For the first time in a full calendar year, the Liberty Flames football team was coming off a loss, after the team’s 15-14 loss in Raleigh, North Carolina against NC State last Saturday. The Flames took their frustrations from the first loss out on the winless UMass Minutemen, defeating UMass, 45-0, to move to 9-1 on the season.
“We’re proud to get that taste out, go undefeated at home, that’s huge, that’s big,” said Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze following the game. “You hold serve at home and then bounce back and play in a fashion that we did today to give us this longer weekend to where we feel a little better about going into play a top 15 opponent next week. That’s going to make us feel better, for sure.”
This marks just the fifth time in program history that Liberty has won 9 games in a season, first time as an FBS member, and first time since the 2014 campaign when the Flames finished 9-4 in the program’s only FCS Playoff appearance.
With the win, Liberty wrapped up its first unbeaten season at home since 2010 when the Flames finished 5-0. This is also the fifth overall season in program history that Liberty has finished a season unblemished at home. The Flames’ home winning streak now stands at 11, which ties the program record set between Nov. 4, 2006 and Oct. 11, 2008.
“To shut them out, you can’t complain a whole lot,” Freeze said of the defense’s performance. “To have zeros on the board means they functioned pretty well.”
Liberty’s defense recorded its first shutout against an FBS opponent and the team’s first shutout since Nov. 5, 2016 when the Flames defeated Presbyterian, 16-0. It is also Liberty’s first shut out at home since Oct. 25, 2014 when the Flames defeated Gardner-Webb, 34-0.
After both teams picked up just four yards on its opening possession, Liberty reeled off five consecutive scoring drives to go into the halftime with a 31-0 lead. UMass was able to get into Flames’ territory on four of six first half possessions, but were unable to get any points on the board. One of those possessions ended in a missed field goal, they also had a fumble inside the Liberty 25 yard line, and were forced to punt twice from Liberty territory.
Liberty finished with a season high 378, as both Joshua Mack and Peytton Pickett reached 100 yards on the ground. Mack finished with 109 yards and 1 touchdown on 11 carries. Pickett led the team with 125 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Even third string running back got in on the action with 79 rushing yards on 15 carries. The offense finished with 629 total yards of offense on the afternoon.
Malik Willis bounced back from a subpar outing against NC State last week, as he completed 16 of 24 passes for 223 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also rushed 7 times for 63 yards and 1 touchdown.
After a UMass drive ended in a punt to begin the fourth quarter, Liberty took possession of the ball at its own 10 yard line with 12:23 left in the game. The Flames would not surrender the ball as the offensive line and Troy Henderson were able to run out the clock. Liberty’s final drive was 19 plays for 82 yards and 12:23.
Liberty has its regular season finale next Saturday against No. 16 Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers are scheduled to face Texas State on Saturday afternoon on ESPN+. Next week’s game time and television information is expected to be announced on Sunday.
