Liberty football looks to keep perfect season alive vs. NC State

With the prospects of a perfect season looming, Liberty football faces one of its toughest tests in the form of NC State.

Liberty’s football program has come a long way ever since a win over Baylor put them on the map three years ago. While wins over Power Five conferences would’ve been deemed flukes in the past, head coach Hugh Freeze and his quarterback Malik Willis have turned the No. 21 Flames into a team with New Year’s Six aspirations.

However, the possibility of a New Year’s Six appearance (and possibly even a ranked finish) hinge on an undefeated season. The Flames have held their own thus far, but NC State won’t be quick to throw in the towel as the ACC’s lone remaining representative on Liberty’s schedule. Should Liberty win, the only teams standing in the way of an undefeated season would be UMass and No. 15 Coastal Carolina.

While coach Freeze has dismissed this notion on multiple occasions, there is speculation that he may leverage his success with the Flames into a position with a Power Five program. With wins over Syracuse and Virginia Tech in his pocket, a clean sweep of Liberty’s Power Five opponents could go a long way in cementing his place as a contender for a gig in the SEC or elsewhere.

For now, Freeze and his team are focused on one thing and one thing only: moving to 9-0. Here’s how to watch the Flames as they attempt to defend their undefeated title this weekend.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 21
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium
TV: ESPN3
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

While it’s always fun to watch Liberty’s 16th ranked offense take the field, the offense to monitor in this game will instead be NC State’s. After all, we know what we’re getting out of Liberty’s offense. What we don’t know is what we’ll be getting out of an NC State offense led by backup quarterback Bailey Hockman.

Hockman, who replaced sophomore Devin Leary following his season-ending injury vs. Duke, hasn’t struggled to move the ball down the field this season. Instead, his troubles have come in the form of turnovers. Since joining NC State last season, Hockman has thrown nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions, hardly a recipe for success.

Liberty’s defense has been average in the turnover department this season, making it imperative that they capitalize on that front against a turnover-prone NC State offense. If they don’t, expect the Wolfpack to march down the field regularly with relative ease. Liberty’s offense can handle a shootout, but they’d prefer to work this game with a cushion.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of The Action Network

Point Spread: NC State -3.5
Over/Under: 66.5

Prediction

Liberty probably feels pretty good about where they are and how they match up against an NC State team with a turnover-prone offense and below average defense. Liberty is a beatable team if you play your cards right, but Freeze’s offense is a well oiled machine, one that is unforgiving to opponents that give it too many chances. A virtual toss-up, Liberty’s consistent play this season gives them the edge.

Final Score: Liberty 35, NC State 31