This is a series taking a look at the teams on Liberty’s 2023 schedule. It will be run over the next month, and we move to perhaps the most anticipated game on the schedule with the Flames traveling to Western Kentucky.
Previous:
Bowling Green
New Mexico State
at Buffalo
at FIU
Sam Houston
at Jacksonville State
Middle Tennessee
When
Week 9, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Location
Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium – Bowling Green, Kentucky
Last year’s record
9-5, 6-2 CUSA (t-2nd)
Coach
Tyson Helton, 32-21 in four years
Returning starters
11 (seven on offense, four on defense)
Post-Spring SP+ Ranking
They are 84th in Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings after the spring. They’re 54th on offense and 117th on defense.
Western Kentucky story line
Coach Helton has won 9 games in all three non-COVID years he has been the head coach at WKU, but he has yet to win a Conference USA title. The Hilltoppers return Austin Reed who was 22-3 as a starter at Division II West Florida before transferring to WKU. He threw for over 400 yards in four games last season. If the defense can quickly mature, this could be the team to beat in the CUSA this season.
A Liberty win would mean
Many have Western Kentucky as the preseason favorite to win the new look Conference USA. The game between Liberty and the Hilltoppers could be the one that decides who plays at home in the CUSA title game as many expect the two to be at or near the top of the league standings. A win for the Flames would give them the head to head tiebreaker over WKU for that spot as well as firmly supplant Liberty as a serious threat to win the conference championship in the program’s first year in the league.
A Liberty loss would mean
A loss would not be detrimental to the team’s CUSA title hopes, but it could likely signal that Liberty would have to head on the road if there is to be a rematch between the two programs.
Up next
vs Louisiana Tech
