Liberty is picked as the 41st best team in the country out of 130 FBS teams, according to Phil Steele’s Power Poll, up significantly from last year’s preseason ranking of No. 114.

Last year, the Flames ranked No. 112, according to Phil Steele, in experience entering the season, but this year Liberty is ranked as the 10th most experienced team in the country, led by 16 super seniors.

Under third-year head coach Hugh Freeze, the Flames are picked as the 3rd best Independent team behind No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 38 BYU. Here’s how the rest of Liberty’s 2021 opponents are ranked in the Phil Steele Power Poll:

25. Mississippi
32. Louisiana
53. UAB
84. Syracuse
90. Army
93. Troy
109. Middle Tennessee
111. North Texas
126. Old Dominion
128. ULM
129. Massachusetts
NR. Campbell

Liberty’s schedule is ranked as one of the weakest in the country according to Phil Steele’s projection, checking in at No. 125, the same spot the Flames held in 2020.