Fan the Flames Recap: Lafayette

Brock Smith had a career high passing the football and Rashad Jennings recorded his 18th 100 yard rushing game, but it was nto enough as the Flames fell to Lafayette 35-21. This snapped LU's 11 game home winning streak, its 11 game overall winning streak. The Flames could not overcome two major special teams miscues, the first being a muffed punt by the usually sure-handed Dominic Bolden, and then a blocked punt for a TD, the first allowed by the Flames since 2001. Liberty did their best to make a game of it late, but a stop inside the Lafayette one and then a fake punt by the Leopards effectively sealed matters.



Stars of the Game:

1. Brock Smith: Even in spite of the loss, Smith has a career high in passing yards (344), pass attempts (37) and nearly had a career high in completions as LU rolled up huge offensive numbers.

2. Rashad Jennings: What else can you say? His 18th career 100 yard game and a highlight 58 yard TD run to spark the Flames in the second quarter.

Dominic Bolden: Despite the fumble on the punt return, the senior did have a career day receiving the ball.


Key Stats:

1. Smith 24-37-344 yds-2 TDs-1 INT
2. Jennings 20 carries-148 yards-1 TD

Liebrty doesnt have much time to rebound as the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern come to town for Homecoming. Game time is set for 3:30 PM.


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Fan the Flames Prediction: Lafayette

This is a pretty important game for the Flames. Lafayette is 4-1 and is right on the cusp of being ranked. This game could be a big game for the Leopards but I think its even bigger for the home team as a loss here would be absolutely devastating. Lafayette has yet to score 30 points this season (they last did against Holy Cross last season) while Liberty has scored at least 30 points in all but one game this season and only failed to score 30 twice in the last 17 games. Additionally, (completely off the wall stat alert)Liberty has won 42 consecutive games at home when scoring at least 30 points. The last time they lost? November 2, 1991 against James Madison University (current #1 team in the land in I-AA/FCS football). I think that the Flames need to again get off to a fast start and I think that Rashad Jennings has a chance to put himself at the forefront in the Payton Award talk with this game. When I originally made my prediction on Flamefans (http://www.flamefans.com) I had this game picked 28-24. After doing a lot of reasearch this week I am going to adjust it a bit and say that LU keeps all their streaks going and gets a key win.


Liberty 35
Lafayette 20

Fan the Flames Preview: Game #7

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Liberty steps out of conference for the 5th time in 7 games as they play host for the first time to Lafayette College out of the Patriot League. Although teh Leopards are fairly new to Flames fans, they have played a team that LC fans are extremely familiar with, Lehigh University. Lafayette and Lehigh have one of the longest active rivalries in all of college football as they will mark the 144th meeting of the two schools the final week of the regular season. LC comes to town winners of 4 of 5 to start the season (with the one loss coming two weeks ago to Harvard 27-13).

The Flames come in with the longest active winning streak in I-AA/FCS football at 11 wins in a row as well as the second longest active home winning streak at 11 in a row (behind the University of Dayton who has won 12 in a row and is at Davidson this weekend) and the Flames have not lost a game out of conference since losing to Toledo 35-34 last season).

Lafayette is led by their quarterback Rob Curley. He came in for 4 games last season (3-1 record) and actually played the Lehigh game with a broken hand and threw for the winning TD. Curley has 820 yards passing along with 5 TDs and 3 picks through 5 games this year.


I'll have my prediction for this game later in the week.


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Fan the Flames Recap: Stony Brook

Teh numbers may not have been as eyepopping but you dont have to win every game 63-0 to dominate. Brock Smith threw for a TD and Rashad Jennings ran for two more as the Flames extended all three of their winnings streaks with a 33-0 win over the Stony Brook Seawolves. Defensive back Ryan Greiser also made an impact with a vicious hit on Lynell Suggs on SBU's first offensive possession. The Flames will probably be on the cusp of the top 10 in most rankings come tomorrow night.

Stars of the Game:

1. Mike Brown: This guy is going to be something else. He had a sweeping 30 yard TD on an end around on the Flames second offensive possession and made his presence felt all over the field
2. The Flames defensive backfield: Along with Greiser's crushing hit, Pat Calvary had an interception and they generally shut down the Seawolves' air attack even though Dayne Hoffman did finish with over 100 yards.

Key Stats:

Brock Smith: 14-20-136 yards-1 TD-0 INT, RAshad Jennings: 24 carries-101 yards 2 TDs, Dominic Bolden: 4 catches-46 yards-1 TD, Matt Bevins 4 punts-167 yards 2-2 FG (27 yards, 22 yards)

The Flames step out of conference this weekend as the Lafayette Leopards come to town on Family Weekend. Game time is set for 3:30 PM


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Fan the Flames Prediction: Game #6

Stony Brook is a team that many Flames fans are not all that familiar with (unless you happen to be from New York). They have two very good running backs in Edwin Gowins and COnte Cuttino. The thing is that as I said Monday, the Seawolves have been outscored by almost 5:1 in the last 4 games. I was reading a piece by Liberty beat writer Chris Lang and he mentioned that Stony Brook has never beaten a full scholarship I-AA/FCS team on the road. Liberty is still in a back and forth for the longest active home winning streak in the country with Dayton (The Flyers host Drake University at Welcome Stadium Saturday at 1 PM). Zach Terrell may be out for the FLames but they have found quite a fine replacement in B.J. Hayes. I think that if Stony Brook can get on track early they can make this a respectable game but if they fall behind, as they have in the last three games, this one will be over by halftime. Im leaning more toward the latter on this one.


Liberty 56
Stony Brook 7

Fan the Flames Game #6

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After a tought three game road trip that saw the Flames win all three by a combined 11 points, Liberty returns to Williams Stadium this weekend as they face off with first year Big South foe Stony Brook. The Seawolves are coming off a bye week but the week before, took one on the chin from Hofstra falling 41-3. They are led byRedshirt freshman QB Dayne Hoffman (51-of-119 for 670 Yards with 4 TDs and 6 INTs) and true freshman RB Edwin Gowins (398 Yds Rushing (7.1 YPC) 3 TDs) . The Seawolves have had trouble moving the ball on their own (211 yards last game vs. Hofstra) while giving up yards and points in bunches (outscored 106-43 in last 4 games).

Liberty comes off a big win down in Myrtle Beach (well...Conway) over Coastal Carolina 43-38. Rashad Jennings had 195 yards rushing and 3 TDs and was awarded another Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Week nod for his efforts.

I'll have my prediction later this week (hopefully a lot better than the last one)

Fan the Flames Recap: Coastal Carolina

Brock Smith threw for 239 yards and three TDs while Rashad JEnnings just missed his second straight 200 yard rushing game and the defense stood tall on a late two point conversion as the Flames won their tenth game in a row 43-38 over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Jennings has a chance for a 4th TD but instead made the same decision as Brian Westbrook did in a game last season as he downed himself at the one yard line to allow LU to run out the clock. The Flames now have won 6 consecutive Big South Conference football games dating back to the 2006 season, won back to back games against Coastal for the first time, and won in Conway for the first time.

Stars of the Game:

1. Rashad Jennings: The senior RB again showed why he is in the running for the Walter Payton Award after another excellent performance. He also added two receiving TDs to finish with 5 on the day (good for 30 points)
2. BJ Hayes: After sitting out last season as a redshirt, Hayes has immediately made his presence felt on the offense and he certainly made an impact with the longest run AND longest TD run of the year (66 yds) and finished with 120 all purpose yards and that TD

Key Stats:

Brock Smith: 15-24-239-3 TDs-0 INT
Rashad Jennings: 35 carries-195 yards-1 TD, 3 catches-33 yards-2 TDs
Dominic Bolden: 5 catches-93 yards-1 TD

After being on the road three of the last four weeks, the Flames return to the friendly confines of Williams Stadium and put their 10 game home winning streak on the line against Stony Brook University. Kickoff is set for 3:30 PM.

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