The Liberty Flames open their Conference USA schedule on Friday night as 7-point road favorites against the Delaware Blue Hens at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Liberty (3-1) arrives off a 34-17 victory over Coastal Carolina in Week 4, extending their winning streak to three games. The Flames have split two road contests this season and carry momentum from last year’s 59-30 win over Delaware. The Blue Hens (2-2) are unbeaten at home this season (2-0) but come off a heavy 42-3 loss to Virginia. Delaware’s overall record last year was 7-6.
The latest Liberty vs. Delaware odds list the Flames as 7-point favorites with an over/under set at 49.5 points. The SportsLine Projection Model, which has simulated the matchup 10,000 times, forecasts the total points to reach around 57, favoring the over nearly 70 percent of the time. The over has hit in seven of Liberty’s last ten games, including three of their last four on the road, and also appeared in last year’s meeting.
Junior quarterback Deshawn Purdie leads Liberty’s offense, completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 779 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. The ground game is powered by junior Kam Davis and senior Peyton Jones. Davis has rushed 47 times for 310 yards, averaging 6.6 yards per carry with one touchdown. Jones has 45 carries for 202 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per rush.
Delaware relies on senior quarterback Nick Minicucci, who has completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 838 yards and five touchdowns but has thrown three interceptions.
SportsLine’s advanced model predicts that one side of the spread will hit over 80 percent of the time, though the specific pick is exclusive to their service. The model has been on a 34-25 run with top-rated college football picks and entered Week 5 with a 32-24 record on its top picks, returning nearly $600 for every $100 wagered.
Friday’s game marks an important early conference test for both teams. Liberty aims to build on their road success and continue their winning streak, while Delaware looks to bounce back from a lopsided defeat and defend their home turf. The Flames’ recent string of victories and last season’s high-scoring win over the Blue Hens give them a statistical edge heading into the opener.
According to CBS.
