants me to go with Liberty, since it is my alma mater, but they will be facing a well-oiled machine in the Georgia Southern triple option and I expect Werts as well as top running back Wesley Kennedy to get quite a bit of activity against the Flames' front seven.

Liberty 28
Georgia Southern 37

THE FLAMES ARE GOING BOWLING!!!

The Liberty Flames made history today as they accepted an invitation to the Cure Bowl in Orlando Florida Sunday afternoon

LIBERTY is going bowling for the first time in school history as the Flames accept an invite to the Cure Bowl, will face Georgia Southern. More here:https://t.co/rgNiBjLnML pic.twitter.com/mRwzaEs8pj

— A Sea of Red (@ASeaofRed) December 8, 2019

Making history. #RiseWithUs #TougherTogether

🎟: https://t.co/GuUBTNh403 pic.twitter.com/qwWeVg0Kdg

— Liberty Football (@LibertyFootball) December 8, 2019

Liberty finished the 2019 regular season with a 41-7 win over New Mexico State in Lynchburg to become bowl eligible, but had to wait until Memphis defeated Cincinnati in the American Conference championship game to earn a New Year's Six invitation to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium December 28.

Liberty will face old FCS foe Georgia Southern, now a member of the Sun Belt Conference, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando December 21 at 2:30 p.m. The game will air on CBS Sports Network.

Fan the Flames Beat Writer Interview: Bye Week Part 2 (Liberty)

Liberty came up on the short end of a 31-24 score in Provo last week in front of a national TV audience on ESPNU against BYU. Despite the loss, Liberty presented themselves very well against a very good Cougars team and still position themselves for a possible bowl game invitation with two games remaining.

With Liberty on a rare second bye week, I had a chance to chat with Jon Manson from A Sea of Red, another independent website about Liberty Athletics. You can check out their outstanding content at www.aseaofred.com. Here is what he had to say:

Fan the Flames:Thanks for taking the time to chat on this bye week. As Liberty heads into the final games of the season (next week against UVa and the finale against New Mexico State), would it be fair to say that Liberty has played above expectations, met expectations or below expectations in the first year under Hugh Freeze?
Jon Manson, A Sea of Red: The Flames have met expectations so far. They've won the games they were supposed to win and lost the ones they were expected to lose. The team's performance against BYU was better than expected, and the Flames still have a chance to exceed expectations with a win at Virginia next week. Most that follow Liberty closely would have predicted a 7-5 record prior to the season, as I did, and that is certainly the most likely finish for the team.
FTF: Despite a rough stretch the first two games against Syracuse and Louisiana (the former of who has seen quite a downturn following their very successful season a year ago), Buckshot Calvert has just about claimed every career passing record Liberty has to offer (save completion percentage and passing efficiency) and just about every single season passing record as well. Where would he (or should he) rank in the pantheon of all-time Liberty quarterbacks?
ASOR: He's the best ever. I don't see how you can make the case for someone else with all he's done. Plus, he's done it the past two years against FBS competition. The season he's having this year, is one that could be considered the best single season by a Liberty quarterback ever. It's just that he's being overshadowed by the greatness that is AGG.
FTF: Liberty needs a single win in the remaining two games to claim bowl eligibility for 2019. What do you think the team's mindset is heading into a very difficult venue in Charlottesville next week to begin this final two game stretch?
ASOR: They will be laser focused and expecting a win. Liberty proved against BYU it can compete with most teams and Virginia is no different.
FTF: Would this season be considered a success even without a bowl victory or bowl appearance?
ASOR: Without a bowl victory, certainly. Without a bowl appearance, it would leave a sour taste in everyone's mouths. If the Flames finish 6-6 that would be a huge let down, but getting to 7-5 should be seen as a success even if Liberty doesn't get a bowl invite.
FTF: What sort of performance do you think Antonio Gandy-Golden will need not only in these last two games, but also in the Senior Bowl and in a likely trip to the NFL Scouting Combine next year to cement himself on day one or early on day two of the NFL Draft?
ASOR: I don't think the last two games matter too much. If he were going against like first or second round pick Bryce Hall against Virginia, that would be a huge test, but Hall is out with an injury. The Senior Bowl will be huge for him. A good performance there and he will be sitting pretty for a first or second day selection.
FTF: With the recent changes at head coach at both Florida State and Arkansas, two Power 5 programs, Hugh Freeze's name has come up as a possible candidate. Do you think he would jump ship at one of those or another Power 5 head coaching position should it come up in this offseason?
ASOR:  If he's offered an SEC head coaching job this offseason, yes I would expect him to leave, but I don't think he will be offered a head coaching job at an SEC school this offseason.
FTF: Who are players that we need to watch out for as we come to the close of the 2019 season heading into the offseason and looking at 2020?
ASOR: Quarterback and wide receiver will be the biggest question marks. How will Malik Willis and Johnathan Bennett fare at QB, and who could step in to try to help soften the loss of AGG. But no reason to talk about 2020 right now, there's still plenty to play for this year. Buckshot and AGG don't walk in the door every day.

Fan the Flames Football Preview Game #10: BYU

Matchup

Location:LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT

Series:  First Meeting

Last Meeting: First Meeting

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

Radio: The Journey FM Radio Network/Liberty Flames Sports Network (Liberty) Alan York play-by-play; BYU Sports Network, Greg Wrubell play-by-play

Television: ESPNU, Mike Corey play-by-play

Coaches: Hugh Freeze (First season at Liberty 6-3 record) , Kalani Sitake (Fourth season at BYU 24-23 record)

Last Week: Liberty d. Massachusetts 63-21, BYU d. Utah State 42-14

BYU is one of the best known independent programs in FBS next to Notrre Dame, though the Cougars have only been an independent since 2011 after a lengthy membership in the Mountain West Conference as well as its precursor, the WAC. BYU has a pair of very athletic quarterbacks Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney (nephew to former presidential candidate and current US Senator from Utah Mitt Romney), both of whom have seen time for the Cougars after sophomore Zach Wilson, who began the season as the starter, went down with an injury against Toledo. Expect both to be in action tonight under the lights tonight.

For Liberty to have a chance in this game, they will need to play very much like they did against Baylor in 2017...fast. Get the ball out of Buckshot's hands quickly and into his playmakers in AGG, Noah Frith, Kevin Shaa and others. Also, they will need a bigger contribution from the run game as well.

I expect BYU to win this game, but I picked Baylor when Liberty went down to Waco, and I would not be surprised to see the Flames shock a national TV audience once again and punch their ticket to a bowl game this holiday season.

Liberty 28
BYU 52