On a winning football scale of one to 13, Liberty University is a 13.

There are only four undefeated major college football teams left, and one of them is located only a fast two hours west in Lynchburg.

Liberty University’s 13-0 and 18th ranked Flames will have a holiday national audience Jan. 1 when they face No. 8-ranked Oregon (11-2) in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.

The other three unbeatens are household name brands Michigan, Washington and Florida State.

By comparison, upstart Liberty of the off-the-beaten track Conference USA didn’t join the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) until 2018.

Leading LU to a take-notice New Year’s Day bowl is sophomore quarterback Kaidon Salter, one of 80 Black players listed on the team’s 117-man roster (counting walk-ons). Not all will travel to Arizona.

The Flames’ six first-team All- CUSA selections are all Black – QB Salter, running back Quinton Cooley, offensive lineman X’Zauvea Gadlin, linebacker Tyren Dupree and defensive backs Kobe Singleton and Brylan Green.

Salter, with sophomore eligibility, is a native Texan who transferred to LU from Tennessee.

He’s accounted for 3,814 yards total offense this season with 43 touchdowns (31 passing, 12 running).

LU led the nation in interceptions (21) and in rushing yards per game (303 per).

Local connection: While LU recruits globally with its Christian network, there is one Richmond area player, redshirt freshman defensive end Bryson Jennings from Clover Hill High.

Jennings, wearing No. 17, has four tackles, with 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

From the sideline: LU’s perfection has come under first-year Coach Jamey Chadwell, who arrived from Coastal Carolina. The Flames’ job came open last year when Hugue Freeze left Lynchburg for Auburn.

In the beginning: The school opened in 1971 as Lynchburg Baptist. The first football season in 1973 was as an independent.

The first-season opponents included Massanutten and Hargrave Military, The Apprentice School and the Ferrum and Hampden-Sydney JVs.

The Flames played at Lynchburg City Stadium until 1989 when they moved into 25,000-seat Williams Stadium on campus with amenities second to none.

The program has come a long way with powerful Oregon on deck, featuring Heisman Trophy finalist QB Bo Nix. Had Oregon defeated Washington for the Pac12 title, it would be in the College Football Playoff.

World is watching: Located on 700 acres it likes to call “On the Mountain,” Liberty lists 93,349 students, counting online connections all over the U.S. and the globe. Ratings should be high for the Fiesta Bowl.

The mascot is “Sparky” and the marching band is “The Spirit on the Mountain.”

While the football team is about 75% Black, the school’s on-campus population is only about 15% Black. Females represent 58% of the campus population.

Lucky No. 13: The Flames became the first FBS team in the state of Virginia history to win 13 games. On Jan. 1 they can break their own record. A 14th win, over a powerful foe, could vault the Lynchburg school into the final top 10 polls.