Liberty football is set to face Massachusetts Saturday in a must-win matchup if the Flames hope to achieve bowl eligibility.
The Flames opened as 24-point favorites against the Minutemen. Last year, Turner Gill’s Liberty squad dropped a three-overtime heartbreaker in Amherst, 62-59. Antonio Gandy-Golden recorded a monster game: reeling in nine receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns.
Liberty’s valiant offensive effort, however, was no match for eventual 2nd-round draft pick Andy Isabella. Isabella, who led the nation in receiving last year, led both teams with 303 receiving yards and two scores in the game. Without Isabella and former head coach Mark Whipple, the new-look Minutemen have struggled to compete in games.
Offensively, UMass hasn’t been awful. Remove a 44-0 drubbing at the hands of FIU, and the Minutemen are averaging around 25 points per game. Junior QB Andrew Brito will likely start under center for UMass. Brito has completed 60-of-108 pass attempts for 554 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.
UMass is a RPO team, and their reliance on the run option is reflected statistically. Bilal Ally sits atop the running back depth chart. He’s shouldered the bulk of UMass’s carries this season; rushing for an average of 5.7 yards per carry and six touchdowns.
Massachusetts has two receivers with more than 200 yards receiving. Freshman Jermaine Johnson has caught 28 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore Zak Simon has recorded 252 yards receiving on 21 receptions.
Defensively, UMass has struggled. The Minutemen will enter Saturday’s game as the lowest-ranked defense in the FBS, surrendering an average of 50 points per game. Don’t be surprised if Saturday’s game is a shootout. Both teams will score points, and as Liberty coach Hugh Freeze alluded to in his Monday press conference, the Flames will have to score plenty of points to secure a win.
This game should feature plenty of offensive fireworks. Liberty is likely the better team on both sides of the ball, and I like the Flames to get back in the win column against the Minutemen. Here’s my prediction: Liberty 56, UMass 38.
