Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold previews all of Western Carolina's 2020 football opponents.
With the postponement of all SoCon football conference games until the spring of 2021, this will be the first of 3 "fall" games. The Cats travel to Lynchburg, VA to face the FBS independent and nationally 25th ranked, Liberty Flames.
The Cats have won three of the six games against the Flames that first played in Lynchburg back in 1996.
Game #1 - AP # 25 - Liberty Flames
When: Saturday, November 14, 2020
Time: 12:00 noon
Where: Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA (25k)
Turf: AstroTurf
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video: ESPN3
Conference: Independent
Nickname: Flames
Mascot: Sparky
The Series: The two teams are currently tied, 3-3 in a series that kicked off in 1996. The Flames currently boast a two-game win streak into the series. Coach Speir has not played Liberty in his time as head coach of WCU.
The last game played vs. Liberty: September 13, 2008 - Western Carolina Drops Heartbreaker, 19-16, to No. 25 Liberty Flames Cullowhee, N.C. - Trailing by a dozen entering the fourth quarter, Western Carolina scored nine unanswered points in the final frame - including a 78-yard touchdown pass from senior Andy Horn to Marquel Pittman and the first career field goal from junior Blake Bostic. But it was not enough as the 25th-ranked Liberty Flames escaped with a three-point, 19-16, victory Saturday night at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze - A winning tradition at the highest level of NCAA collegiate football was brought to Liberty Mountain when Hugh Freeze was introduced as the ninth head coach in football program history on Dec. 7, 2018.
It did not take long for Freeze to live up to this lofty standard as Freeze led the Flames to their first-ever bowl game appearance and victory during his inaugural season at the helm of the program.
The Flames capped their first season under Freeze with a 23-16 victory over Sun Belt Conference member Georgia Southern in the 2019 FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl on Dec. 21 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Last Season's Record (Liberty) - 2019: 8-5 overall, 5-1 home, 2-4 away -
This Season's Record (Liberty) - 2020: 6-0 overall, 4-0 home. The Flames face Virginia Tech this Saturday in Blacksburg, VA, prior to next week's home contest against the Catamounts
Ranked in the Top 25 for the first time at the FBS level, #25 Liberty (6-0) will travel across the Commonwealth on Saturday to square off with Virginia Tech (4-2, 4-2 ACC).
Where: Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA (25k)
Turf: AstroTurf
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video: ESPN3
Conference: Independent
Nickname: Flames
Mascot: Sparky
The Series: The two teams are currently tied, 3-3 in a series that kicked off in 1996. The Flames currently boast a two-game win streak into the series. Coach Speir has not played Liberty in his time as head coach of WCU.
The last game played vs. Liberty: September 13, 2008 - Western Carolina Drops Heartbreaker, 19-16, to No. 25 Liberty Flames Cullowhee, N.C. - Trailing by a dozen entering the fourth quarter, Western Carolina scored nine unanswered points in the final frame - including a 78-yard touchdown pass from senior Andy Horn to Marquel Pittman and the first career field goal from junior Blake Bostic. But it was not enough as the 25th-ranked Liberty Flames escaped with a three-point, 19-16, victory Saturday night at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
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Last Season's Record (Liberty) - 2019: 8-5 overall, 5-1 home, 2-4 away -
This Season's Record (Liberty) - 2020: 6-0 overall, 4-0 home. The Flames face Virginia Tech this Saturday in Blacksburg, VA, prior to next week's home contest against the Catamounts
Ranked in the Top 25 for the first time at the FBS level, #25 Liberty (6-0) will travel across the Commonwealth on Saturday to square off with Virginia Tech (4-2, 4-2 ACC).
Liberty QB Malik Willis has been outstanding during his first
five games for the Flames, averaging 99.0 rushing yards/game, with six rushing TDs and completing 67
percent of his passes for 1,122 yards and nine scores. He posted
a program-record seven TDs (six passing, one rushing) during
Liberty's 56-35 win over Southern Miss on Oct. 24. Willis is one of four Flames with a 100-yard rushing game
this season, as Liberty ranks No. 6 nationally with 255.5 rushing
yards per game.
The Liberty defense ranks among the nation's leaders in total yards allowed (No. 10, 294.0 yards/game). The Flames have
recorded eight takeaways in the last four games.
2020 Liberty Statistics (through 6 games)
Rushing Offense: 1533 yards
Yards per game: 255.5
Yards per rush: 5.7 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 82
TDs rushing: 14
Passing Offense: 1295 yards or 215.8 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 12.2 yards
Passing 1st downs: 55
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 106-161-2
TDs Passing: 13
Total Offense: 2828 yards or 471.2 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 9-4
3d Down Conversions: 36 of 81 (44%)
4th Down Conversions: 10 of 12 (83%)
Field goal attempts: 7 of 11
PAT-Attempts: 27 of 29
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 25 of 32 (78%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 19 of 32 (59%)
Punts - Yards: 16 - 663 - Avg per punt: 41.4
Game predictions: Per the Massey Ratings, the Cats have only a 10% probability of winning (17-41) over the Flames.
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