Today, we take a look back over Liberty football’s history and have come up with a list of the 5 best teams in school history. Several teams were considered, but these teams set themselves above the rest of their competition.
Did we get it right?
5. 2013 (8-4)
The top 4 teams on the list seemed to stand out among all the others, but the 5th spot could have gone a number of different ways.
We settled on the 2013 team whose 4 losses came by a combined total of 23 points, including one in double overtime. The Flames opened that campaign by narrowly upsetting FBS Kent State and had new FBS member Old Dominion on the ropes before falling in the final minutes.
Turner Gill’s team came very close to making it to the FCS playoffs, but ultimately a double overtime loss to #4 Coastal Carolina did the Flames in. Liberty would close the season with a 56-14 win on the road at #16 Charleston Southern.
4. 1997 (9-2)
The 1997 team’s only losses were to top 25 programs, one of which was in overtime. Sam Rutigliano’s group had wins over #15 Appalachian State and #19 Cal Poly.
The ’97 team is one of only four in school history to finish with 9 or more wins. Liberty led the nation by forcing 40 turnovers, and was second in turnover margin. Sam Rutigliano, the winningest coach in the football program’s history, posted a 67-53 record during his 11-year tenure at the helm of the Flames’ football program.
3. 2008 (10-2)
Led by Rashad Jennings, this is the one team that got “hosed” when it came to the FCS Playoffs. Before the Big South had an automatic bid, its members were relegated to getting an at-large bid. The Flames, behind head coach Danny Rocco, dominated the conference with league wins coming by scores of 43-38, 33-0, 42-0, 38-26, and 30-10.
Liberty also had wins over top 25 teams Youngstown State and Elon, and many thought they would crack through to the playoffs for the first time in school history. Ultimately, it was losses to Lafayette and, shockingly, to Presbyterian which cost the Flames a spot.
2. 2014 (9-5)
Coming off the 2013 season, 2014 was set up for a great run. The Flames got out to a 3-1 start to the season including a win over #25 Bryant. After a mid-season setback with consecutive losses, Liberty won 6 out of 7 games, including a 15-14 win over #1 Coastal Carolina to break through to the program’s first ever FCS Playoff appearance.
The team wouldn’t stop there, as Liberty made the short trek north to Harrisonburg and knocked off James Madison, 26-21. The following week, Turner Gill’s team nearly knocked off Villanova to advance deeper into the playoffs. A win over FBS Appalachian State in October was the turnaround the team needed for the late season run. This team owns 3 of the best wins in school history.
1.2019 (8-5)
The first year as a full FBS member led to a lot of firsts for the Liberty program. Under first year head coach Hugh Freeze, the Flames became bowl eligible for the first time in school history, advancing to the Cure Bowl. Liberty knocked off Georgia Southern, 23-16, to win the program’s first ever bowl game.
Liberty finished the 2019 campaign with 6 wins over FBS programs, a school record. The 2019 team featured several seniors who left indelible marks on the football program including Buckshot Calvert, Antonio Gandy-Golden, Frankie Hickson, and Jessie Lemonier.
