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Flames Football raises anticipation for bowl trip to Mobile, Ala.

On Sunday, Liberty University’s football team learned that it would have the opportunity to represent Flames Nation in a bowl game for the third year in a row after moving to the FBS level in 2019, receiving an invitation to play in the LendingTree Bowl against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 18 in Mobile, Ala.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been so excited to get a bowl game,” Flames Head Coach Hugh Freeze said. “I want us to get back on the field as soon as we can.”

“Bowl season is like the most awesome time to be a sports fanatic because you get to watch bowl games every night and I’m just so glad that Liberty gets to be a part of that,” he added.

The Flames (7-5) will square off against the Eagles (7-5), who are also making their third consecutive bowl appearance. Kickoff for the game is set for 5:45 p.m. EST in the 25,450-seat Hancock Whitney Stadium, home to the University of South Alabama since it opened in 2020. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

“The LendingTree Bowl is a great bowl and we get to play a good opponent in Eastern Michigan,” Flames quarterback and Atlanta native Malik Willis said. “We’ve just got to go out there and have fun.”

Following his team’s appearance in the LendingTree Bowl, Flames quarterback Malik Willis will be turning his attention to the Reese’s Senior Bowl after the holidays.

Willis, who recently accepted an invitation to showcase his talents in the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl, has had statistical season deserving of acclaim, completing 194-of-315 passes for 2,626 yards and 24 touchdowns. The redshirt junior is also Liberty’s leading rusher, having carried the ball 189 times for 820 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Willis currently ranks No. 12 in the country in points responsible for (212, 17.7 per game), No. 20 in passing touchdowns (20) and total offense (287.6 yards per game), and No. 29 in passing yards per competition (13.6).

Despite losing the final three games of the regular season, Willis said that this game has significance as it offers the Flames the chance to finish well.

“You always want to end on the right foot,” he said. “We didn’t end the (regular) season on the right foot. It is what it is on that (and) you learn from it, but (we) just get another opportunity to go try and do that..”

Freeze expressed similar enthusiasm over the opportunity to finish strong before heading home for the holidays.

“I love that we get to go to our third straight bowl game … and represent our great university and our (Liberty) families and our kids, and then (we) get to be with our real families for Christmas,” he added.

Flames Head Coach Hugh Freeze will be looking to lead his team to its third straight bowl game victory when the Flames take on Eastern Michigan in the 2021 LendingTree Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Liberty is coming off back-to-back Cure Bowl wins in Orlando, Fla. The Flames defeated Georgia Southern, 23-16, in 2019 at Exploria Stadium and No. 9/11 Coastal Carolina, 37-34 in overtime at Camping World Stadium in 2020.

Liberty is the third FBS team to become bowl eligible in each of its first three seasons since transitioning from the FCS to FBS (Appalachian State: 2015-present; Marshall: 1997-02), after joining ASU as the second to win the first two last year.

Freeze said that before the Flames’ last regular season game against Army, he went through the emotions of realizing many of his players would be graduating. Now, preparing for a bowl game, he and his staff will focus on making the most of their final games representing Liberty and honoring them for what they have helped the institution accomplish.

“It will be more of a celebration … to send those guys who have done so much for this program out playing in a bowl game,” he said.

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