The Sam Houston Bearkats (1-3) visit the Liberty Flames (4-1) on Thursday, October 8, 2026 at Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET, and the game airs on ESPNU. DraftKings lists the spread at LIB -13.5 with a total of 52.5; moneylines are Sam Houston +440 · Liberty -600. Below is our Sam Houston vs Liberty preview with the latest odds, point spread, moneyline, over/under, kickoff time, TV channel and where to watch, plus a look at each team’s season so far, head coach and key players. Lines may move before kickoff.
Sam Houston vs Liberty Odds, Spread, Kickoff Time & TV
| Matchup detail | Line / info |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Sam Houston at Liberty |
| Records | Sam Houston 1-3 · Liberty 4-1 |
| Spread | LIB -13.5 |
| Moneyline | Sam Houston +440 · Liberty -600 |
| Total | 52.5 |
| Venue | Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA |
| Date/Time | Thursday, October 8, 2026 · 7:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | ESPNU |
| Head Coaches | Sam Houston: HC Phil Longo, OC Zack Patterson · Liberty: HC Jamey Chadwell, OC Newland Isaac |
Sam Houston Preview: Season So Far, Coach & Key Players
Season so far: The Sam Houston Bearkats are 1-3 overall. Results to date: Sep 5 — L 24-21 at Troy; Sep 12 — L 23-17 vs Tulsa; Sep 19 — W 59-0 vs Nicholls; Sep 26 — L 49-14 at Texas Tech. Most recently, Sam Houston lost to Texas Tech 49-14 on the road. Through 4 games, Sam Houston is averaging 27.8 points scored and 24.0 points allowed per game.
Head coach: Phil Longo (head coach since 2025). Offensive coordinator: Zack Patterson. Defensive coordinator: Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay.
Key players (2026 season stats):
- Passing leader: Landyn Locke (QB) — 96/145, 1,168 yards, 11 TD, 3 INT
- Rushing leader: Alton McCaskill (RB) — 43 carries, 165 yards, 1 TD
- Receiving leader: Chris Reed (WR) — 11 receptions, 220 yards, 3 TD
- Sacks leader: Elijah Groves (LB) — 2.5 sacks
- Tackles leader: Dean Ford (LB) — 20 total tackles
Strengths: Landyn Locke’s passing volume (1,168 yards). Questions: The response to a 49-14 loss at Texas Tech.
Liberty Preview: Season So Far, Coach & Key Players
Season so far: The Liberty Flames are 4-1 overall, 1-0 in Conference USA play. Results to date: Sep 5 — L 20-13 at James Madison; Sep 12 — W 24-23 vs Gardner-Webb; Sep 19 — W 51-15 vs Ball State; Sep 24 — W 34-17 at Coastal Carolina; Oct 2 — W 30-14 at Delaware. Most recently, Liberty beat Delaware 30-14 on the road. Through 5 games, Liberty is averaging 30.4 points scored and 17.8 points allowed per game.
Head coach: Jamey Chadwell (head coach since 2023). Offensive coordinator: Newland Isaac. Defensive coordinator: Skylor Magee.
Key players (2026 season stats):
- Passing leader: Deshawn Purdie (QB) — 60/100, 936 yards, 7 TD
- Rushing leader: Kam Davis (RB) — 64 carries, 457 yards, 3 TD
- Receiving leader: Makai Jackson (WR) — 19 receptions, 469 yards, 5 TD
- Sacks leader: Brenton Williams (DB) — 2 sacks
- Tackles leader: Aidan Vaughan (LB) — 25 total tackles
Strengths: An offense averaging 30.4 points per game; a defense holding opponents to 17.8 points per game; Kam Davis’s production on the ground (457 rushing yards). Questions: Holding serve at Williams Stadium against Sam Houston.
How to Watch Sam Houston vs Liberty
- Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
- Kickoff: 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Williams Stadium, Lynchburg, VA
- TV / Streaming: ESPNU
Odds: DraftKings lines reported via ESPN on October 5, 2026. Lines may move before kickoff. Records, results and season stats via ESPN; coaching staffs per 2026 staff listings. This page is an informational matchup preview only.