Liberty (9-1) and Coastal Carolina (9-0) met on the gridiron every year from 2003 through 2016. During both school’s time in the Big South, the conference championship went through one of the two programs. In 2017, Coastal began their move to the FBS and Sun Belt Conference and the series came to an end, until COVID altered everyone’s 2020 schedule and the two will become familiar with one another once again.
This is the first of six matchups which have been added to future schedules, as the teams will also meet in 2023, 2024, 2027, 2028, and 2029. The series is currently tied at 7-7, but Saturday will be the first between the two as FBS members. Here’s a brief look at the previous 14 meetings:
November 15, 2003: Liberty 38, Coastal 21
Liberty scored 31 points in the 2nd half to knockoff the Chanticleers 38-21 in the programs’ first ever meeting. The Flames were paced by Eugene Goodman and Sam Gado who both rushed for over 100 yards on the day. Goodman finished with 190 yards rushing.
October 23, 2004: Coastal 33, Liberty 6
The Chanticleers scored the first 33 points of the game prior to Sam Gado’s 97 yard kickoff return for touchdown as Coastal won 33-6. Coastal was paced by Mike Tolbert’s 107 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on just 10 carries. Liberty was held to just 143 total yards and had 3 interceptions.
October 22, 2005: Coastal 27, Liberty 21 (3OT)
14th ranked Coastal was able to outlast the Flames as they picked up their first and only win in Lynchburg. Coastal was led by quarterback Tyler Thigpen who threw for 241 yards and 1 touchdown. Quarterback Brock Farrel led the Flames in passing and rushing combining for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns on the afternoon.
October 28, 2006: Coastal 28, Liberty 26
The upstart Flames led by 1st year head coach Danny Rocco was unable to pull off the upset as they fell to the Chanticleers 28-26. Coastal scored 21 of their points in the 4th quarter as they overcame a 13-7 deficit early in the period. Tyler Thigpen led the Chants with 257 yards passing and 2 touchdowns while receiver Jerome Simpson had 145 yards receiving and 1 touchdown. The Flames were paced by Zach Terrell’s 114 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.
November 3, 2007: Liberty 37, Coastal 24
Liberty stops their 3 game losing streak to the Chanticleers as they rolled up over 500 yards of total offense en route to a 37-24 victory at Williams Stadium. The Flames jumped out to a 17-0 first half lead and never looked back. Rashad Jennings rushed for 172 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win. Jerome Simpson’s 2 touchdown receptions were not enough for the Chanticleers.
October 4, 2008: Liberty 43, Coastal 38
The Flames picked up their first and only win at Coastal, 43-38, behind 292 team rushing yards. Liberty was again paced by running back Rashad Jennings who carried the ball 35 times for 195 yards and 1 touchdown. He also added 2 receiving touchdowns on the evening. Quarterback Zach MacDowall threw for 382 yards and 2 touchdowns for the Chanticleers in the loss.
October 17, 2009: Liberty 58, Coastal 13
Liberty won their 3rd consecutive game against the Chanticleers in impressive fashion, 58-13. The Flames led by as much as 52 points on the afternoon and racked up nearly 600 total offensive yards. Liberty was led by freshman running back Aldreakis Allen who rushed for 106 yards and 3 touchdowns on 20 carries. The Flames’ defense shut down Coastal’s offense who only totaled 175 yards of offense.
November 13, 2010: Coastal 45, Liberty 31
Coastal Carolina upset the 11th ranked Flames 45-31. Coastal and Liberty would eventually end in a 3-way tie with Stony Brook for the conference championship. Coastal won the tiebreaker to advance to the playoffs for the 2nd time in school history. The Chanticleers were paced by Zach MacDowall’s 382 yards passing and 3 touchdowns and Eric O’Neal’s 102 yards rushing and 1 touchdown. Liberty wide receiver Chris Summers finished the day with 7 receptions for 127 yards and 1 touchdown.
October 15, 2011: Liberty 63, Coastal 27
Liberty scored on their first seven drives of the game as they jumped out to a 42-0 first half lead en route to a 63-27 victory on homecoming. Quarterback Mike Brown led the Flames with 218 yards passing and 2 touchdowns and another 61 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Coastal’s Aramis Hillary finished the game 18/27 passing for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns. 2011 is the only year since 2004 that neither Coastal or Liberty would claim the Big South Conference championship.
October 27, 2012: Coastal 36, Liberty 12
Coastal and Liberty continue their seesaw relationship, this time with the Chanticleers getting the upper hand, 36-12. On a windy and rainy day from the remaining effects of Hurricane Sandy, Coastal was able to outgain the Flames on the ground 226-86 led by Jeremy Height’s 99 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Quarterback Aramis Hillary added 113 passing yards to go along with his 87 rushing yards. The Flames were led by wide receiver Pat Kelly’s 16 receptions for 122 yards and 1 touchdowns. Kelly’s 16 receptions are school record.
October 19, 2013: Coastal 55, Liberty 52 (2 OT)
In what is the best game in the series history, Coastal pulled out the road win in Lynchburg thanks to blocking John Lunsford’s field goal attempt in the 2nd overtime. The Flames led 42-23 late in the 3rd quarter until being outscored by the Chanticleers 15-3 in the 4th quarter. The teams combined for 1,169 yards of total offense. Josh Woodrum finished the game with 382 yards passing and 3 touchdowns, and Des Rice had a career-high 170 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Coastal was led by Lorenzo Taliaferro’s 151 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.
November 22, 2014: Liberty 15, Coastal 14
Chima Uzowihe blocked a potential game-winning field goal as time expired, allowing Liberty to punch its ticket to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the first time over No. 1 and previously unbeaten Coastal Carolina at Brooks Stadium, as the loss snapped the Chanticleers’ 11-game win streak, falling to 11-1 on the season. Liberty’s Stephon Masha, starting his second career game, finished the contest 20-of-33 for 285 yards and one touchdown while DJ Abnar had 35 rushes for 122 yards. Gabe Henderson finished with 10 receptions for 114 yards while Darrin Peterson added 4 receptions for 113 yards and 1 touchdown.
November 19, 2015: Liberty 24, Coastal 21
Playing on Thursday night on ESPNews, the first ever nationally televised football game in program history, the Flames knocked off No. 4 Coastal Carolina. Josh Woodrum completed 19 of 30 pass attempts for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns, finishing his career as Liberty’s program leader in passing yards and total offensive yards. His 40 yard touchdown pass to BJ Farrow running a slant route gave the Flames the 24-21 lead with 1:27 left.
November 17, 2016: Coastal 42, Liberty 7
Coastal Carolina improved to 9-2 on the season to even the all-time series record to 7-7. Liberty head coach Turner Gill served a one game suspension for a minor NCAA rules violation as defensive coordinator Robert Wimberly served as the acting head coach. The Flames were held to -23 rushing yards on the evening. De’Angelo Henderson paced the Chanticleers with 139 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
