I've been keeping track of the 1A independents since 2016, and it's time for a fresh blog but this a nice reference point https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2016/06/o5-geography-matters-martial-re-alignemt.html
After watching the big dogs not give Liberty U a chance play a P5 team in a bowl game instead matching them up against undefeated CCU (Sunbelt) in what turned out to be an exciting LU win, it's time for the Sunbelt to add Liberty as a member in all sports and maintain a growing, southern rivalry with Coastal Carolina. LU plays hoops in the Atlantic Sun conference.
Would be Army jump to the AAC for football only and join Navy , which is football only there now?
UMass got to play a few games this year as an Independent perhaps a return to the MAC (football only) is in order. I'd suggest the CUSA but traveling to west Texas could be a pain in the butt. Perhaps UMass will remain a mercenary Independent which is the likely outcome for its neighbor UConn .
New Mexico St would be a cool addition to MWC if the Aggies keep football.
Big 12 could use BYU for football only.
Jan 12, 2021
While reviewing Liberty U's hoop schedule I came across Bellarmine U, a new ASUN member and a private Catholic college in Louisville. KY. This will be the Knights first season in 1A.
Jan 17, 2021
The 2021 BYU football schedule is heavy with Pac 12 teams, Zona, ASU, Utah, WSU, and USC, and reminds me of Notre Dame's dalliance with the ACC before Covid.
If UMass were to find an O5 conference for football, it would be interesting to see if the hoops team would leave the A10, a strong basketball conference.
Feb 2, 2021
It's not a big shock but Notre Dame football is Independent again. Next season's schedule looks tough enough. I like seeing the matchup with Cincy and also Wisky
feb 23,2021
Bellarmine(13-5, 10-2 ASUN) and Liberty(18-5, 9-2 ASUN) are atop the Atlantic Sun and have a back to back set on Feb 26, 27 to finish the season.
march 6, 2021
What a crazy way to make the Dance? Liberty will face North Alabama in the ASUN tournament championship game Sunday, but punched its Dance ticket because UNA is ineligible for the NCAA tournament because it's transitioning to 1A.
Bellarmine, another ineligible team, went 1-7 in its final eight games of the regular season and lost to Stetson in ASUN rd1
March 20, 2021
Liberty put up a good fight but lost to OK St 69-60. Elijah Cuffee had a solid day with 16 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST for the Flames, but Cunningham and Anderson III were too much for the Flames to handle.
April 9, 2021
Liberty U goes back to having a so-so competitive football schedule in 2021, but I'm intrigued by the "Freeze Bowl" matchup at Ol Miss.
May 6, 2021
Since UConn has gone independent in football and left the AAC, the two most northern AAC teams are Cincy U and Temple which should give the AAC more reason to invite Liberty U to join the conference for all sports. I'm not sure if they're ready for a Christian university with big money and solid athletic facilities. ECU isn't too far from Lynchburg, VA and could become a regional AAC rival.
May 22, 2021
What jumped out at me was Army playing Wisky, which doesn't occur often and the Army /Air Force game is in Arlington Texas.
June 5, 2021
While reading the CBSSN football schedule, which has solid coverage of the military academies, I was stunned to see UConn, an Independent, will be televised nearly every week. The Huskies were terrible in the AAC and haven't improved since their exit.
These games featuring an Independent look to be good ones:
Friday, Oct. 1 BYU at Utah State(MWC)
Saturday, Oct. 2 Liberty at UAB(CUSA)
Saturday, Oct. 23 Wake Forest(ACC) at Army
June 20, 2021
Good move: CBS Sports and Army football agreed to a multi-year extension through the 2028 season
Also, CBS Sports will carry eight Black Knights football games this season.
July, 2, 2021
BYU athletes seeking to profit off of their name, image and likeness still must follow the university's honor code standards, which means they can't enter business partnerships with alcohol, tobacco and coffee vendors.
July 19, 2021
J J Holloman who had eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown for FIU in 2020 is transferring to Liberty. He was a four-star recruit out of high school and spent two years with Georgia before being dismissed from the program in the summer of 2019, Freeze has a tough nut to crack there.
Aug 5, 2021
Has Notre Dame gone too far? Between now and 2:30 ET on 9/11/21, fans who want to watch the Irish play Toledo(MAC) must subscribe to Peacock Premium streaming service.
I've read a ton of complaints about how frustrated fans of the Olympics have been about the disjointed NBC/Peacock approach.
BTW, New Mexico St travels to ALBUQUERQUE, NM to face #NewMexico of the #MWC on 9/11/21
August 28, 2021
Will the Big 12 take the religious route to recovery buy adding BYU, at least for football ,and Liberty for all sports?
Liberty football has two P5 opponents this season, Syracuse and Ol Miss and improved a great deal in hoops.
BYU has the brand.
UConn shutout by Fresno St 45-0. Are Huskies headed for a lower division or out of football?
Sept 6
Notre Dame survived a big scare from Florida St last night.
Edsall does the right thing and announces he 'll retire from UConn after the season.
Edsall move out day is now. Lou Spanos, The UConn DC, will take over for the rest of this season.
Sept 26, 2021
UMass got clobbered by Coastal Carolina, and U Conn played a decent game w/o the Edsel in a 25-23 loss to Wyoming.
Liberty lost 28-21 to Syracuse, who has a shot in the wacky ACC. Another great game for Malik Willis LIB (14-19, 205 YDS, 3 TD), Hey Auburn folks have you noticed how well this kid has played since he left you?
New Mexico St continues to not include D in its game plan. Hawaii 41-NMST 21.
Now for undefeated I s: Rip Van Notre Dame woke up and scored 31 unanswered points in the 4Q in a 41-10 win over Wisky.
Baylor Romney(20-25, 305 YDS, 3 TD) BYU's QB led the Cougars to a 35-27 win over USF(AAC).
Christian Anderson (15 CAR, 236 YDS, 2 TD ) in a 23-10 Army win over Miami(Ohio) of the MAC.
Oct 17, 2021
Tough weeks for the Independents. Liberty lost to ULM(Sunbelt) and BYU lost to Baylor(B12) a week after losing to Boise St(MWC).
Army gave Wisky(B10) a good fight but lost 20-14, a week after losing to Ball St (MAC).
Oct 18, 2021
I like MTSU(CUSA) in a rare matchup with UConn on Friday night. Middle Tennessee is 2-0 against UC with wins in 2000 & 2001 when they were in the Sunbelt and UConn was an Independent. The Huskies tried to lose to Yale on Saturday but survived with a W and appear to be headed to 1AA or no football.
Oct 23, 2021
Returning to a running theme in these "Independent" blogs: James Madison(1aa) is being heavily recruited to step up to 1A and be apart of the Sunbelt conference's expansion into Va(ODU)/WVA(Marshall).
Oct 30, 2021
Coach Mendenhall brings UVA to play at BYU, his former employer. Look for BYU to beat the erratic Cavs by 5 points and build its resume as it steps up to B12.
Willis and the Liberty Flames will win big vs UMass. Will any conference accept Falwell's school?
UNC has been disappointing and could help its season by beating Notre dame today, but I suspect the Irish will eke out a W.
Nov 4, 2021
Ok guys, the Freeze "Bowl" @ Ol Miss is on this week. Willis will have a decent not great day for Liberty, but Kiffin's Rebels can't lose this home game. Miss 38 LIB 26
Nov 6, 2021
Liberty is getting a conference in 2023 , it's the USA. You mentioned this coming at O5 group. Liberty and New Mexico State will be joining along with two other schools, Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State. who are moving up to 1A. That takes it to nine: UTEP, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, and Western Kentucky , however wku and MTsu are talking to the MAC.
So the SHS' move to the WAC will be short, if it all ,and NMST hoops leaving the WAC will be a plus for the CUSA.
Nov 11, 2021
I guess Uconn wants to stay 1A. Jim Mora joins the UConn program immediately as a hands-off assistant coach, to begin his evaluation and recruiting, and officially become the HC on Nov. 28, the day after the season finale vs. Houston. Interim UConn coach Lou Spanos, was Mora’s defensive coordinator at UCLA in 2012-13.
Nov 26, 2021
Liberty has struggled a bit as opponents focus on mainly stopping Willis, and Freeze will need some creative thinking for a home win over Army on Saturday.
UConn will lose to Houston and be lucky to stay within 20 points of them.
UMass/NewMexico St: If ties were allowed, this game would qualify. Minutemen get a final second FG to win.
ND has too much talent for the wingless Stanford Cardinals
BYU makes it 5-0 against the Pac 12 this season with a win over USC.
Nov 28, 2021
Liberty continues to stumble and Army is now 8-3. I guess defense was outlawed in New England yesterday. UH 45 Uconn 17 and NMST 44 UMass 27. ND rolled Stanford and BYU got by USC by 3
Dec 3, 2021
Wow, in the first visit of an SEC team to Liberty Arena, Missouri got waxed.
Darius McGhee scored 20 points and Shiloh Robinson scored a career-high 15 in the Flames 66-45 win over the Tigers. LU (ASUN) may have a seamless move to the CUSA for hoops.
Dec 7, 2021
BYU was 5-0 against the Pac 12, which included a win over Rose Bowl bound Utah, and the best bowl game they could get was against UAB, who finished behind UTSA in the CUSA West. BYU's two losses were to Baylor and Boise St.
Dec 12, 2021
It happens from time to time in Army /Navy series when the "dog" turns the tables. Navy 17 Army 13. It was 7-7 early in the 1Q then offenses came to a slowed down. Navy shutout Army in the second half.
dec 22, 2021
No doubt Mizzou(SEC) is watching the tapes of how Navy held Army to 13 points on Dec 11.
Armed Forces Bowl: Army (8-3) vs. Missouri (6-6).
Army is favored against an SEC team so I'll go with that. Army 20 Missouri 19
Dec 23, 2021
How about Army coming back from a 10-0 deficit in the first quarter to defeat Mizzou 24-22 on Cole Talley's last second 41 Yd Field Goal?
March 9, 2022
Conference seeding matters. Liberty was 2 seed in the ASUNT, but 1 seed Jax St(ALA) wound up with the Dance ticket. CJ Fleming scored a career-high 27 points, Dylan Penn added 22 and 1A newcomer Bellarmine defeated Jacksonville(FLA) 77-72 in the ASUNT but is not eligible for the Dance since it is in the second season of a four year transition to 1A.
Liberty and Jax St(ALA) will be heading to CUSA in 2023 for all sports.
April 19, 2022
I know the transfer portal makes one dizzy, but this one struck me as a bad one for former Notre Dame and Cincy HC Brian Kelly. Corey Kiner, a former Mr. Ohio Football who finished second on LSU in yards rushing in 2021, is transferring to Cincy.
April 21, 2022
2022 Liberty Football Schedule
Flames ain't backing down from the bigger boys. Akron is a rare trip to Ohio for LU
Sept. 3 at Southern Miss
Sept. 10 vs. UAB
Sept. 17 at Wake Forest
Sept. 24 vs. Akron
Oct. 1 at Old Dominion
Oct. 8 at FIU
Oct. 15 vs. Gardner-Webb
Oct. 22 vs. BYU
Oct. 29 at UMass
Nov. 5 at Arkansas
Nov. 19 vs. Virginia Tech
Nov. 26 vs. New Mexico State
May 1, 2022
Perhaps this is why Kelly took the LSU job? 2022 draft:
Notre Dame — 2 (Independent) Hamilton to the Ravens, Kyren Williams -Rams
BYU — 1 (Independent) Tyler Allgeier RB to Falcons
Liberty — 1 (Independent) Willis to Titans
UConn — 1 (Independent) Travis Jones -Ravens
