Game Day: Western Kentucky

Liberty (7-0, 5-0 CUSA) will head to Western Kentucky (4-3, 2-1 CUSA) Tuesday for a showdown between the top two teams in the CUSA preseason poll (WKU - No. 1, LU - No. 2).

Game Day Coverage:

Liberty vs. Western Kentucky (Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium)
Kickoff: 7:33 p.m. EST
TV: ESPNU
Radio: LFSN Radio (Flagship Station – 88.3 FM Lynchburg)

"4 Downs" with Western Kentucky

#1 Tuesday features a showdown between the first (WKU) and second-place (Liberty) teams in the 2023 CUSA preseason poll, who are a combined 7-1 in CUSA play thus far. The Flames are seeking their first CUSA title, while WKU is aiming for its first CUSA crown since 2016. Liberty and WKU are tied for No. 1 nationally in turnovers gained this season with 18 apiece.

#2 Liberty currently ranks No. 2 nationally with 274.6 rushing yards per game. When the Flames rushed for a program single-season record 2,614 yards in 2003, they averaged 217.8 yards per contest. Kaidon Salter's 160 rushing yards vs. Middle Tennessee on Tuesday were the second most by a Liberty QB in program history. The only higher total (168 yards) was posted by Malik Willis during Liberty's last visit to WKU (Sept. 19, 2020).

#3 The Flames are 3-0 in road games to start the 2023 season, winning that trio of contests by an average of 26 points (41.3 to 15.3). Liberty is looking to win its first four road contests of the season for the first time since 1997, when the Flames were 6-0 away from Williams Stadium. Liberty is 3-0 this October, improving to 15-1 in October contests since the start of the 2020 campaign.

#4 Brylan Green, who is tied for the national lead with five interceptions, is hoping to pick off a pass for the fourth straight game. He recorded one of Liberty's two fourth-quarter INTs vs. Middle Tennessee. The Flames have posted four interceptions during the fourth quarter this season, while only allowing six total points.

A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...

Keep the Flames unbeaten all-time against WKU at 4-0, including a 3-0 mark in Bowling Green.
Enable the Flames to match the 2020 squad for the best-ever start to a season at 8-0.
Give the Flames their fifth winning streak of eight or more games all-time and longest since winning 10 in a row, Nov. 30, 2019 through Nov. 14, 2020.
Push the Flames' road winning streak to four games, the team's longest stretch of consecutive road victories since Oct. 11-Nov. 29, 2014, when Liberty also won four straight on the road.
Give the Flames their first-ever 6-0 start in conference play.
Make the Flames the first team ever to win their first six CUSA games as conference members.
Mark the Flames' 14th straight win over a CUSA opponent, improving their all-time record against CUSA foes to 15-1.

FAST START
Liberty is off to a 7-0 start, its best start to a season since 2020, when the Flames set a program record by winning their first eight games.

Liberty has started 7-0 or better for just the second time in program history. Jamey Chadwell is the only first-year head coach to guide the Flames to wins in each of his first seven games.

The Flames are the only unbeaten team in FBS football remaining this season who has a first-year head coach.

BOWL BATTLES
Western Kentucky is the fifth team on Liberty's schedule this season which competed in a bowl game in 2022. Also on the list are Bowling Green, New Mexico State, Buffalo and Middle Tennessee. Liberty is 4-0 this year against teams which competed in bowl games last season.

To this point in the season, FIU is the only team Liberty has faced in 2023 who was in FBS last season and did not compete in a bowl game.

CUSA SUCCESS
Liberty, after playing the last five years as an FBS Independent, has started 5-0 in CUSA play. Liberty is the first football team to win its first five Conference USA games as conference members.

The Flames were members of the Big South Conference from 2002-2017, winning eight conference titles.

Liberty is looking to become just the second team in CUSA history to compete in the CUSA Football Championship Game in its first year. Tulsa won the 2005 title game at UCF in its first year as a league member.

Overall, Liberty is 14-1 all-time against teams who were members of CUSA at time of meeting.

FLAMES QUARTER
The Flames have allowed just six total fourth-quarter points through seven games this season, with the lone score against being a touchdown by Buffalo, Sept. 16. That is the fewest of any FBS team in the nation.
Team - 4th Quarter Points Allowed
Liberty - 6
UCLA - 7
Pitt - 10
Ohio State - 14
Bowling Green/Tennessee - 16

BLUEGRASS STATE BATTLES
Liberty is 13-6 all-time against teams from Kentucky, including 4-5 when playing inside the Bluegrass State.

The Flames won their most recent game in Kentucky, a 30-24 season-opening win at Western Kentucky. Prior to that, it has been 24 years since Liberty had won in Kentucky, a 23-14 victory at WKU on Oct. 19, 1996.

Liberty is 2-0 all-time at WKU; 1-0 at Georgetown (Ky.); 1-3 at Morehead State; 0-1 at Eastern Kentucky and 0-1 at Murray State.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Brylan Green

Kaidon Salter