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2020 Liberty Flames football team

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2020 Liberty Flames football
Cure Bowl champion
Cure Bowl, W 37–34OT vs. Coastal Carolina
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 18
APNo. 17
Record10–1
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinatorKent Austin (2nd season)
Co-offensive coordinatorMaurice Harris (2nd season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorScott Symons (2nd season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumWilliams Stadium
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →
2020 NCAA Division I FBS independents football records
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 11 BYU       11 1  
No. 17 Liberty       10 1  
Army       9 3  
New Mexico State       1 1  
UMass       0 4  
  • Note: Due to COVID-19, UConn canceled the 2020 football season; New Mexico State was the only FBS school to play a spring schedule.
Rankings from AP Poll.

The 2020 Liberty Flames football team represented Liberty University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Hugh Freeze and played their home games at Williams Stadium. The Flames competed as an FBS independent.

Schedule

[edit]

Liberty had games scheduled against Bowling Green, North Carolina A&T, UConn, and UMass, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] These games were partially replaced with new match-ups announced with Coastal Carolina and North Alabama. The games against NC State and Syracuse were rescheduled for different days for the 2020 season.[3]

Because of an increased number of COVID-19 cases within the football program, Liberty University's medical staff decided to pause its football team's activities and cancel the game with Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina, scheduled for December 5.[4] Ironically, the two teams were selected to play in the Cure Bowl at season's end, a match-up that Liberty won.

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 1912:00 p.m.at Western KentuckyESPNUW 30–244,276
September 261:00 p.m.FIUESPNUW 36–341,000
October 31:00 p.m.North Alabama
  • Williams Stadium
  • Lynchburg, VA
ESPN3W 28–71,000
October 1012:00 p.m.Louisiana–Monroe
  • Williams Stadium
  • Lynchburg, VA
ESPN2W 40–71,000
October 1712:00 p.m.at SyracuseACCRSNW 38–210 (Behind closed doors)
October 241:00 p.m.Southern Miss
  • Williams Stadium
  • Lynchburg, VA
ESPN3W 56–351,000
November 712:00 p.m.at Virginia TechNo. 25ACCNW 38–351,000
November 1412:00 p.m.Western CarolinaNo. 22
  • Williams Stadium
  • Lynchburg, VA
ESPNUW 58–141,000
November 217:30 p.m.at NC StateNo. 21ACCRSNL 14–154,032
November 2712:00 p.m.UMass
  • Williams Stadium
  • Lynchburg, VA
ESPN3W 45–0
December 52:00 p.m.at No. 18 Coastal CarolinaESPNUNo contest[4] _
December 267:30 p.m.vs. No. 12 Coastal CarolinaESPNW 37–34 OT4,488
Schedule Source:[5][6]

Rankings

[edit]

In week 5, Liberty received votes in the Coaches Poll for the first time in program history and the following week, they received votes in the AP Poll for the first time. In week 9, they were nationally ranked for the first time, when they were ranked at No. 25 in the AP Poll. They would spend 8 total weeks in the rankings, finishing at No. 17.

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516Final
APRVRVRV252221RV2522222317
CoachesRVRVRVRVRV2222RV2521212318
CFPNot releasedNot released

Game summaries

[edit]

At Western Kentucky

[edit]
Liberty at Western Kentucky
1 234Total
Flames 10 776 30
Hilltoppers 0 1077 24
     
Pregame line Over/under
WKU −14.5 51.5[7]
Statistics Liberty Western Kentucky
First downs 27 19
Total yards 487 291
Rushing yards 354 110
Passing yards 133 181
Turnovers 0 0
Time of possession 34:59 25:01
Team Category Player Statistics
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 13/21, 133 yards
Rushing Malik Willis 21 carries, 168 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving CJ Yarbrough 2 receptions, 53 yards
Western Kentucky Passing Tyrrell Pigrome 18/25, 181 yards, 3 TDs
Rushing Tyrrell Pigrome 14 carries, 74 yards
Receiving Mitchell Tinsley 6 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD

FIU

[edit]
Florida International at Liberty
1 234Total
Panthers 14 0146 34
Flames 14 0139 36
  • Date: September 26, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 1:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 19 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,000
  • Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: 3 E MPH
  • Referee: Riley Johnson
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Matt Warner (play–by–play), Joe Jauch (analyst), and Emily Austen (sideline reporter)
         
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −7 59[8]
Statistics FIU Liberty
First downs 16 31
Total yards 304 527
Rushing yards 168 219
Passing yards 136 308
Turnovers 0 0
Time of possession 22:39 37:21
Team Category Player Statistics
FIU Passing Stone Norton 9/13, 120 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing D'Vonte Price 13 carries, 148 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Bryce Singleton 2 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 24/30, 285 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing Joshua Mack 13 carries, 107 yards, 1 TD
Receiving DJ Stubbs 8 receptions, 119 yards, 1 TD

North Alabama

[edit]
North Alabama at Liberty
1 234Total
Lions 0 007 7
Flames 0 7147 28
  • Date: October 3, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 1:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 2 hours and 53 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,000
  • Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: 7 E MPH
  • Referee: Duane Heydt
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Matt Warner (play–by–play), Joe Jauch (analyst), and Emily Austen (sideline reporter)
  
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −33 65[9]
Statistics North Alabama Liberty
First downs 14 22
Total yards 247 357
Rushing yards 63 250
Passing yards 184 107
Turnovers 3 1
Time of possession 32:10 27:50
Team Category Player Statistics
North Alabama Passing Rett Files 15/24, 156 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing Parker Driggers 7 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Andre Little 1 reception, 47 yards
Liberty Passing Chris Ferguson 12/21, 64 yards, 3 TDs
Rushing Joshua Mack 16 carries, 130 yards
Receiving CJ Yarbrough 2 receptions, 43 yards

Louisiana–Monroe

[edit]
Louisiana–Monroe at Liberty
1 234Total
Warhawks 0 007 7
Flames 14 1079 40
  • Date: October 10, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 11:02 a.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 10 minutes
  • Game attendance:  
  • Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) • Weather: Rainy • Wind: SW 5 MPH
  • Referee: Jeff Heaser
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Mike Couzens (play–by–play), Jay Walker (analyst), and Taylor Davis (sideline reporter)
    
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −17 63.5[10]
Statistics Louisiana–Monroe Liberty
First downs 10 20
Total yards 198 400
Rushing yards 78 180
Passing yards 120 220
Turnovers 3 2
Time of possession 27:49 32:11
Team Category Player Statistics
Louisiana–Monroe Passing Colby Suits 13/29, 78 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing Josh Johnson 13 carries, 51 yards
Receiving Josh Pederson 2 receptions, 21 yards
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 11/29, 177 yards, 1 INT
Rushing Malik Willis 13 carries, 87 yards, 1 TD
Receiving DJ Stubbs 2 receptions, 69 yards

At Syracuse

[edit]
Liberty at Syracuse
1 234Total
Flames 14 7143 38
Orange 7 707 21
  • Date: October 17, 2020
  • Location: Carrier Dome
    Syracuse, NY
  • Game start: 12:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 8 minutes
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Game weather: Indoors
  • Referee: J. Magallanes
  • TV announcers (ACCRSN): Evan Lepler (play–by–play), Charles Arbuckle (analyst), Abby Labar (sideline reporter)
     
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −3.5 53[11]
Statistics Liberty Syracuse
First downs 24 19
Total yards 520 308
Rushing yards 338 97
Passing yards 182 211
Turnovers 2 1
Time of possession 36:24 23:36
Team Category Player Statistics
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 16/20, 182 yards, 1 TD
Rushing Shedro Louis 10 carries, 170 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving DJ Stubbs 4 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TD
Syracuse Passing Rex Culpepper 19/40, 211 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing Sean Tucker 21 carries, 111 yards
Receiving Taj Harris 9 receptions, 96 yards, 1 TD

Southern Miss

[edit]
Southern Mississippi at Liberty
1 234Total
Golden Eagles 7 0217 35
Flames 14 21714 56
  • Date: October 24, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 27 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,000
  • Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: W 5 MPH
  • Referee: Billy Williams
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Matt Warner (play–by–play), Joe Jauch (analyst), Emily Austen (sideline reporter)
         
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −14 59.5[12]
Statistics Southern Miss Liberty
First downs 19 25
Total yards 416 537
Rushing yards 215 192
Passing yards 201 345
Turnovers 1 1
Time of possession 27:37 32:23
Team Category Player Statistics
Southern Miss Passing Tate Whatley 15/26, 188 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing Tate Whatley 12 carries, 52 yards, 4 TDs
Receiving Jason Brownlee 5 receptions, 114, 1 TD
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 24/31, 345, 6 TDs
Rushing Malik Willis 12 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Demario Douglas 6 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TD

At Virginia Tech

[edit]
Liberty at Virginia Tech
1 234Total
No. 25 Flames 7 7717 38
Hokies 3 17015 35
  • Date: November 7, 2020
  • Location: Lane Stadium
    Blacksburg, VA
  • Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 22 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,000
  • Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C) • Weather: Clear, nice • Wind: W 1 MPH
  • Referee: Stuart Mullins
  • TV announcers (ACCN): Chris Cotter (play–by–play), Mark Herzlich (analyst), Taylor Davis (sideline reporter)
        
Pregame line Over/under
VT −17 67.5[13]
Statistics Liberty Virginia Tech
First downs 29 24
Total yards 466 418
Rushing yards 249 201
Passing yards 217 217
Turnovers 2 1
Time of possession 37:27 22:33
Team Category Player Statistics
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 20/30, 217 yards, 3 TDs
Rushing Malik Willis 19 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD
Receiving CJ Yarbrough 5 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD
Virginia Tech Passing Hendon Hooker 20/27, 217 yards, 3 TDs
Rushing Hendon Hooker 20 carries, 156 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Tré Turner 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD

The game featured a wild finish as Liberty got into field goal range with 8 seconds left to go in a 35–35 tie. Facing a 4th and 6 at the Virginia Tech 41-yard line, disaster appeared to strike when Liberty 59-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Virginia Tech's Jermaine Waller with no time remaining. However, Virginia Tech had called a timeout to try to Icing the kicker before the play. Liberty then decided to go for it on fourth down, and got an 8-yard pass completion for a first down after Virginia Tech mistakenly thought that Flames would try a Hail Mary and went to a prevent defense. With 5 seconds remaining, the Flames converted a 51-yard field goal to win the game.[14]

Western Carolina

[edit]
Western Carolina at Liberty
1 234Total
Catamounts 0 770 14
Flames 7 211416 58
  • Date: November 14, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 12:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 16 minutes
  • Game attendance: 1,000
  • Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: SW 5 MPH
  • Referee: Riley Johnson
  • Television network: ESPN3
       
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −39 63[15]
Statistics Western Carolina Liberty
First downs 15 21
Total yards 282 633
Rushing yards 142 254
Passing yards 140 379
Turnovers 3 2
Time of possession 30:44 29:16
Team Category Player Statistics
Western Carolina Passing Will Jones 7/13, 74 yards, TD, INT
Rushing Donnavan Spencer 12 carries, 79 yards
Receiving Owen Cosenke 5 receptions, 56 yards
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 14/19, 306 yards, 3 TD
Rushing Malik Willis 8 carries, 97 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Kevin Shaa 2 receptions, 137 yards, TD

At NC State

[edit]
Liberty at NC State
1 234Total
Flames 0 770 14
Wolfpack 0 726 15
  • Date: November 21, 2020
  • Location: Carter–Finley Stadium
    Raleigh, NC
  • Game start: 7:35 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 20 minutes
  • Game attendance: 4,032
  • Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) • Weather: Party Cloudy • Wind: Calm MPH
  • Referee: Jeff Flanagan
  • TV announcers (ACCRSN): Tom Werme, James Bates, Kelly Crull
  
Pregame line Over/under
NCSU −4 66.5
Statistics Liberty NC State
First downs 17 19
Total yards 279 321
Rushing yards 107 167
Passing yards 172 154
Turnovers 3 1
Time of possession 29:42 30:18
Team Category Player Statistics
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 13/32, 171 yards, 2 TD
Rushing Joshua Mack 12 carries, 49 yards
Receiving Noah Frith 4 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TD
NC State Passing Bailey Hockman 14/27, 154 yards
Rushing Zonovan Knight 14 carries, 96 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Emeka Emezie 1 reception, 55 yards

UMass

[edit]
Massachusetts at Liberty
1 234Total
Minutemen 0 000 0
Flames 14 17140 45
  • Date: November 27, 2020
  • Location: Williams Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game start: 12:05 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 2 hours and 55 minutes
  • Game attendance: 250
  • Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 62 °F (17 °C) • Wind: E 4 MPH
  • Referee: Riley Johnson
  • Television network: ESPN3
    
Pregame line Over/under
LIB −35.5 57.5[16]
Statistics UMass Liberty
First downs 12 31
Total yards 227 629
Rushing yards 55 378
Passing yards 172 251
Turnovers 2 0
Time of possession 25:50 34:10
Team Category Player Statistics
UMass Passing Garret Dzuro 9/22, 172 yards, 1 INT
Rushing Cam Roberson 5 carries, 17 yards
Receiving Samuel Emilus 4 receptions, 82 yards
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 16/24, 223 yards, 3 TD
Rushing Peytton Pickett 10 carries, 125 yards, 1 TD
Receiving DeMario Douglas 4 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD

Vs. Coastal Carolina (Cure Bowl)

[edit]
Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina
1 234OTTotal
Flames 14 37103 37
No. 12 Chanticleers 0 136150 34
  • Date: December 26, 2020
  • Location: Camping World Stadium
    Orlando, FL
  • Game start: 7:35 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 49 minutes
  • Game attendance: 4,488
  • Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C) • Weather: Frosty • Wind: Calm
  • Referee: Ron Hudson
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Roy Philpott (play–by–play), Kelly Stouffer (analyst), and Alex Chappell (sideline reporter)
        
Pregame line Over/under
CCU –6.5 60[17]
Statistics Liberty Coastal Carolina
First downs 26 24
Total yards 475 483
Rushing yards 255 165
Passing yards 220 318
Turnovers 3 1
Time of possession 30:49 29:11
Team Category Player Statistics
Liberty Passing Malik Willis 19/29, 220 yards, 2 INT
Rushing Malik Willis 21 carries, 137 yards, 4 TD
Receiving DJ Stubbs 5 receptions, 68 yards
Coastal Carolina Passing Grayson McCall 21/32, 318 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing Grayson McCall 15 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD
Receiving Jaivon Heiligh 13 receptions, 178 yards

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "MEAC suspends all fall sports for indefinite period". ESPN.com. July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  2. ^ "ACC Announces Plans for Football and Fall Olympic Sports". TheACC.com. July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  3. ^ "ACC Unveils 2020 Football Schedule". TheACC.com. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Domingo, Ida (December 4, 2020). "Liberty, Coastal Carolina game canceled after coronavirus concerns within football program". WSET-TV. MSN.com.
  5. ^ "2020 Liberty Flames Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  6. ^ "2020 Season Football Schedule". Liberty Flames. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "Liberty Flames vs WKU Hilltoppers". Odds Shark. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "FIU Panthers vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  9. ^ "North Alabama Lions vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  10. ^ "Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  11. ^ "Liberty Flames vs Syracuse Orange". Odds Shark. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  12. ^ "Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  13. ^ "Liberty Flames vs Virginia Tech". Odds Shark. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  14. ^ "Liberty @ Virginia Tech - ESPN Game ID". ESPN. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  15. ^ "Western Carolina Catamounts vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  16. ^ "Massachusetts Minutemen vs Liberty Flames". Odds Shark. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  17. ^ "Liberty Flames vs Coastal Carolina Chanticleers". Odds Shark. Retrieved December 29, 2020.