Coming off the most impressive season in school history, the Liberty Flames come into the 2021 season with a major chip on their shoulder as they look to prove to the entire College Football world that last season was all but a fluke. Led by their Head Coach, Hugh Freeze, the Flames have taken the College Football world by storm, and to nobody’s surprise either. Not only did Liberty win ten games last season including, a bowl win over Coastal Carolina, but the Flames have hit the recruiting trail hard and building for a future where the Flames are to be feared by everyone who faces them.

As far as this season goes, Liberty returns twenty starters from last season, ten on the offensive side of the ball and ten on defense. With numbers like that, people across College Football are starting to talk about Liberty being a legitimate contender at a New Year’s Six Bowl game, and even if everything works out with the Playoff expansion, a playoff team. Which, let’s be real here, with a Head Coach like Hugh Freeze, who has won everywhere he’s been, the sky is the limit for this team.

On the offensive side of the ball, Liberty has a Heisman contender at quarterback in Malik Willis. Not only does Liberty have a Heisman contender at QB, but their entire offense is a unit made up of standout athletes such as Joshua Mack at running back and Kevin Shaa and DJ Stubbs. Not to mention, the entire offensive line is back and ready to protect Willis and Mack.

On the other side of the ball, Liberty is just as deadly with another ten starters returning. It’s truly hard to find a missing piece on this defensive unit. From Durrell Johnson to Javon Scruggs, this Flames defense is on a mission to become the best defense in the country. Sure, Coach Freeze is one of the best offensive minds in College Football, but his Defensive Coordinator, Scott Symons, understands that defense wins Championships.

Sure, Liberty Football isn’t Alabama, Clemson, or even Ohio State, but there’s no reason why this program can’t be mentioned in the same sentence as those programs. Coach Freeze and his Flames have the talent to compete, but they also believe they can and will beat any team on their schedule which, is scary for any team that faces Liberty in 2021.

Liberty will open their season on September 4th against Campbell before getting into the meat of the schedule, where they’ll face the likeness of Ole Miss, UAB, Louisiana, and Army. Realistically, Liberty could have another magical season where a double-digit win season should be the expectation with a New Year Six Bowl as the end goal.