A Rivalry Returns to Conway
Coastal Carolina and Liberty are set to renew one of their old rivalries Thursday night when the Flames travel to Brooks Stadium for a nationally televised matchup.
The Chanticleers enter the game 1-2 after falling to Delaware 22-14 last Saturday. Liberty, meanwhile, comes into Conway at 2-1 after dominating Ball State 51-15.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, but the football game will only be part of the excitement surrounding Coastal Carolina.
Deuce Bailey Has Been Excellent
One of the biggest reasons for Coastal Carolina fans to be excited has been the play of quarterback Deuce Bailey.
Through three games, Bailey has completed 49 of 88 passes for 826 yards and eight touchdowns without throwing an interception. He is also averaging 275.3 passing yards per game and has added 82 rushing yards.
Bailey has already shown that he can make explosive plays down the field. He opened the season by throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia, then followed that performance with 203 yards and three touchdowns in Coastal’s 45-7 win over Fordham.
Even in last week’s loss to Delaware, Bailey continued to produce. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.
His eight touchdown passes without an interception have been one of the brightest parts of Coastal’s season so far.
Bailey will have another major test Thursday against a Liberty defense that will be looking to slow down Coastal’s passing attack. If he can continue making big plays while avoiding turnovers, the Chanticleers could give the Flames a serious challenge.
Liberty Comes In With Momentum
Liberty enters Thursday night’s matchup playing some of its best football of the young season.
The Flames exploded for 51 points against Ball State last week, with quarterback Deshawn Purdie throwing three touchdown passes. Liberty is averaging 386.7 yards per game and has scored 29.3 points per contest.
The Flames also have a history with Coastal Carolina, including the memorable 2020 Cure Bowl, when Liberty defeated the Chanticleers 37-34 in overtime.
Thursday’s matchup adds another layer because Liberty head coach Jamey Chadwell is returning to Brooks Stadium. Chadwell previously led Coastal Carolina before taking over at Liberty.
SportsCenter Is Coming to Campus
The atmosphere in Conway should be one of the biggest storylines of the night.
ESPN’s SportsCenter On Campus will be live from Coastal Carolina beginning at 5 p.m. Matt Barrie and former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel will host the show from Teal Town before the game.
The appearance gives Coastal Carolina and its fan base a chance to showcase the school and its gameday atmosphere to a national audience.
The Chant Walk is scheduled for 5:15 p.m., giving fans another opportunity to create energy before kickoff. Thursday’s game will also be Coastal’s annual Teal Out.
This will be the second time in three seasons that SportsCenter has broadcast from Coastal Carolina.
A Big Night for Coastal
With Liberty coming to town, Bailey playing at a high level and ESPN bringing SportsCenter to campus, Thursday night has all the ingredients for a memorable night in Conway.
Coastal Carolina will be looking to bounce back from its Delaware loss, while Liberty will try to continue building momentum.
For the Chanticleers, the key could once again be Bailey. If the quarterback can continue his impressive start and connect on the explosive plays that have defined his first three games, Coastal has an opportunity to make Thursday night very interesting.
The stage is set at Brooks Stadium, and this time the entire country will be watching.
