Freeze and his No. 25-ranked Flames savor the national spotlight

As Liberty University’s football team has continued its steady rise in its second season as a fully-fledged Football Bowl Subdivision program, the Flames are enjoying their time in the national spotlight.

Coming off a bye week, Liberty (6-0) was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time Sunday heading into one of the biggest games in program history against ACC power Virginia Tech, scheduled for Saturday at noon.

Hugh Freeze has shouldered much of the media attention, with the Flames’ second-year Head Coach featured in a story in Sports Illustrated this week and in an ESPN interview that aired on SportsCenter Friday afternoon.

“Whatever happens, this week has been special,” Freeze said during a press conference on Monday. “No one can take away the fact that our team was voted in the Top 25. It’s a milestone in our program and one that hopefully our kids and their families can celebrate for years to come.”

Despite being more than two-touchdown underdogs, the No. 25 Flames are cautiously optimistic about their chances against the unranked Hokies (4-2), Saturday at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va. Though a limited number of tickets have sold out, the game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network, with LFSN coverage aired live on The Journey, 88.3-FM.

“We are excited about this challenge that’s ahead of us,” Freeze said. “It’s a great challenge and a great opportunity, and hopefully our kids will seize it and give it our best performance on Saturday.”

The Flames, who are riding an eight-game winning streak that ranks second nationally to interim ACC member Notre Dame’s 12-game run of success, will seek to start a season 7-0 for the first time in program history with a win over the Hokies. Liberty will conclude its regular season with games against Western Carolina on Nov. 14, at ACC member North Carolina State on Nov. 21, at home against UMass on Nov. 28, and at former Big South Conference rival Coastal Carolina on Dec. 5.

“The second part of our season is very difficult, very challenging,” Freeze said. “You can’t predict injuries, COVID, turnovers, whatever. Plus, we are playing some really good football teams. I don’t know how that’s all going to end. How hungry are we to stay there and be relevant and be talked about?”

Virginia Tech won the teams’ only previous meeting, 36-13 in Blacksburg, to open the 2016 season in Head Coach Justin Fuente’s debut with the Hokies.

On SportsCenter, Freeze, who guided Liberty to a Cure Bowl victory over Georgia Southern in its first season of FBS eligibility last December, spoke highly of his first two seasons with the Flames.

“Our campus is unique,” he said. “It’s one of the safest, most incredible, generous places I’ve ever experienced. It’s obviously faith-based. That does not mean that you have to believe exactly like everyone believes here, but you are going to get exposed to that, and if you want to grow as a person of faith, you certainly have that option.”

The Flames will get to put their faith in action on Saturday in a contest that pits the Hokies’ No. 4-ranked rushing team in the nation (290.2 yards per game) against a Flames backfield ranked seventh (256.6). Liberty ranks 10th nationally in total defense and eighth in holding teams to a 30-percent third-down conversion rate.

Offensively, Liberty is led by redshirt junior quarterback Malik Willis (495 yards, 6 touchdowns), who transferred from Auburn last year, and three running backs — redshirt senior Joshua Mack (376 yards, 2 TDs) and Peytton Pickett (315 yards, 3 TDs), and sophomore Shedro Lewis (374 yards, 3 TDs), who had a breakout game in Liberty’s 56-35 victory over Southern Miss, Freeze’s alma mater, on Oct. 24.

Willis, who threw for six touchdowns and ran for another in that contest, has also thrown for 1,122 yards and 9 TDs — three to senior wide receiver DJ Stubbs (27 catches, 375 yards) — to prove that he is a multi-dimensional threat in the Flames’ volatile attack.

“He works extremely hard, studies the game, and is a great teammate and pulls for his team as much as any quarterback I’ve ever had,” Freeze told ESPN. “The big unknown was ‘Could he be consistent in throwing the football?’ And he has been to this point, and made really good decisions.”

>> Read pre-game coverage of Liberty’s game at Virginia Tech on the Athletics website.