FBS foes have been set for three out of Liberty’s next four seasons with matchups against Kent State in 2013, West Virginia in 2015, and fellow commonwealth opponent Virginia Tech in 2016.
“We are thrilled to be playing these talented FBS opponents,” said head coach Turner Gill. “It is great national exposure for our football program.”
The 2013 game against Kent State will mark Liberty’s second match-up with the Golden Flashes, after the Flames dropped a 38-10 decision in Kent, Ohio, on Sept. 11, 2004.
Liberty has had recent success against Kent State’s fellow Mid-America Conference foe Ball State. The Flames upended the Cardinals, 27-23, in 2010 for Liberty’s second win over an FBS team in its program’s history.
The Flames will also be familiar with their FBS foe for 2015, after making a trip to Morgantown, W.Va., to face the Mountaineers three years ago.
Late touchdowns in the first and second quarters created enough of a gap for West Virginia to secure a 33-20 win over the Flames to open the 2009 season on Sept. 5.
In 2016, Liberty will take on its first-ever FBS opponent from its own state when the Flames make the trek to Blacksburg, Va., for the commonwealth battle in Lane Stadium.
Atlantic Coast Conference foes have become familiar to Liberty’s schedule, with the Flames opening the 2011 season at N.C. State. They faced Wake Forest for the second time in seven years to start this year’s campaign on Sept. 1. Liberty almost left with a stunning upset, but Wake Forest stopped the Flames in the fourth quarter to win 20-17.
