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Liberty will seek to schedule a replacement game in the wake of Friday’s cancellation with App State.
According to a report from The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, the Flames believe their bid for a College Football Playoff spot would be hurt by playing on 11 regular-season games. So, with Hurricane Helene forcing the cancellation of their Week 5 matchup with the Mountaineers, Liberty AD Ian McCaw told McMurphy the school will explore options to put a 12th game back on the schedule.
Liberty won’t play again until Tuesday, Oct. 8, when it hosts FIU. After that game, the Flames will move into an open bye week. But their schedule could get complex depending on who they find to replace the App State game and when they schedule the game.
From Oct. 8 through Oct. 30, Liberty will exclusively play weeknight games. The Flames face Kennesaw State on the road on Wednesday, Oct. 23. They play Jacksonville State the following Wednesday (Oct. 30) at home.
If they were to schedule a make-up game during their bye week (Oct. 19), they’d have to find a partner willing to play on a shortened week of prep.
Prior to Friday’s announcement, Liberty was already seen as a longshot to make the Playoff. ESPN Bet had the Flames priced at +360 to make the Playoff on Thursday.
ESPN’s Football Power Index ranks the Flames’ current strength of schedule 134th out of 134 FBS teams. The remaining strength of schedule ranks 130th. A road win against App State would have helped. Replacing that game with what might end up being a home game against an FCS opponent won’t do anything for Liberty’s chances to make the CFP.
But 12 games with a weak schedule is still better than 11 games with a weak schedule, and the hope is that Liberty can force its way into the conversation as an unbeaten conference champion. Had the 12-team Playoff been in place last season, Liberty would have earned the No. 12 seed despite an otherwise poor strength of schedule.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
