Game Day: UMass

Liberty (6-2, 4-2 CUSA) will travel to UMass (2-7) on Saturday to meet a familiar foe in the Flames' final non-conference tilt of the season.

"4 Downs" with UMass

#1 UMass is the only opponent Liberty has faced during each of its seven FBS seasons (2018-present). However, it will be the last meeting between the Flames and Minutemen for a while with UMass set to join the MAC in 2025. Liberty has only defeated one FBS opponent (New Mexico State - 6 times) more often in program history than UMass (5 times).

#2 Liberty boasts CUSA's No. 2 rushing attack (242.4 yards/game) and the No. 7 ranked rushing unit nationally following a season-best 339 yards on the ground at Middle Tennessee. The Flames rushed for 324 yards during last season's 49-25 triumph over UMass. The Flames are playing back-to-back road games for the first time since Sept. 16-23, 2023, when they won at Buffalo and FIU by a combined score of 93-33.

#3 Saturday's 37-17 win over Middle Tennessee improved the Flames' record to 5-0 this season and 17-0 under Jamey Chadwell when scoring 30+ points. Liberty has never scored fewer than 42 points during its first six matchups with UMass. However, the Flames did lose one of those contests, falling 62-59 in triple OT at UMass on Nov. 3, 2018.

#4 Saturday will mark Liberty's fourth visit to UMass' McGuirk Alumni Stadium. During the Flames' previous three contests in Amherst, they have averaged 54.7 points and 557 yards of offense per game. UMass is 2-2 in its first four home games this year, marking the Minutemen's most home wins since 2018 (3, including Liberty).

A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...

Mark the Flames' sixth straight head-to-head victory over UMass, making Liberty 6-1 all-time against the Minutemen. UMass would tie New Mexico State as the FBS opponents Liberty has defeated most often in program history.
Make the Flames the first CUSA team since TCU (2002-03) to go unbeaten in regular-season non-conference play in back-to-back years.
Secure the Flames' sixth consecutive season with 7+ victories and the 22nd in program history.
Guarantee the Flames finish with a .500 or better record on the road for the fifth year in a row.
Give Jamey Chadwell his 20th victory at Liberty (in 23 games). The previous fastest Flames coach to reach 20 wins was Hugh Freeze (26 games).
Make Flames' November record under Chadwell 6-0.
Keep the Flames unbeaten (14-0) in Saturday contests under Chadwell.
Improve Chadwell's all-time record vs. UMass to 5-0.

Bowling 300
It was fitting that Liberty rushed for over 300 yards on Saturday at Middle Tennessee, a game in which the Flames earned bowl eligbility.

The Flames have rushed for 300 or more yards eight times under Jamey Chadwell, going 8-0 in those games. In the first 50 years of Liberty football history, the Flames posted 28 total 300-yard rushing games.

Overall is his head coaching career, Chadwell's teams are 34-0 when rushing for 300 or more yards and 7-0 when churning up 400 or more rushing yards.

Saturday Streak
Liberty is 13-0 on Saturday under second-year head coach Jamey Chadwell.

The Flames' only three losses in the last two seasons have come on Monday (Vrbo Fiest Bowl vs. Oregon) and Wednesday (Oct. 23, 2024 at Kennesaw State; Oct. 30, 2024 vs. Jacksonville State).

Liberty has seen its double-digit regular-season (17), conference (11) and home winning streaks (12) all come to an end within the last three weeks.

Still A Chance
Despite having two conference losses, there is still a path for Liberty to make the Conference USA Championship Game, should the Flames win out and get help.

In the Championship Game era (since 2005), 10 times has a team made the Conference USA Championship Game with two losses, last North Texas in 2022.

A two-loss team is 3-7 all-time in Conference USA Championship Game history, with Southern Miss (2011), East Carolina (2008) and Tulsa (2005) all going on the road to win the title game.

Quick History
Jamey Chadwell is 4-0 all-time against UMass, as Coastal Carolina defeated the Minutemen in 2017 (38-28), 2019 (62-28) and 2021 (53-3). Last year, Chadwell led Liberty to a 49-25 home win over UMass.

UMass won the first-ever meeting with Liberty, 62-59 in three overtimes on Nov. 3, 2018.

Liberty has claimed the last five meetings, outscoring the Minutemen 261-87 (average score 52.2-17.4).

Comeback Kids
Liberty has trailed at some point in all eight games so far this season. The Flames have overcome deficits of 17 points (Sept. 21 versus East Carolina) and 14 points (Sept. 7 at New Mexico State) in wins this season.

This is the first time in program history that Liberty has earned two wins in a season when overcoming deficits of 14 points or more in each game.

Liberty is 4-0 this season and 10-0 under Chadwell when the opponent scores first.

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