Liberty has come to terms on scheduling agreements for multiple FBS games in both 2018 and 2019, according to sources. No word yet on who those scheduled games are with. Liberty plans to release the entire 2018 schedule at once as opposed to releasing individual games as they are signed.
It’s been less than 2 weeks since President Jerry Falwell, Jr. and Athletic Director Ian McCaw announced Liberty’s move from FCS to FBS Independent, and McCaw and his staff have been hard at work putting together a schedule for 2018 and 2019. The NCAA requires the Flames to have a minimum of 3 FBS home games in 2018 and 5 in each season thereafter.
A scheduling alliance with another G5 conference moving forward could also be a possibility. The idea would be similar to the scheduling agreement Notre Dame has currently with the ACC. The Fighting Irish, who also competes as an FBS Independent member, plays four to six games against ACC opponents each season as part of the agreement signed in 2013.
This scheduling agreement could allow the Flames to play 4-6 games per season against another G5 conference, such as the Conference USA or Sun Belt, and then schedule another 4-6 games against other Independent schools and Power 5 opponents with 1 FCS game per season.
Jon, the Mid American Conference has had multiple FCS castaways join its conference as affiliates. I believe Marshall, UCF, Massachussets, Temple, and Flirida Atlantic have all been affiliates in the recent past.