Entering the program’s fourth season under head coach Hugh Freeze, the Liberty Flames are looking to get back to a fourth straight bowl game in 2022. The Flames will have to do so with a bit of a new look roster this season as a record 10 players agreed to terms with NFL teams as part of the 2022 NFL Draft class, including third round selection Malik WIllis.
2022 will also be the final year for the program as an FBS Independent before joining Conference USA beginning with the 2023 season. There is much anticipation surrounding the upcoming season as the Flames will play its most anticipated home schedule in school history with Virginia Tech and BYU each coming to Lynchburg to take on the Flames. The full schedule is arguably the most challenging in school history, as Liberty also has difficult road trips against the likes of Wake Forest and Arkansas.
This is not a list of ranked teams in order on Liberty’s schedule. There are other factors like where the game is being played, where the game falls on the schedule, who the teams play the week prior and what is going on at the different schools.
12. Oct. 17: vs Gardner-Webb
Liberty plays just one FCS opponent this season, welcome former Big South rival Gardner-Webb to Lynchburg in mid-October. The Runnin’ Bulldogs are entering their third season under head coach Tre Lamb who is just 32 years old. Last season, Gardner-Webb finished the year at 4-7. They played one similar opponent to the Flames, losing to Campbell, 42-28. GWU hasn’t been shy about playing FBS teams under Coach Lamb, playing two last season, losses to Georgia Southern and Charlotte. Liberty is one of three FBS opponents Gardner-Webb will play this fall, as they also meet up with Coastal Carolina and Marshall.
11. Nov. 26: vs New Mexico State
The Aggies are entering their first season under former Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill. He takes over one of the worst programs in the FBS. New Mexico State was just 2-10 in 2021, with their wins coming over FCS member South Carolina State and UMass. Liberty hasn’t played NMSU since the two teams played an in-season home and home in both 2018 and 2019. The Flames knocked off the Aggies in both meetings in 2019, Hugh Freeze’s first season with Liberty. This game falls at an interesting spot on the schedule for both teams. It is the regular season finale and it comes one week after Liberty plays host to Virginia Tech and New Mexico State plays at Missouri.
10. Oct. 8: @ UMass
Under Coach Freeze, Liberty has completely dominated fellow FBS Independent UMass. The Flames have defeated the Minutemen by scores of 63-21, 45-0, and 62-17 over the past three years. UMass hired Don Brown as its new head coach during the offseason, coming there after stints as defensive coordinator at Maryland, UConn, Boston College, Michigan, and Arizona. Brown previously served a stint as UMass’ head coach from 2004-2008 at the FCS level.
9. Sept. 24: vs Akron
The Zips were 2-10 last season, and made a head coaching change following the year. Akron hired Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead to lead the program. Moorhead also served as head coach at Mississippi State in 2018 and 2019. Akron plays at Tennessee the week prior to traveling to Lynchburg.
8. Nov. 12: @ UConn
It has been a struggle for UConn football over the past decade or more as. The Huskies haven’t won more than three games in a season since 2015 and they haven’t had a winning season since 2010. Last season, UConn finished 1-11 with their only win coming against FCS foe Yale, knocking off the Bulldogs, 21-15, despite being four-point underdogs. UConn is entering their first season under head coach Jim Mora, former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, and UCLA.
7. Sept. 3: @ Southern Miss
Liberty defeated the Golden Eagles, 56-35, in 2020, but that was before Southern Miss made a coaching change. Will Hall enters his second season as head coach at Southern Miss after serving as an offensive coordinator at Louisiana and Tulane, and they will be looking to improve off their 3-9 campaign a season ago.
6. Oct. 1: @ Old Dominion
Liberty will be making its first trip to Norfolk to take on Old Dominion since 2013 when the Monarchs got the upper hand in a 21-17 win. Since that time, both teams have made coaching changes and transitioned into full FBS members. Liberty has had more success than their in-state FBS counterpart in recent years, defeating ODU, 52-10, in 2018, and 45-17 last season. First year head coach Ricky Rahne had his team bounce-back from a 1-6 start to the season in 2021 to win five straight and get into the Myrtle Beach Bowl where they would fall to Tulsa, 30-17.
5. Sept. 10: vs UAB
Liberty’s 2022 home schedule is highlighted by home games against Virginia Tech and BYU, but the home opener against UAB is one of the best home dates the Flames have had since moving to the FBS ranks. Under head coach Bill Clark, the Blazers have become one of the best Group of Five teams in the country. Liberty spoiled their stadium opener in Protective Stadium last season, winning 36-12, in Birmingham. UAB opens their season on Thursday, Sept. 1 against Alabama A&M before travelling to Lynchburg with revenge on their minds.
4. Nov. 19: vs Virginia Tech
Former Penn State defensive coordinator has taken over as head coach at Virginia Tech where he hopes to reestablish the Hokies as the dominant program in Virginia. Virginia Tech is coming off a 6-7 campaign where they advanced to the Pinstripe Bowl, losing to Maryland 54-10. The most anticipated home game in Williams Stadium history will have Liberty looking for a second straight win over the Hokies after knocking them off in Lane Stadium, 38-35, in 2020.
3. Sept. 17: @ Wake Forest
In 2021, Wake Forest became just the second team in program history to win double-digit games and tied the program record with 11 victories. Head coach Dave Clawson become the first coach in program history to win four bowl games as they defeated Rutgers, 38-10, in the Gator Bowl. The Demon Deacons finished the year 11-3, started the season 8-0, and advanced to the ACC Championship Game where they lost to Pitt. This will be the third game of the season for both teams, as Wake Forest opens up against VMI and Vanderbilt before welcoming the Flames to Winston-Salem.
2. Oct. 22: vs BYU
BYU enters their final season as an FBS Independent before moving to the Big 12. They are coming off a very successful 2021 campaign, finishing 10-3 and advancing to the Independence Bowl where they lost to UAB, 31-28. BYU will travel to the East Coast to take on Liberty just one week after playing host to Arkansas. The Flames will be looking for its first ever win over BYU, dropping the only previous contest, 31-24, in 2019.
1. Nov. 5: @ Arkansas
The Razorbacks are expected to be a top 25 team this season as they look to replicate last year’s success. Under second year head coach Sam Pittman, Arkansas finished 2021 with a 9-4 record and 4-4 mark in SEC play before advancing to the Outback Bowl where they defeated Penn State, 24-10. The first ever meeting between the two programs comes late in the season and is sandwiched on Arkansas’ schedule between games at Auburn and against LSU.
