Liberty Headlines Four FCS Victories Over FBS in 2017 Opener

The Liberty Flames headline four FCS victories over FBS schools in the first full week of college football in 2017.  

• Liberty 48 at Baylor 45 – The Flames looked FBS ready on offense as Baylor could not stop their passing attack.  Liberty kicked-off their last season in the FCS with a bang.  Liberty is transitioning into the FBS after making big noise about their intentions for several years.  It was an impressive performance.  Liberty QB Buckshot Calvert unloaded an aerial attack on the Bears throwing for 447 yards, three touchdowns, and completing 44 of 60 pass attempts.  Chalk one up for the Big South over the Power Five, Big 12.  Liberty Head Coach, Turner Gill, had one Big 12 win during his tenure at Kansas, but is making FBS victims a habit at Liberty.
• James Madison 34 at East Carolina 14 – The defending FCS National Champions, from the Colonial, put the hurt on AAC member ECU in the second half after leading 7-0 at halftime.  The Dukes picked-up where they left-off last year with 614 yards of total offense, including 422 on the ground.  It is no understatement to say that, in the history of college football, 400 plus yards of rushing is as close to a guaranteed win as you can get.  East Carolina has now lost 10 of the last 11. Compounding that, their next seven opponents went to bowl games in 2016.  Next stop for the Pirates is at West Virginia on September 9.
• Howard 43 at UNLV 40 – The Bison pull off the rare HBCU, as well as MEAC, victory over an FBS squad.  Some outlets are saying this is the greatest point-spread upset ever with Howard coming-in as a 45 point dog.  Preseason prognosticators had the Bison near the bottom of the near the bottom MEAC.  Howard head man, Mike London, hit the jackpot in his debut at Howard.  Prior to his tour-of-duty leading Virginia, London led Richmond to the 2008 FCS National Championship. The Rebels’ 2016 improvement was buffaloed as they crapped-out at home.  The Mountain West member next travels to bowl champion Idaho who beat them last year at Las Vegas, 33-30.  Next stop for Vegas after that is at THE Ohio State University.
• Tennessee State 17 at Georgia State 10 – Tennessee State (OVC) led their Sun Belt hosts 17-3 at the end of the third quarter.  The Tigers were picked to finish high in the OVC.  Florida transfer quarterback, Treon Harris, threw for 145, and rushed for 91 and a TD.  Georgia State’s twin debuts of Head Coach, Shawn Elliott, and Georgia State Stadium (refurbished Turner Field in Atlanta) were ruined.  The Panthers spread offense spread it around for a total of 273 yards.  Next stop for Georgia State is Happy Valley on September 16.  Penn State blanked the Akron Zips 52-0 in the Nittany Lions’ home opener (and headline writers around the nation rejoiced).