Spring is upon us which means one thing, we are only getting closer to the upcoming football season. The Liberty Flames have begun preparation for the 2026 season under fourth year head coach Jamey Chadwell as the Flames seek to get back on top of Conference USA.
It is also time to start previewing and looking ahead to Liberty’s 2026 schedule. Remember, it’s not just about who you play and where you play them but it is also about when you play them as well. Some teams are a lot easier to beat at certain weeks or points of the season for various reasons – especially if Liberty is well-rested.
As we take an early glance at Liberty’s 2026 slate, we have to remember that it is tentative with Louisiana Tech and Conference USA in the midst of an ongoing legal battle over their membership status with a pending move to the Sun Belt Conference for the Bulldogs. For now, they are on the CUSA and Liberty slate this fall but that could certainly change. With that being said, let’s dive in!
September
- Game 1 September 5th: @ James Madison
- Game 2 September 12th: vs Gardner-Webb
- Game 3 September 19th: vs Ball State
- Game 4 September 24th: @ Coastal Carolina
Liberty will open the season on the road for the first time in the Chadwell era and first time since the 2022 season when the Flames opened with a four-overtime win at Southern Miss as we will waste no time getting to learn a lot about this version of the Flames. The Flames kick off the season on Saturday, September 5 at James Madison. This will be the first time these two in-state rivals meet in Harrisonburg since 2014 as they play for the Battle of the Blue Ridge trophy. The Dukes came into Williams Stadium and defeated Liberty this past fall. Now, JMU is coming off a College Football Playoff appearance where they lost to No. 5 seed Oregon in Eugene under head coach Bob Chesney. When Liberty strolls into Bridgeforth Stadium in September it will be under their brand-new head coach Billy Napier.
The Flames will then open up its home schedule on September 12 against Gardner Webb and remain at home on September 19 to face Ball State. The non-conference portion of the schedule concludes on September 26 in Conway, South Carolina at Coastal Carolina. The Runnin’ Bulldogs posted a 7-5 record this past season with a 5-3 conference record with former Liberty QB Nate Hampton behind center (threw for 1,245 yards and 10 touchdowns). Hampton’s eligibility has run out as head coach Cris Reisert enters his third year as head coach at Gardner-Webb.
The Flames play a second straight game at home when MAC foe Ball State comes to Williams Stadium. The Cardinals went 4-8 under first year head coach Mike Uremovich this past season. These two teams will be meeting for the first time with both at the FBS level and just the second time all-time. The Flames upset Ball State in Muncie, Indiana on September 11, 2010, 27-23 when Liberty was still an FCS team.
Jamey Chadwell returns to Coastal Carolina where he was the head coach for four seasons. The Flames and Chanticleers will meet on Thursday night, September 24. This game will also be the first meeting between the two long-time rivals since the 2020 Cure Bowl when Liberty defeated the unbeaten Chadwell-led Chanticleers, 37-34. These teams have played 15 times with Liberty holding the slight 8-7 series edge. The Chanticleers will be under first year head coach Ryan Beard after Tim Beck was fired after going 20-18 in three seasons. Beard was just named the Coastal head coach, coming from Missouri State. He was at Missouri State as head coach the past three seasons, helping guide them in their FBS transition where the Bears went 7-5 this past season and also beating Chadwell and the Flames at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg.
October
- Game 5 October 2nd: @ Delaware*
- Game 6 October 8th: vs Sam Houston*
- Game 7 October 14th: @ Western Kentucky*
- Game 8 October 21st: vs Louisiana Tech*
- Game 9 October 31st: vs FIU*
After having just two midweek games a season ago, Liberty plays a total of five midweek contests beginning with the Coastal game at the end of September. The full CUSA slate during the month of October is played during the midweek for a third straight season, with the Flames having four midweek CUSA games throughout the month. The Flames will open conference play on Friday, Oct. 2 at Delaware, the first trip for Liberty to play at the Blue Hens. On Thursday, Oct. 8, Liberty welcomes Sam Houston to Williams Stadium for the first time since the epic, 21-16, Liberty win on Oct. 5, 2023, as the Flames remained unbeaten with a last second goal line stand. Less than a week later, the Flames play at Western Kentucky on Oct. 14 to cap three games in 12 days stretch to open October and CUSA action. Liberty returns home for its final midweek contest, facing Louisiana Tech on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The schedule then shifts to Saturday for the Flames’ final four games of the regular season and to conclude October with a home date against FIU. That game is currently slated to be the team’s homecoming game.
November
- Game 10 November 7th: @ New Mexico State*
- Game 11 November 14th: vs Middle Tennessee*
- Game 12 November 28th: @ Kennesaw State*
Liberty plays at New Mexico State on Nov. 7 before hosting Middle Tennessee on Nov. 14. The Flames have its bye week on November 21 just ahead of the team’s regular season finale on Nov. 28 at the defending CUSA champions Kennesaw State. The Conference USA championship game will be contested at the home site of the No. 1 seed in the league on Friday, Dec. 4 and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty will play 11 straight games before having its open date this season, certainly a tall task that will test the team’s health and depth throughout the season. More than that, three of the first 11 games without a bye are on short rest weeks less than the typical full week between games. The way the schedule is currently slated, the two CUSA members that Liberty will face are Missouri State and Jacksonville State.
