9 of the past 10 seasons, the Big South Football Championship has belonged to Liberty or Coastal Carolina. 2014 should be no different, and it’s why #beatCoastal is #2 on our list of 2014 storylines.
This season, the 2 Big South heavyweights meet in the season finale on November 22nd in Conway in a game that will likely decide the 2014 conference championship and playoff auto bid. The Chanticleers and Flames were picked to finish 1st and 2nd in the conference, respectively, while Coastal has received national recognition. Coming off the best football season in Big South history, the Chants have been ranked in the top 10 of both national preseason polls.
Since Coastal started their program in 2003, these 2 rivals have gone back and forth in their fight for supremacy with Coastal holding a slight 6-5 lead in the series history after winning the last 2 meetings. The Flames are 1-4 all-time in games played in Conway with their only win coming in 2008 behind 195 rushing yards by Rashad Jennings.
Last season, in what has been described as “one of the most memorable games played at Williams Stadium,” the Chanticleers outlasted the Flames 55-52 in double overtime. With a 42-23 lead and just seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, Liberty thought they had the game won. The Chanticleers would outscore the Flames 22-3 in the last 15+ minutes of regulation while ripping out all of FlamesNation’s hearts in the process.
Will Liberty be able to even the series? Can the Flames win in Conway? Will their be payback for last year? It could be the team’s biggest obstacle to overcome in reaching the playoffs.
Previous entries:
10. Monmouth joins Big South
9. How good can LU’s offense be?
8. Chance to impress Sun Belt against App State
7. Chima Uzowihe
6. Replacing Kevin Fogg and Walt Aikens
5. Kicking game
4. Danny Rocco returns
3. Loss of Des Rice
