Athlon Sports has released their ranking of all 130 Division I FBS college football teams entering the 2021 season and the Flames are just outside of the top 25 checking in at No. 39. Liberty is the highest ranked team in the Commonwealth of Virginia, coming in just ahead of No. 40 Virginia Tech. Virginia is ranked No. 59 and Old Dominion checks in at No. 124.

Liberty is the sixth highest ranked Group of Five team coming in behind No. 8 Cincinnati, No. 23 Louisiana, No. 24 Coastal Carolina, No. 30 Central Florida, and No. 31 Boise State.

The Ragin’ Cajuns are the highest ranked team on Liberty’s schedule this season, as they travel to Lynchburg to face the Flames on Nov. 20. The rest of Liberty’s schedule follows: No. 27 Ole Miss, No. 67 Alabama-Birmingham, No. 79 Army, No. 86 Syracuse, No. 106 Troy, No. 112 North Texas, No. 117 Middle Tennessee, No. 124 Old Dominion, No. 127 Louisiana-Monroe, and No. 129 UMass.

Liberty will open the season at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 4 against Campbell. Kickoff has been scheduled for 6pm on ESPN3. The Flames will then hit the road to take on Troy at 7pm on ESPN+ on Sept. 11, before returning home to host Old Dominion on Sept. 18 at 6pm on ESPN3. Liberty will be away from home the next two weeks, playing at Syracuse on Friday, Sept. 24 at 8pm on the ACC Network and UAB on Oct. 2 at 7pm on CBS Sports Network.