Game Day: FIU

Game Day: FIU

Liberty (4-0, 2-0 CUSA) will play host to FIU (2-3, 1-0 CUSA) for a Tuesday evening clash between two teams which remain unbeaten during the early stages of CUSA play.

"4 Downs" with FIU

#1 Tuesday's matchup with FIU is the Flames' only scheduled game within a month spanning Sept. 22-Oct. 22. The Flames-Panthers clash is the only CUSA matchup in week 7 featuring two unbeaten teams in conference play. Liberty is attempting to join Southern Miss (1996-97) as the only CUSA newcomers to start each of their first two conference seasons at 3-0.

#2 Liberty's last two outings have resulted in home victories. The Flames will attempt to complete a 3-0 homestand, something Liberty accomplished each of the last four times it played three consecutive games at home within a single season (2013, 2019, 2020 and 2023). The Flames have rallied from deficits of 14 points or more to win twice this season (at New Mexico State, vs. East Carolina). FIU is seeking its first 2-0 CUSA start since 2018.

#3 Reese Smith tied the program record with three receiving TDs against East Carolina in the Flames' last outing on Sept. 21, surpassing his career total of two entering the contest. His efforts helped fuel a comeback from a 17-0 deficit in a game which was delayed 4:37 due to weather. All 35 of the Flames' points against the Pirates were scored after midnight.

#4 Liberty has boasted a 100-yard rusher in all four games to begin 2024. Quinton Cooley reached 100 vs. Campbell, New Mexico State and East Carolina, while Billy Lucas did so vs. UTEP. This is the first time since 2008 Liberty has had a 100-yard rusher in each of a season's first four contests.

A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...

Extend the Flames' program-record regular-season winning streak to 17, the longest active streak in FBS football.
Give the Flames their second-longest home winning streak (12 games) in program history, trailing only the 15-game streak which spanned Sept. 14, 2019-Oct. 30, 2021.
Enable the Flames to start 5-0 for the second year in a row and the third time in the last five seasons.
Keep the Flames undefeated against FIU all-time at 3-0.
Push the Flames' all-time record in CUSA games to 11-0.
Enable the Flames to join Southern Miss (1996-97) as the only CUSA newcomers to start each of their first two conference seasons at 3-0.
Improve the Flames' record to 21-1 all-time when facing CUSA opponents (at time of meeting) with their 20th consecutive win in such contests.

Home Sweet Home
Liberty is 11-0 at Williams Stadium under second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell, outscoring opponents 426-250 at home during his tenure.

Liberty's 11-game home winning streak is tied with Texas for the fourth-longest active FBS home winning streak. Only Georgia (26), Washington (17) and LSU (13) have longer active home winning streaks than Liberty.

Regular Season Roll
Liberty carries a program-record 16-game regular-season winning streak into Tuesday's matchup.

After Georgia's loss at Alabama on Sept. 28, the Flames hold the longest active regular-season winning streak among FBS schools.

CUSA Success
Liberty went 8-0 last year in conference play last year, its first season in Conference USA. The Flames are the first CUSA team to win their first 10 regular-season Conference USA games as conference members.

Overall, Liberty is 20-1 all-time against teams who were members of CUSA at time of meeting. Liberty's only loss to a CUSA team was a 47-7 setback to North Texas, Sept. 22, 2018 in Lynchburg.

Sunshine State Scuffle
Liberty is 6-12 all-time against teams from Florida, including 4-3 in home games.

The Flames have won each of their last three meetings vs. Florida teams, starting with a win over Jacksonville on Sept. 10, 2016 in Williams Stadium. Liberty downed FIU at home in 2020 before winning at FIU last year.

Back for More
Three current Flames (Jerome Jolly, Jr., Quinton Reese, Treon Sibley) will be playing against FIU for the third time, as all three played as true freshmen against the Panthers on Sept. 26, 2020.

Reese and Jolly, Jr., both had one tackle against FIU in 2020, with Jolly's being his first career stop. Sibley made his first career appearance in the 2020 FIU game.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Quinton Cooley

Jerome Jolly, Jr.

Billy Lucas

Quinton Reese

Treon Sibley

Reese Smith

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