Game Day: Missouri State

Liberty (4-4, 3-1 CUSA) will wrap up a run of three straight home games by hosting CUSA newcomer Missouri State (5-3, 3-1 CUSA) for a key conference clash on Military Appreciation Day.

Broadcast Information:
TV: ESPN+

Broadcast team: Matt Warner (play-by-play), Joe Jauch (analyst) and Annie Cory (sidelines)

Radio: LFSN Radio (Local: 88.3 FM | Liberty Flames Mobile App | LibertyFlames.com)

Broadcast team: Alan York (play-by-play), Jason Porter (analyst) and Nick Pierce (sidelines)

Game Day Information:
Location: Lynchburg, Va.
Stadium: Williams Stadium
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET

Toys for Tots Collection
As part of the game against Missouri State, Liberty Athletics will be collecting toys for the Toys for Tots program. Flames Nation is encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift to the game. There will be collection bins at Flames Fan Fest and at all the gates at Williams Stadium.

News and Notes:

Liberty and Missouri State are two of five CUSA teams with either zero conference losses or one conference setback with four weeks remaining. The others include Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State and Western Kentucky.
The Flames and Bears, both of whom are riding three-game winning streaks, have split two previous head-to-head meetings. Liberty and Missouri State have not squared off on the gridiron since 1994.
Liberty is coming off its most impressive performance of the season. The Flames racked up a season-high point total in a 59-30 victory over Delaware on Homecoming on Nov. 1.
Jamey Chadwell is 25-9 in his third year at Liberty and owns a 56-15 coaching record dating back to the start of 2020. The Flames are 16-2 at Williams Stadium under Chadwell.
QB Ethan Vasko, whose return from injury coincided with the start of Liberty's current winning streak, threw for 221 yards and two TDs and ran for another score against Delaware.
RB Evan Dickens enjoyed a career game against Delaware, setting career highs for carries (22), rushing yards (217) and rushing touchdowns (4). His four TDs were the most by a Flame since 2020 (Malik Willis) and his 217 yards were the most by a Liberty player since 2008 (Rashad Jennings).

More Game Notes vs. Missouri State

"4 Downs" with Missouri State

#1 Missouri State will visit Williams Stadium for the first time since Nov. 18, 1989. That day, the FCS No. 12 Bears became the first visiting team to defeat the Flames at their new home stadium. Missouri State's 31-20 triumph in Liberty's season finale marked the Flames' third contest at Williams Stadium and ended Sam Rutigliano's first season with a 7-3 record.

#2 The Flames are 3-0 this season and 24-2 under Jamey Chadwell when outrushing their opponents. Conversely, they are only 1-7 when being outrushed (five of those eight games have come in 2025). Liberty rushed for a season-high 282 yards against Delaware last week. Evan Dickens accounted for a career-high 217 of those yards, marking the most rushing yards by a Flame since Sept. 27, 2008, when Rashad Jennings tallied 220 yards at Youngstown State.

#3 Liberty and Missouri State have a number of similarities thus far in 2025. Both teams are 3-1 in CUSA play and each enters Saturday's matinee riding a three-game winning streak. The Flames are 3-1 at home this year, while the Bears are 3-1 in road games. Liberty hosts the three newest members of CUSA (Delaware, Missouri State and Kennesaw State) this November.

#4 Evan Dickens rushed for a career-high four touchdowns against Delaware a week ago, falling one shy of the Liberty single-game record. The first-year Flame has now tallied eight rushing TDs this season, giving him one more than Missouri State's team total. Liberty is 5-of-6 on fourth down conversions dating back to the UTEP game.

A LIBERTY WIN WOULD...

Give the Flames their first four-game winning streak since the team opened the 2024 season with five consecutive victories (Aug. 31-Oct. 8).
Mark the first time the home team has been victorious in the Liberty-Missouri State head-to-head series, giving the Flames a 2-1 advantage all-time.
Improve the team's all-time record against CUSA opponents (at time of meeting) to 27-5, including 18-4 since the Flames joined the conference in 2023.
Boost the Flames' home record at Williams Stadium to 4-1 this season, 17-2 under Jamey Chadwell and 41-8 since joining FBS.
Guarantee the Flames a winning home record at Williams Stadium for the 20th consecutive season.
Give the Flames a 9-1 record in November games under Jamey Chadwell, including 2-0 this season.
Represent career victory No. 125 for Jamey Chadwell in 16 seasons as a collegiate head coach.

It's Been A While
When Liberty takes on Missouri State on Saturday, it will be the first time in 31 years that these two teams have met on the gridiron.

That is the fourth-longest gap between consecutive meetings with an opponent in program history.

1. Liberty vs. Middle Tennessee - 39 years (1982-2021)
2. Liberty vs. Jacksonville State - 34 years (1982-2016)
3. Liberty vs. Eastern Michigan - 32 years (1989-2021)
4. Liberty vs. Missouri State - 31 years (1994-2025)
5T. Liberty vs. Maine - 27 years (1992-2019)
5T. Liberty vs. St. Paul's - 27 years (1979-2006)

Home Sweet Home
Liberty is 40-8 at Williams Stadium since joining the FBS in 2018 and 153-57 all-time at the facility.

The Flames are 10-1 against CUSA opponents at Williams Stadium since joining the conference in 2023. Liberty's only home setback to a CUSA team since 2023 was a 31-21 loss to Jax State, Oct. 30, 2024.

This will be the second time in the last three years that Liberty has played three straight home games, as the Flames went 3-0 at home from Nov. 4-18, 2023 with wins over Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion and UMass.

Home vs. Away
So far this season, Liberty is 3-1 at home and 1-3 away.
Home Away
3-1 – Record - 1-3
32.5 - Points/Game - 15.8
23.8 - Points Allowed/Game - 21.5
369.5 - Yards/Game - 373.3
391.9 - Yards Allowed/Game - 337.5
+3 - Turnover Margin - -3

Cusa Success
Liberty is 26-5 all-time against Conference USA opponents at time of meeting. That includes a 17-4 record versus CUSA teams since joining the league in 2023.

The Flames went 8-0 in conference play during their first year in the league, on the way to the CUSA title and a New Year's Six berth.

Liberty was the first CUSA team to win each of its first 11 regular-season Conference USA games, prior to the Flames' loss to Kennesaw State, Oct. 23, 2024.

Flames Quarter
Liberty Head Coach Jamey Chadwell calls the fourth quarter Flames Quarter. Last year, Liberty outscored opponents 124-69 in the fourth quarter. This year has been a different story, as the Flames trail opponents 62-61 in fourth-quarter scoring.

Liberty is 18-0 when leading after three quarters under Jamey Chadwell. Chadwell's team has won each of the last 47 times it took a lead into the fourth quarter, since giving up a 31-25 advantage in a 39-38 Coastal Carolina loss at Arkansas, Nov. 4, 2017.

Welcome To The CUSA
Last week and this week, Liberty takes on the two newest members of Conference USA, Delaware and Missouri State.

In its three years as a member of Conference USA, Liberty is 5-1 against teams which are in their first year in CUSA.

Two years ago, Liberty beat fellow CUSA newcomers New Mexico State (twice), Sam Houston and Jacksonville State. Last year, the Flames lost at CUSA newcomer Kennesaw State.

Schedule

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Evan Dickens

Ethan Vasko