The Liberty Flames (5-2) head to New Jersey to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-6) for a noon kickoff that will be aired on the Big Ten Network.

This will be the first ever meeting between the two program’s and Liberty’s first ever game against a Big Ten opponent. The two teams are headed in opposite directions as the Flames have won five straight and the Scarlet Knights are riding a six game losing streak.

“It’s a huge opportunity for us,” Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said of the game. “It is a Big Ten looking football team. Their record is difficult, obviously. Their schedule is very difficult. They’ve played in most of the games for the first half and seem to struggle in the 2nd half against those Big Ten opponents. Make no mistake about it, their o-line, d-line, skill guys are Big Ten guys. Their depth is better than ours right now. The biggest worry we have is the size of the o-line and d-line.”

Rutgers’ head coach Chris Ash and offensive coordinator John McNulty were fired after the team’s first four games of the season. Tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile was named as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

The Scarlet Knights are in the midst of one of the worst offensive seasons in recent memory. They are dead last in scoring offense, averaging 11.1 points per game. In five of their seven games, the Scarlet Knights have failed to score more than seven points while being shut out three times. The passing offense and rushing offense are both struggle, as Rutgers is averaging just 255.6 yards of offense per game.

“Offensively, they have struggled,” Freeze said. “17 is their quarterback, Johnny Langan, he’s a young kid. We hear they may be repping another guy this week some. We’re not exactly sure what’s going to happen there, but they’ve struggled some offensively. They have a Big Ten offensive line that looks good. Their starting tailback is redshirting, I believe, the rest of the year. He was a very, very good player. Their receivers, 18 and 83, are as talented as we’ve faced. They’ve struggled somewhat getting them the ball consistently throughout the last few games, but they scare you with the way they look and the way they run.”

Artur Sitkowski was the starting quarterback entering the season, but after Ash was fired, he has elected to redshirt. Langan has come in and started the prior three games. He has completed 28-of-58 passes this season for 220 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Campanile stated during his Monday press conference that Langan will again get the start Saturday. True freshman Cole Snyder will get increased reps during the week and could see some action if Sitkowski struggles.

Raheem Blackshear, Rutgers top running back, also elected to redshirt after Ash was fired. He’s been replaced by Isaih Pacheco who has rushed for 434 yards on 104 carries. Despite sitting out the last three games, Blackshear is still the team’s top receiving threat, hauling in 29 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Bo Melton has the only other receiving touchdown, and he’s also the only other player on the team with double digit receptions through 10 games. He has 17 catches for 251 yards. Isaiah Washington is the only other receiver with more than 65 receiving yards, as he has 108.

“It’s going to be a great challenge to handle their defensive line, especially,” Freeze said. “Those guys play with great technique, they’re well coached in the d-line. 96 is the best we have seen all year. He’s going to be a high draft pick. 22 is a top corner, one of the top projected corners, but the whole d-line is very, very, very solid. We’ve got to find ways to protect Buckshot, and to stay balanced somehow in this game against a d-line that is very talented.”

96 is Willington Previlon who leads the team with 5 TFLs and 1 sack. He is one of five Scarlet Knights to lead the team with 1 sack. Previlon is a 6’5″, 295 pound 5th year senior. 22 is Damon Hayes who has 17 tackles, 4 breakups, and 2 interceptions this season.

“They have not only the size, but their defensive line is extremely active and well coached,” said Freeze. “They play with great pad level, I don’t like seeing that when I turn the film on. I don’t like seeing d-lines that play with great pad level. That keeps you up at night, this d-line does. 96 is a problem for everybody. You’ve got to figure out how you’re going to neutralize him, their whole d-line. That’s the biggest worry – just the size of this o-line and d-line that we’re facing.”

NOTABLES

  • This will be Liberty’s third ever game played in New Jersey. The two previous contests were both played at Monmouth, with Liberty losing both. The last meeting was on October 21, 2017 when Liberty lost 56-39.
  • A win would cement the 14 straight season Liberty has had 6 or more wins.
  • Rutgers’ red zone offense ranks next to last in all of FBS at 129 while Liberty’s defense is 9th.

QUOTABLES

Freeze on the game – “This will be a great test for us. We are playing a team that, I believe, has ome deeper positions than we do. The girth, the size is different than what we have faced all this year, even Syracuse was not quite this big. The 6’5″, 295 defensive lineman that you’re going to face we really haven’t seen a lot of that this year. We’re getting ready to have a great test on the road at their place. We’re excited about it. Our kids are excited to have an opportunity to go in and continue building this program, and I cant wait to get there.”

QB Buckshot Calvert of his record breaking career – “I’m proud of it, but we still got a couple games left, and we’re trying to achieve something bigger than what I accomplish. It’s more of a team thing for me.”

RB Frankie Hickson on the offense – “As a team and an offensive unit, we still have not played a full four quarters of ball yet. It’s going to be an amazing thing to see when we can put a full four quarters together and just lay it out on the line for 60 minutes.”

DE Jessie Lemonier on Rutgers – “We have to continue to work hard every day because at the end of the day they are a Power 5 team and we haven’t established ourselves yet. They have athletes and we have athletes. We believe we’re better than them, but we can’t go into the game like we’re favored over them. We have to come in like the underdogs.”

DE Jayod Sanders on Rutgers – “It would be a really big win for us. It would definitely build our confidence. It will make us get after it even more the rest of the year.”

PREDICTION

Liberty 31, Rutgers 17

The Flames control the game and take care of business on the road against a Big Ten opponent leaving Liberty just one win shy of bowl eligibility.