The Liberty Flames will enter the 2021 football season receiving votes in all major Top 25 polls and could even be a preseason top 25 team. Under third year head coach Hugh Freeze, the 2021 version of the Flames will have more depth and talent than the program has ever seen. With Malik Willis back in the fold at quarterback, the question marks are few and far between.
The Flames will face another challenging slate in 2021 with several games that are very intriguing, yet winnable. So which games have the most intrigue and which ones will fans be a little less excited about? We rank Liberty’s 2021 opponents from Level 1 (the least intrigue) to Level 5 (the most intrigue).
LEVEL 1
09/04 vs Campbell
For the first time as an FBS member, Liberty will only face one FCS team and it’s the season opener. The Flames against Big South member Campbell who is led by former assistant coach under Turner Gill, Mike Minter. It’s a good way for Liberty start a new season, against a regional FCS team that should be an easy win.
LEVEL 2
10/30 vs UMass
This game could be level 1, but because it’s an FBS team (barely), it gets bumped up one level. The Minutemen have been atrocious the past two seasons. There’s no way they will be able to improve enough in one season to compete with Liberty at Williams Stadium. UMass has been the worst FBS program each of the past two seasons.
10/16 @ Louisiana-Monroe
The Warhawks were right there with UMass as one of the worst FBS teams in 2020, finishing 0-10 and losing to Liberty, 40-7. Now, the Flames head to ULM to take on a new look coaching staff. Matt Viator is out and Terry Bowden, yes that Terry Bowden, has been hired as the new head coach. His new offensive coordinator? Rich Rodriguez.
10/09 vs MTSU
The Flames will take on Middle Tennessee State at Williams Stadium. It will only be the second ever meeting between the two programs, with MTSU winning 27-7 in 1982 in the only previous matchup. MTSU is coming off a 2020 season where they finished 3-6 and 2-4 in Conference-USA play. They lost to Western Kentucky at home, 20-17, and defeated FIU in Miami, 31-28, in similar games with the Flames this past season.
LEVEL 3
10/23 @ North Texas
We all remember that embarrassment the Flames had in 2018, losing at home to the Mean Green, 47-7. The program has come a long way since then and will be looking to exact some revenge in Texas. UNT was 4-6 in 2020 and 3-4 in Conference-USA play. They lost at home to Southern Miss, 41-31, this past season. They also defeated MTSU, 52-35, and lost to Appalachian State, 56-28, in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
09/11 @ Troy
The first big test of the season will come in week 2 as the Flames travel to Alabama to take on Troy. The Trojans finished the 2020 season at 5-6 and 3-4 in the Sun Belt. They defeated MTSU, 47-14, and lost to BYU, 48-7. They also fell at home to Coastal Carolina, 42-38, on Dec. 12. Liberty defeated Troy, 22-16, in 2018 in one of the bigger upsets the program has had at the FBS level.
09/18 vs Old Dominion
The Monarchs were one of only a couple FBS programs that did not compete during the 2020 season as they shut their season down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re not exactly sure how good or bad ODU will be in 2021, but anytime the Flames take on an in-state FBS program it will be an important game.
09/25 @ Syracuse
Liberty returns to the Carrier Dome in September to take on the Orange in the final of the three game series scheduled between the two programs. This will be the rubber match of the series, and Syracuse will certainly be improved from their 1-10 season in 2020.
LEVEL 4
10/02 @ UAB
It will be the first ever meeting between Liberty and Alabama-Birmingham. The Blazers were 6-3 in 2020 and 3-1 in Conference-USA play. Head coach Bill Clark has bee one of the more successful Group of Five head coaches in recent seasons, as this game will feature two of the top non-Power Five coaches in the country. UAB defeated Western Kentucky, 37-14, this past season and won the CUSA championship after defeating Marshall, 22-13, in the championship game. Their showdown with South Carolina in the Gasparilla Bowl was canceled due to COVID issues with the Gamecocks. The Blazers also played Louisiana, losing 24-20.
11/27 vs Army
The Flames will host Army in the regular season finale in a game that should perhaps be Level 5. Regardless, it will be a marquee game this coming season. The Black Knights were 9-3 in 2020, defeating ULM, 37-7. Their losses came against Cincinnati, Tulane, and West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl. Liberty lost to Army in their only previous meeting, 38-14, in 2018.
LEVEL 5
11/20 vs Louisiana
Another marquee showdown between non-Power Five teams will occur on Liberty’s schedule in 2021 as the Flames and Ragin’ Cajuns meet in Lynchburg. Louisiana finished the season ranked #15 in the AP Top 25 poll where Liberty was #17. Louisiana finished their season 10-1 with their only loss coming at home to Coastal Carolina, 30-27. They defeated UTSA, 31-24, in the First Responder Bowl. This could be a meeting of top 25 teams just ahead of Thanksgiving.
11/06 @ Ole Miss
This game will get plenty of national attention as Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze makes his return to Ole Miss where he was the head coach from 2012-16. The Rebels are now led by Lane Kiffin who led the SEC team to a 5-5 mark in 2020. They defeated Indiana, 26-20, in the Outback Bowl.
