The 2020 Liberty Flames football team represented Liberty University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Hugh Freeze and played their home games at Williams Stadium. The Flames competed as an FBS independent.
Schedule Liberty had games scheduled against Bowling Green, North Carolina A&T, UConn, and UMass, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These games were partially replaced with new match-ups announced with Coastal Carolina and North Alabama. The games against NC State and Syracuse were rescheduled for different days for the 2020 season.
Because of an increased number of COVID-19 cases within the football program, Liberty University's medical staff decided to pause its football team's activities and cancel the game with Coastal Carolina in Conway, South Carolina, scheduled for December 5.Domingo, Ida (December 4, 2020). "Liberty, Coastal Carolina game canceled after coronavirus concerns within football program". WSET-TV. MSN.com. Ironically, the two teams were selected to play in the Cure Bowl at season's end, a match-up that Liberty won.
Schedule source:
Rankings
In week 5, Liberty received votes in the Coaches Poll for the first time in program history and the following week, they received votes in the AP Poll for the first time. In week 9, they were nationally ranked for the first time, when they were ranked at No. 25 in the AP Poll. They would spend 8 total weeks in the rankings, finishing at No. 17.
Game summaries
At Western Kentucky
Statistics LibertyWestern Kentucky First downs 27 19 Total yards 487 291 Rushing yards 354 110 Passing yards 133 181 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 34:59 25:01
Team Category Player StatisticsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 13/21, 133 yards Rushing Malik Willis 21 carries, 168 yards, 3 TDs Receiving CJ Yarbrough 2 receptions, 53 yardsWestern Kentucky Passing Tyrrell Pigrome 18/25, 181 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Tyrrell Pigrome 14 carries, 74 yards Receiving Mitchell Tinsley 6 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
FIU
Statistics FIULiberty First downs 16 31 Total yards 304 527 Rushing yards 168 219 Passing yards 136 308 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 22:39 37:21
Team Category Player StatisticsFIU Passing Stone Norton 9/13, 120 yards, 2 TDs Rushing D'Vonte Price 13 carries, 148 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Bryce Singleton 2 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TDLiberty Passing Malik Willis 24/30, 285 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Joshua Mack 13 carries, 107 yards, 1 TD Receiving DJ Stubbs 8 receptions, 119 yards, 1 TD
North Alabama
Statistics North AlabamaLiberty First downs 14 22 Total yards 247 357 Rushing yards 63 250 Passing yards 184 107 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 32:10 27:50
Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Rett Files 15/24, 156 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Parker Driggers 7 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD Receiving Andre Little 1 reception, 47 yardsLiberty Passing Chris Ferguson 12/21, 64 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Joshua Mack 16 carries, 130 yards Receiving CJ Yarbrough 2 receptions, 43 yards
Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics Louisiana–MonroeLiberty First downs 10 20 Total yards 198 400 Rushing yards 78 180 Passing yards 120 220 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 27:49 32:11
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Colby Suits 13/29, 78 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Josh Johnson 13 carries, 51 yards Receiving Josh Pederson 2 receptions, 21 yardsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 11/29, 177 yards, 1 INT Rushing Malik Willis 13 carries, 87 yards, 1 TD Receiving DJ Stubbs 2 receptions, 69 yards
At Syracuse
Statistics LibertySyracuse First downs 24 19 Total yards 520 308 Rushing yards 338 97 Passing yards 182 211 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 36:24 23:36
Team Category Player StatisticsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 16/20, 182 yards, 1 TD Rushing Shedro Louis 10 carries, 170 yards, 2 TDs Receiving DJ Stubbs 4 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TDSyracuse Passing Rex Culpepper 19/40, 211 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Sean Tucker 21 carries, 111 yards Receiving Taj Harris 9 receptions, 96 yards, 1 TD
Southern Miss
Statistics Southern MissLiberty First downs 19 25 Total yards 416 537 Rushing yards 215 192 Passing yards 201 345 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 27:37 32:23
Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Miss Passing Tate Whatley 15/26, 188 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Tate Whatley 12 carries, 52 yards, 4 TDs Receiving Jason Brownlee 5 receptions, 114, 1 TDLiberty Passing Malik Willis 24/31, 345, 6 TDs Rushing Malik Willis 12 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD Receiving Demario Douglas 6 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TD
At Virginia Tech
Statistics LibertyVirginia Tech First downs 29 24 Total yards 466 418 Rushing yards 249 201 Passing yards 217 217 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 37:27 22:33
Team Category Player StatisticsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 20/30, 217 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Malik Willis 19 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD Receiving CJ Yarbrough 5 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TDVirginia Tech Passing Hendon Hooker 20/27, 217 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Hendon Hooker 20 carries, 156 yards, 1 TD Receiving Tré Turner 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
The game featured a wild finish as Liberty got into field goal range with 8 seconds left to go in a 35–35 tie. Facing a 4th and 6 at the Virginia Tech 41-yard line, disaster appeared to strike when Liberty 59-yard field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Virginia Tech's Jermaine Waller with no time remaining. However, Virginia Tech had called a timeout to try to Icing the kicker before the play. Liberty then decided to go for it on fourth down, and got an 8-yard pass completion for a first down after Virginia Tech mistakenly thought that Flames would try a Hail Mary and went to a prevent defense. With 5 seconds remaining, the Flames converted a 51-yard field goal to win the game.
Western Carolina
Statistics Western CarolinaLiberty First downs 15 21 Total yards 282 633 Rushing yards 142 254 Passing yards 140 379 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 30:44 29:16
Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Carolina Passing Will Jones 7/13, 74 yards, TD, INT Rushing Donnavan Spencer 12 carries, 79 yards Receiving Owen Cosenke 5 receptions, 56 yardsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 14/19, 306 yards, 3 TD Rushing Malik Willis 8 carries, 97 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kevin Shaa 2 receptions, 137 yards, TD
At NC State
Statistics LibertyNC State First downs 17 19 Total yards 279 321 Rushing yards 107 167 Passing yards 172 154 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 29:42 30:18
Team Category Player StatisticsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 13/32, 171 yards, 2 TD Rushing Joshua Mack 12 carries, 49 yards Receiving Noah Frith 4 receptions, 73 yards, 1 TDNC State Passing Bailey Hockman 14/27, 154 yards Rushing Zonovan Knight 14 carries, 96 yards, 2 TD Receiving Emeka Emezie 1 reception, 55 yards
UMass
Statistics UMassLiberty First downs 12 31 Total yards 227 629 Rushing yards 55 378 Passing yards 172 251 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 25:50 34:10
Team Category Player StatisticsUMass Passing Garret Dzuro 9/22, 172 yards, 1 INT Rushing Cam Roberson 5 carries, 17 yards Receiving Samuel Emilus 4 receptions, 82 yardsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 16/24, 223 yards, 3 TD Rushing Peytton Pickett 10 carries, 125 yards, 1 TD Receiving DeMario Douglas 4 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD
Vs. Coastal Carolina (Cure Bowl)
Statistics LibertyCoastal Carolina First downs 26 24 Total yards 475 483 Rushing yards 255 165 Passing yards 220 318 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 30:49 29:11
Team Category Player StatisticsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 19/29, 220 yards, 2 INT Rushing Malik Willis 21 carries, 137 yards, 4 TD Receiving DJ Stubbs 5 receptions, 68 yardsCoastal Carolina Passing Grayson McCall 21/32, 318 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Grayson McCall 15 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jaivon Heiligh 13 receptions, 178 yards
References