The #6 Stony Brook Seawolves (9-1, 5-0 Big South) look to finish their 2nd consecutive season at 6-0 in the Big South, and once again capture the conference’s auto-bid into the FCS playoffs. The only team standing in their way are the Liberty Flames (4-5, 3-1). Kickoff in Lynchburg on Saturday is scheduled for 3:30.

Stony Brook looks to 4-peat as Big South Champions

This will be the last matchup between the two schools as conference foes as Stony Brook will compete next season in the Colonial Athletic Association. The all-time series is currently tied at 2 with the home team being victorious each time. The winner of each of the previous 4 matchups has gone on to win or share the conference title. The same will likely be true this season as well.

Stony Brook will arrive in the Hill City with a healthy 9-1 overall record. Since Liberty moved to Division I in 1989, only 1 team has come to Lynchburg with 9 or more wins. That opponent was Charleston Southern in 2006 who came to Lynchburg sporting a 9-0 record. The result? Liberty 34 Charleston Southern 20. #6 Stony Brook is the highest ranked team to play at Williams Stadium since #4 Appalachian State in 2002.

Since moving to Division I in 1989, Liberty has never beaten a team ranked in the FCS top 10 as they are 0-12 all-time. The highest ranked team Liberty has ever beaten is #12 Elon in the season finale of Liberty’s 10-2 2008 season.

Liberty and Stony brook rank 1st and 2nd in multiple categories including total offense, total defense, rush defense, and scoring defense. Stony Brook ranks #9 in all of FCS in total offense averaging 475 yards per game. But don’t think the Seawolves are one-dimensional as their defense ranks #11 in the country in total defense. Stony Brook also ranks #5 in the country in rush offense, scoring offense, and scoring defense. Coach Gill said whoever is “getting knocked back (from the line of scrimmage), that’s who’s being the most physical team” and who is most likely to win the game.

Stony Brook RB Miguel Maysonet

Liberty and Stony Brook have the top 4 individual rushers in the conference with Miguel Maysonet (SBU), Aldreakis Allen (LU), Marcus Coker (SBU), and Sirchauncey Holloway (LU). Maysonet is the Big South record holder for career rushing touchdowns, career rushing yards, and single season rushing yards. He surpassed Liberty’s own Rashad Jennings in the career and single season rushing yard categories. Maysonet is alson the Walter Payton Award watch list.

Coach Gill says Liberty has “a great gameplan” and emphasizes the turnover battle. “We must win the turnover margin,” Gill continued, stating Liberty needs to force 2 or more turnovers while allowing 0. Gill also pointed out due to Stony Brook’s powerful running attack the Liberty secondary “needs to play great man to man coverage” allowing the rest of the defense to concentrate on the run.

Prediction:
Liberty has won a Big South conference record 17 consecutive home conference games, but Stony Brook is by far the best Big South team Liberty will have faced during this streak. The Seawolves have had the 2012 season circled on their calendar for quite a while, and they have not had many blips on their radar screen so far. SBU is a legitimate national championship contender.

Liberty 24
Stony Brook 38

Go Flames!