🏈 Fan Watch

Liberty Flames

0–0 · 0–0 CONFERENCE USA
In the books
WEEK 1 · 2026
Week 1 pregame guide

Liberty needs to finish the game

The Flames have a 9.9% upset chance at JMU, plus one modest reason to root against a CUSA contender before kickoff.

Read the rooting guide →
An aerial view of Liberty's Williams Stadium with Flames wordmarks on the field.
Williams Stadium, home of Liberty football.
CreditPhoto creditQuintin SolovievWikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0Cropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP by Fan Watch.

Your game

Liberty at James Madison
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ESPNU
Final
Liberty
Final · Liberty 13–20 James MadisonWent the other way ✗
James Madison

Other impactful games

the highlighted team was the result Liberty wanted
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ESPN+
Impact 1
Rooted for
Florida International
at
South Florida
Final · Florida International 9–19 South FloridaWent the other way ✗
Projected 2.6-point playoff boost

South Florida won instead, so Liberty did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection22% if Florida International won20% with the other result2.6-point differenceLiberty playoff chance
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The CW Network
Impact 2
Miami (OH)
at
Rooted for
Pittsburgh
Final · Miami (OH) 14–59 PittsburghWish granted ✓
Projected 2.0-point playoff boost

Pittsburgh won, thinning out the at-large competition for Liberty's playoff spot.

Entering-week projection20% if Pittsburgh won18% with the other result2-point differenceLiberty playoff chance
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CBSSN
Impact 3
Rooted for
Western Kentucky
at
Nevada
Final · Western Kentucky 14–49 NevadaWent the other way ✗
Projected 1.3-point playoff boost

Nevada won instead, so Liberty did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection21% if Western Kentucky won20% with the other result1.3-point differenceLiberty playoff chance
39 other games had little impact
Massachusetts at Rutgers · BTN
Akron at Wake Forest · ACC Network
Colorado at Georgia Tech · ESPN
UAB at Illinois · BTN
San José State at Eastern Michigan · ESPN+
UTEP at Oklahoma · SECN+
Toledo at Michigan State · FS1
Miami at Stanford · ESPN
Fresno State at USC · FOX
East Carolina at Alabama · ABC
Oregon State at Houston · ESPN
Coastal Carolina at West Virginia · TNT
North Texas at Indiana · FOX
Ohio at Nebraska · FS1
Ball State at Ohio State · BTN
Kent State at South Carolina · SEC Network
Baylor at Auburn · ABC
Texas State at Texas · ESPN
Boston College at Cincinnati · FOX
Tulane at Duke · ACC Network
Boise State at Oregon · CBS
Marshall at Penn State · FS1
Oklahoma State at Tulsa · ESPNU
Northern Illinois at Iowa · BTN
Wyoming at Colorado State · USA Network
Missouri State at Texas A&M · ESPN
Arkansas State at Memphis · ESPN+
Sam Houston at Troy · ESPN+
Clemson at LSU · ABC
UL Monroe at Mississippi State · ESPNU
Western Michigan at Michigan · NBC
Florida Atlantic at Florida · SEC Network
UNLV at Hawai'i · The CW Network
Central Michigan at New Mexico · FS1
UCLA at California · ESPN
Washington State at Washington · NBC
Louisville at Ole Miss · ABC
Wisconsin at Notre Dame · NBC
SMU at Florida State · ESPN
The rooting list was:Liberty, then Florida International, Pittsburgh, Western Kentucky.

Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 1, anchored to the AP Top 25 (preseason). How the model works.