2016 Liberty Flames football team

The 2016 Liberty Flames football team represented Liberty University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Turner Gill and played their home games at Williams Stadium. They were a member of the Big South Conference. They finished the season 6–5, 4–1 in Big South play to share the conference championship with Charleston Southern. Despite the conference title, the Flames were not invited to the FCS playoffs.

2016 Liberty Flames football
Big South co-champion
Conference	Big South Conference
Record	6–5 (4–1 Big South)
Head coach	Turner Gill (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Joe Dailey (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Co-defensive coordinator	Robert Wimberly (5th season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Vantz Singletary (5th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Williams Stadium

2016 Big South Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 15 Charleston Southern +^		4	–	1					7	–	4
Liberty +		4	–	1					6	–	5
Kennesaw State		3	–	2					8	–	3
Gardner–Webb		3	–	2					5	–	6
Presbyterian		1	–	4					2	–	9
Monmouth		0	–	5					4	–	7
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	12:30 pm	at Virginia Tech*		Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	ACCN	L 13–36	62,234
September 10	7:00 pm	Jacksonville*		Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	ESPN3	W 55–7	16,625
September 17	7:00 pm	at SMU*		Gerald J. Ford Stadium Dallas, TX	ESPN3	L 14–29	22,127
September 24	7:00 pm	No. 3 Jacksonville State*		Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	ESPN3	L 19–48	15,354
October 1	7:00 pm	Robert Morris*		Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	ESPN3	W 41–7	11,273
October 15	7:00 pm	at Kennesaw State		Fifth Third Bank Stadium Kennesaw, GA	ESPN3	W 36–21	8,803
October 22	3:30 pm	Monmouth		Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	ESPN3	W 52–28	16,687
October 29	3:30 pm	Gardner–Webb		Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	BSN	W 23–20 OT	16,608
November 5	2:00 pm	at Presbyterian		Bailey Memorial Stadium Clinton, SC	ESPN3	W 16–0	3,101
November 12	3:30 pm	No. 14 Charleston Southern	No. 25	Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA	ESPN3	L 26–48	21,712
November 17	7:00 pm	at No. 16 Coastal Carolina*		Brooks Stadium Conway, SC (rivalry)	ESPNews	L 7–42	7,787
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

Virginia Tech

Liberty @ Virginia Tech

1 2 3 4 Total Flames 6 7 0 0 13 • Hokies 7 17 9 3 36 Date: September 3 Location: Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA Game attendance: 62,234

See also: 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team

Jacksonville

Jacksonville @ Liberty

1 2 3 4 Total Dolphins 0 0 0 7 7 • Flames 14 17 10 14 55 Date: September 10 Location: Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA Game attendance: 16,625

See also: 2016 Jacksonville Dolphins football team

SMU

Liberty @ SMU

1 2 3 4 Total Flames 7 0 7 0 14 • Mustangs 10 3 6 10 29 Date: September 17 Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium Dallas, TX Game attendance: 22,127

See also: 2016 SMU Mustangs football team

Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State @ Liberty

1 2 3 4 Total • #3 Gamecocks 14 13 0 21 48 Flames 3 0 7 9 19 Date: September 24 Location: Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA Game attendance: 15,354

See also: 2016 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team

Robert Morris

Robert Morris @ Liberty

1 2 3 4 Total Colonials 7 0 0 0 7 • Flames 7 14 10 10 41 Date: October 1 Location: Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA Game attendance: 11,273

See also: 2016 Robert Morris Colonials football team

Kennesaw State

Liberty @ Kennesaw State

1 2 3 4 Total • Flames 7 13 6 10 36 Owls 7 7 0 7 21 Date: October 15 Location: Fifth Third Bank Stadium Kennesaw, GA Game attendance: 8,803

See also: 2016 Kennesaw State Owls football team

Monmouth

Monmouth @ Liberty

1 2 3 4 Total Hawks 0 7 14 7 28 • Flames 14 17 7 14 52 Date: October 22 Location: Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA Game attendance: 16,687

See also: 2016 Monmouth Hawks football team

Gardner–Webb

Gardner–Webb @ Liberty

1 2 3 4 OT Total Runnin' Bulldogs 0 6 7 7 0 20 • Flames 7 0 3 10 3 23 Date: October 29 Location: Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA Game attendance: 16,608

See also: 2016 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

Presbyterian

Liberty @ Presbyterian

1 2 3 4 Total • Flames 6 3 0 7 16 Blue Hose 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 5 Location: Bailey Memorial Stadium Clinton, SC Game attendance: 3,101

See also: 2016 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team

Charleston Southern

Charleston Southern @ Liberty

1 2 3 4 Total • #14 Buccaneers 7 24 7 10 48 #25 Flames 6 0 6 14 26 Date: November 12 Location: Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA Game attendance: 21,712

See also: 2016 Charleston Southern Buccaneers football team

Coastal Carolina

Liberty @ Coastal Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total Flames 0 7 0 0 7 • #16 Chanticleers 7 21 7 7 42 Date: November 17 Location: Brooks Stadium Conway, SC Game attendance: 7,787

See also: 2016 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Final
STATS FCS	RV	RV	RV	RV	—	—	—	—	RV	RV	25	RV	RV	—
Coaches	RV	RV	RV	RV	—	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	24	RV	—	—