Stopping the losing skid

Losing 4 straight games hurts. It becomes a mental problem as much as it is an actual problem on the football field. The Flames have not won a football game since September 16th. That’s forever ago. In order to stop the skid, the team needs to believe it can win and actually have the motivation to go out and get the job done.

The 3 teams Liberty has beaten this season, have a combined record of 3-19. Baylor and Indiana State are both 0-7, while Morehead State is 3-5 with wins over NAIA Kentucky Christian and non-scholarship teams Dayton and Stetson. Meanwhile, the 4 teams that have beaten Liberty are a combined 22-6. Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, and Monmouth are all 6-1, while Saint Francis is 4-3. Looking at the Flames’ remaining schedule, they face 1-6 Gardner-Webb this weekend, 6-1 Duquesne, 3-4 Presbyterian, and 4-3 Charleston Southern.

Runnin’ Bulldogs go as Maxwell goes

Reigning Big South Offensive Player of the Year, Tyrell Maxwell, is the catalyst that keeps the Gardner-Webb offense moving. While his statistics aren’t at the same level they were a year ago, Maxwell still ranks 2nd in the Big South in rushing, averaging 87.4 yards per game. He’s also thrown for 762 yards. In Liberty’s last visit to Boiling Springs, Maxwell ran all over the Flames’ defense, as he ran for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding another 105 yards in the air and 1 touchdown. His play was the single most important reason why Gardner-Webb upset #15 Liberty, 34-20, in 2015, and it will be crucial for the Flames to contain Maxwell this weekend.

When Maxwell has performed well this season, the team’s offensive numbers have been significantly higher than when he under performs. The Runnin’ Bulldogs have just 6 total points in 3 games where their quarterback has less than 200 yards combined passing and running. When Maxwell eclipses the 200 yard mark, the team is scoring 27.5 points per game. The team is also much more competitive when Maxwell is more productive. In those same 3 games that he had less than 200 yards of offense, the team lost those games by an average of 27.67 points per game. In the other 4 games, when Maxwell has more than 200  yards, despite only being 1-3, Gardner-Webb is outscoring opponents 110-107.

Injury update

The only listed injury this week is Liberty safety Corbin Jackson who is listed as questionable.

My prediction:

Liberty 27, Gardner-Webb 24