Through 3 Quarters
Down 14 at the end of last quarter, the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks have now snagged the lead. Three quarters in and their offense has really been able to impose its will, dominating the Liberty Flames 28-14 three quarters in. Louisiana-Monroe took a hit to their ego last week, so a win here would be a pleasant pick-me-up.
RB Andrew Henry has led the way so far for the Warhawks, as he has rushed for one TD and 77 yards on 12 carries in addition to snatching one receiving TD. Henry hadn’t helped his team much against the Georgia State Panthers, so this is a nice turnaround for him.
Louisiana-Monroe is struggling to protect the pocket and have allowed four sacks. They are going to have to protect QB Chandler Rogers better if they want to hold on to their lead.
Who’s Playing
Liberty @ Louisiana-Monroe
Current Records: Liberty 5-1; Louisiana-Monroe 2-3
What to Know
The Liberty Flames will take on the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks at 7 p.m. ET Saturday at JPS Field at James L. Malone Stadium. The Flames have a defense that allows only 14.33 points per game, so Louisiana-Monroe’s offense will have their work cut out for them.
You’re bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter, and that’s exactly how it played out for Liberty last week. They were the clear victors by a 41-13 margin over the Middle Tenn. Blue Raiders. The game was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point Liberty had established a 34-13 advantage. WR Demario Douglas and QB Malik Willis were among the main playmakers for Liberty as the former caught six passes for one TD and 156 yards and the latter passed for two TDs and 222 yards on 30 attempts in addition to rushing for one TD and 80 yards.
Meanwhile, Louisiana-Monroe was expected to have a tough go of it last week, and that’s exactly how things played out. They have to be aching after a bruising 55-21 defeat to the Georgia State Panthers. The Warhawks were in a tough position by the half, with the score already sitting at 28-7. The losing side was boosted by QB Chandler Rogers, who passed for two TDs and 208 yards on 23 attempts in addition to picking up 72 yards on the ground. Rogers had some trouble finding his footing against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers two weeks ago, so this was a step in the right direction.
The Flames are the favorite in this one, with an expected 32.5-point (!) margin of victory. They have been consistent moneymakers against the spread when favored (3-1), so they might be worth a quick bet.
Liberty’s win lifted them to 5-1 while Louisiana-Monroe’s loss dropped them down to 2-3. Allowing an average of 36.40 points per game, the Warhawks haven’t exactly asserted themselves on the defensive end. We’ll see if they can patch up the holes in their defense before their upcoming contest.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: JPS Field at James L. Malone Stadium — Monroe, Louisiana
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $32.70
Odds
The Flames are a big 32.5-point favorite against the Warhawks, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 32.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -111
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Series History
Liberty won the only game these two teams have played in the last seven years.
- Oct 10, 2020 – Liberty 40 vs. Louisiana-Monroe 7
