College Football Rankings 2020: Projected AP Top 25 for Week 11
By Zach Bigalke
After falling behind 20-14 at halftime against Virginia Tech, Liberty reversed their fortunes on the road in Blacksburg to secure a statement 38-35 victory over an in-state ACC foe. With their second Power Five win of the year, the Flames made sure they would remain in the AP Top 25 heading into Week 11. If they keep winning, Hugh Freeze’s team could even start to land on the radar of the College Football Playoff selection committee as they sort out New Year’s Six bids.
Malik Willis torched the Hokies defense, throwing for 217 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-30 passing. Willis added 108 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground as the Flames ran away with victory at Lane Stadium. Joshua Mack led the effort among Liberty running backs, rushing for 90 yards. Liberty’s defense gave up 418 total yards to Virginia Tech in the back-and-forth thriller but managed to get enough stops. A 51-yard Alex Barbir field goal won the game at the final second.
A Week 11 showdown against FCS Western Carolina won’t do much to move the needle any further for the Flames. Their next chance to make real noise on a national scale comes on November 21, when Liberty takes on NC State in their third ACC showdown of the regular season. They also close out the year against Sun Belt leader Coastal Carolina in what could amount to a New Year’s Six eliminator game.