Liberty is picked as the 69th best team in the country out of 131 FBS teams, according to Phil Steele’s Power Poll. This ranking is down from last year’s preseason ranking of No. 41 but still up significantly from 2020’s ranking of No. 114.
Last year, the Flames ranked No. 10, according to Phil Steele, in experience entering the season, but this year Liberty is ranked as the 84th most experienced team in the country.
Liberty is the highest ranked team from Virginia in the Power Poll. The Flames rank just ahead of No. 73 Virginia and No. 79 Virginia Tech. Old Dominion checks in at No. 89 and James Madison debuts at No. 112.
Under fourth-year head coach Hugh Freeze, the Flames are picked as the 3rd best Independent team behind No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 13 BYU. Here’s how Liberty’s 2022 opponents are ranked in the Phil Steele Power Poll:
13. BYU
27. Arkansas
39. Wake Forest
43. UAB
79. Virginia Tech
89. Old Dominion
95. Southern Miss
125. Akron
128. UConn
129. UMass
130. New Mexico State
NR.Gardner-Webb
According to Phil Steele’s projection, Liberty has a tougher schedule than the past couple years, with this year’s schedule being projected as the No. 100 toughest in the country. The previous two years, Liberty’s schedule was ranked No. 125 in the preseason.
