[jcmanson]

As you can tell football fever is beginning to hit me hard.

Give your predictions and analysis on how you think the season will play out.

9/4 St Francis
9/11 @ Ball State
9/18 @ Robert Morriss
9/25 @ JMU
10/2 Savannah State
10/9 Charleston Southern
10/16 @ VMI
10/30 @ Presby
11/6 Gardner Webb
11/13 @ Coastal
11/20 Stony Brook
Playoffs???

[jcmanson]

9/4 St Francis – We win this game in a blowout. Starters are pulled early, everyone gets to play. Of course, we’ll all be talking about the newly expanded stadium rather than the team after this one. W (1-0)

9/11 @ Ball State – Tough, early game. I’m sure the guys are already looking toward this game. We could definitely make a statement with a W. In the end, I think we come up just short as Ball State won’t be taking us lightly considering their loss last year to New Hampshire. L (1-1)

9/18 @ Robert Morriss – Another good road test for us early on. We should win this game although it falls in a tough spot on the schedule (sandwiched between 2 of our biggest games of the year). I do think we will have too many weapons for RMU. W (2-1).

9/25 @ JMU – Cannot wait for this game. I’ve been going back and forth on it for a while. In the end, I think JMU is still more talented and deeper than we are. We’ll get ‘em in 2011 back at the Bill. L (2-2).

10/2 Savannah State – Yeah, it will be good to be back at home. W (3-2).

10/9 Charleston Southern – We open conference play, and hopefully the beginning of our march to the conference crown and playoff bid during Homecoming against CSU. I think CSU is just one step behind LU and SBU, but at home and during homecoming we are too much for the Bucs. W (4-2, 1-0).

10/16 @ VMI – I just don’t see VMI winning many games this year. W (5-2, 2-0).

10/30 @ Presby – We’re not losing to them in Clinton again as Revenge part 2 continues. W (6-2, 3-0).

11/6 Gardner Webb – This should start GW’s late season slide. W (7-2, 4-0).

11/13 @ Coastal – Definitely won’t be easy as the two of us always play close games, outside of last year’s, and I think last year’s game will be plenty of motivation for the Beach Chickens. A close game decided in the 4th quarter, but we’re able to pull it out. W (8-2, 5-0).

11/20 Stony Brook – Huge matchup to determine the outright conference champ and first auto-bid. I have both teams at 8-2, 5-0 coming into the game. Both teams will be ranked in the top 15. Being a homer, I have to pick us, but how will it really turn out? W (9-2, 6-0).

Playoffs???
We get the auto bid and play in the opening round of the new expanded playoffs. We get a home game against the NEC champ – Albany. We win. W (10-2, 6-0).

2nd round we play on the road against a CAA team (Richmond, W&M, JMU) or App. Loss (10-3, 6-0).

[LUaddict]

I can see us beating JMU and a CAa team. look what we did to elon and theywere a ranked 12th in the nation in08. We mollywhooped them.

[BJWilliams]

I generated quite a stir with my game by game breakdown last year so here we go:

9/4 vs. St Francis (PA- Liberty has never lost a home opener under Danny Rocco outscoring opponents 114-24. In fact the Flames havent lost the first home game since 2002 (a 23-3 decision to Western Carolina). Liberty is gonna get this year off to a rousing start. Maybe not as big a blowout as the last time the Red Flash were in town but a solid win nonetheless Liberty 42-14 1-0

9/11 @ Ball State- This will be a bit of an emotional one as itll be he ninth anniversary of that day and also itll be the first of a pair of big games in this early non-conference stretch. Ball State has taken a precipitous fall since Nate Davis left, including losing to fellow FCS competitor New Hampshire last season. I agree with manson in saying that the Cardinals will not take this one lightly. Liberty has proven that they can get up for these FBS games and I see them putting on another good showing. Ball State 31-28 1-1

9/18 @ Robert Morris. The Colonials are hoping to build on their 6-5 record from a year ago and hoping to make a statement as the NEC, like the Big South is going into their first playoff AQ season. LU has split their last two trips to the Keystone State (beating Lafayette last year and losing to 2009 national champion Villanova in 1994). The Flames will get the win here and set the stage for one of the biggest games of the season Liberty 23-14 2-1


9/25 @ JMU Last year the Dukes ground out a two touchdown victory in a deluge at WIlliams Stadium. Hopefully the weather will be better this time around and the two teams can play on somewhat more even terms. The Flames have not beaten the Dukes since 1992 with JMU taking the last four meetings. The Flames finally get over the hump and stamp themselves as one of the top teams in the state of VA at the FCS level Liberty 35-24 3-1

Part two coming shortly

[BJWilliams]

Picking up where we left off...

10/2 vs. Savannah State The Flames make their return to Williams Stadium and welcome the Tigers. The last time the two teams met the Flames won 28-0. This one shouldnt even be that close Liberty 63-0 4-1

10/9 Charleston Southern The Flames have not lost a homecoming game since 2006 and have scored 40 or more points in each of the last three (including a 58-13 dismantling of Coastal Carolina at home last year). The last time the Bucs called on the Flames in Lynchburg was Homecoming 2008 and the Flames ran them out of the stadium to the tune of 42-0. This is an improving Bucs squad who took LU to the brink last year. Its been a long time since CSU beat Liberty in Lynchburg (2000 to be precise, 25-0) and its gonna get a little longer. Liberty 45-35 5-1 1-0

10/16 VMI is switching to a more conventional pro style offense after using the triple option the last few years. After forcing 6 fumbles and routing the Keydets 54-14 LU has only lost three times to VMI since their first meeting in 2002. The Keydets always manage to get up a bit more for this game since its an in state rivalry game and especially when the Flames play in front of the Corps of Cadets. The only win for VMI at home over LU came in 2002 and in the last three trips, the Flames have scored 38 points winning all three times. Flames keep both trends going Liberty 38-21 6-1 2-0

[BJWilliams]

Since I lost my more detailed breakdown of the last four games Im just gonna keep it short and sweet this time:


10/30 @ Presbyterian LU lost last time they were in SC...not this time Liberty 49-0 7-1 3-0

11/6 vs Gardner Webb The Flames pay tribute to the military on this day and they bomb the Runnin Bulldogs (its also my sister's 28th birthday) Liberty 56-28 8-1 4-0

11/13 @ Coastal Carolina Last time the Flames were at the beach they held on to win a shootout as Rashad Jennings (now with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars) downed himself a la Brian Westbrook to preserve the win. LU wins in another shootout Liberty 49-45 9-1 5-0

11/20 vs. Stony Brook When these two met in NY last year the Seawolves shocked the Flames thanks to a late TD ending the Flames conference winning streak and forging a split of the Big South title. This game will in all likelihood be for all the marbles: the conference title as well as the first ever Big South AQ to the NCAA football championship. Both teams give their last full measure but the Flames get the win, the AQ and their third outright title in four years Liberty 55-49 3OT 10-1 6-0

[kuntryboimike]

i agree with everything except i think liberty will beat coastal and stony brook by a little more than that. just my opinion though. THANKS! i enjoyed reading that!

[BJWilliams]

I just watched a video about Savannah State firing their football coach...and I have amended my prediction for our game with them

[Schfourteenteen]

I just watched a video about Savannah State firing their football coach...and I have amended my prediction for our game with them

Wait. What did you have it the first time?

[Schfourteenteen]

Couple things I'm banking on:

1) We will lose one close game to one of the two good teams on our schedule.
2) We will have a game right around week 7-9 where we don't show up. Whether we win is up to the other team.
3) We will be biting our nails against Stony Brook......but not because we think they're good. I think they'll have a disappointing OOC, losing to USF, Brown, and Lafayette. While they're at it, they'll drop the Coastal game just to kill their season.

9/4 St Francis - Easy win. Easy Easy Easy. 52-6 - 1st team defense keeps STFU out of Liberty territory.
9/11 @ Ball State - We win 28-17. Ball State isn't good and Liberty plays IAA opponents well. Ball State also lost in their own intramural soccer league. Finally, someone will tell Ball State that Ken Karcher coaches here - leading the coaches to believe no practice is necessary.
9/18 @ Robert Morris - We get the W 17-13 after playing terrible.
9/25 @ JMU - We compete, but lose again. This is our yearly heartbreaking loss. L 30-28
10/2 Savannah State - 70-0.
10/9 Charleston Southern - We've scored 40+ in our first OOC game every year since 07. W 48-14
10/16 @ VMI - Playing at VMI, they stick around until the 3rd Q. 44 - 28
10/30 @ Presby - A win so big Bobby Bentley decides to start blogging again. 100000000000-0
11/6 Gardner Webb - Where's that bad performance late in the year? Here. Luckily, Gardner Webb hasnt won a November game since 325 B.C. But we still lose because I say so. L 27-24
11/13 @ Coastal -I hope Coastal is good this year. I don't want this to be a blowout. Then again, a bad season marks the end of thatcoaching regime.
11/20 Stony Brook - An up and down team. This time, Freddie Brown isn't out wide and that Ref crew hopefully is doing a an important SEC game. W 36-17

9-2, Home "Opening Round Game" - We draw a good team and lose a close game.
Playoffs???