Game Day: East Carolina

Liberty (3-0, 2-0 CUSA) will welcome East Carolina (2-1, 0-0 AAC) to Williams Stadium for the first time on Saturday evening during Family Weekend and College for a Weekend.

"4 Downs" with East Carolina

#1 Liberty and East Carolina will square off for the first time on Saturday. The Pirates are the only first-time opponent on the Flames' 2024 season schedule. Liberty has only faced one American Athletic Conference opponent in program history (SMU in 2016) and is seeking its first win against an AAC member during the Flames' first time hosting an AAC foe at Williams Stadium.

#2 Liberty's next two opponents (East Carolina and Appalachian State) faced each other last Saturday at ECU with App State pulling out a 21-19 road win. The Flames have allowed their opponent to score first each of the last two weeks before rallying to win both contests. Liberty is 8-0 under Jamey Chadwell when its opponent scores a game's first points. The Flames are the only FBS with two conference victories already this season.

#3 The Flames are off to a 3-0 start for the fourth time in the last five seasons and the 11th time in program history. On five of the last six occasions, Liberty went on to record 8+ victories that season. If 21,000+ fans attend Saturday's game, which ticket sales indicate is possible, this would be the first time Liberty has recorded three home attendances of 21,000+ in a single season.

#4 Liberty hopes for a 100-yard rusher in a fourth straight game to begin 2024 after Quinton Cooley reached 100 vs. Campbell and New Mexico State and Billy Lucas did so vs. UTEP. The Flames have not fielded a 100-yard rusher in each of a season's first four games since 2008 and ECU has not allowed an opposing player to reach 100 in 2024.

A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...

Extend the Flames' regular-season winning streak to 16 and push their home winning streak to 11. It would tie the second-longest home winning streak in program history (also Nov. 4, 2006 through Oct. 11, 2008).
Enable the Flames to start 4-0 for the second year in a row and the third time in the last five seasons.
Be the Flames' first-ever win over an American Athletic Conference opponent.
Mark the Flames' 15th straight home win against an opponent from North Carolina.
Boost the Flames' record to 11-2 since 2020 when facing a first-time opponent.
Give the Flames a 35-6 home record as an FBS member (2018-present).
Represent the Flames' 18th victory in their last 20 September contests (dating back to 2019).
Make Jamey Chadwell 5-0 all-time when coaching against Mike Houston.

Home Sweet Home
Liberty is 34-6 at Williams Stadium since joining FBS in 2018 and 147-55 all-time at the facility.

The Flames set a program record for home wins (8) last year and were the only FBS team who went 8-0 at home. Prior to that, Army in 2020 was the last non-Power 5 Team to go 8-0 at home in a season.

Liberty's current 10-game home winning streak is its longest since a program-record 15-game home win streak from Sept. 14, 2019 through Oct. 30, 2021.

Regular Season Roll
Liberty carries a program-record 15-game regular-season winning streak into today's matchup.

The Flames were the only Group of Five team to go undefeated in the regular season last year. Only Georgia (42 games) owns a longer active regular-season winning streaks than Liberty among FBS schools.

So far this season, Florida State, Michigan and Washington all saw their lengthy regular-season winning streaks snapped.

North Carolina Notes
Saturday will be Liberty's 91st game all-time against a varsity opponent from North Carolina. Liberty has played more games against North Carolina opponents than versus any other state.

The Flames are 44-44-2 all-time against North Carolina opponents, including 28-17 in Lynchburg and 24-7 at Williams Stadium. The Flames have won 14 straight home games versus North Carolina teams since a 27-24 loss to Gardner-Webb Oct. 21, 2006.

1st Time for Everything
Despite being in neighboring states, Liberty and East Carolina have never faced one another in football.

ECU is the only first-time opponent on this year's schedule. Since the start of the 2020 season, Liberty is 10-2 when facing a team for the first time.

Last year, Liberty went 3-1 against teams which it met for the first time, beating Louisiana Tech, Sam Houston and UTEP and falling to Oregon.

Liberty is looking for its first win against an opponent from the American Athletic Conference (at time of meeting). The Flames have wins over at least one team from seven different FBS conferences: the ACC, Big 12, CUSA, MAC, Mountain West, SEC and Sun Belt.

Significant Stats
Liberty ranks 25th in the nation with 225 rushing yards per game. ECU is ranked 18th nationally, allowing 73 rushing yards per contest. The Flames led FBS football in rushing yards last season.

ECU has turned the ball over 12 times, the most of any FBS team. The Pirates have four interceptions. Liberty has lost three turnovers, but has yet to throw a pick.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Quinton Cooley

Billy Lucas