The Sun Belt just got a whole lot more interesting with the addition of Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss from Conference USA – and getting them a year before it seemed possible – and also brought in FCS powerhouse James Madison to a be a part of the fun.
The divisions are staying for now, but the great additions will make it far, far tougher for Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, and Louisiana to keep on dominating – even though they might not take that big a step back, if any.
While it might seem a bit cut-and-dry with the way the league is set up, watch out for some potentially big moves from some teams that struggled. The problem will be the schedules for Troy, South Alabama, and Arkansas State. Georgia State and Old Dominion programs that got to bowl games last season will have to fight, too.
The Sun Belt is stronger than ever and the season should be the best yet. The Sun Belt predictions for 2022 are …
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Sun Belt Preseason Predictions: West
Sun Belt East Predicted Finish
1. Coastal Carolina
2. Appalachian State
T3. Georgia State
T3. Marshall
T5. Georgia Southern
T5. James Madison
T5. Old Dominion
Appalachian State Mountaineers
2022 Preseason Prediction: 8-4
2022 Sun Belt Prediction: 6-1
2021: 10-4, Prediction: 9-3
2020: 9-3, 2019: 13-1, 2018: 11-2
Sept 3 North Carolina L
Sept 10 at Texas A&M L
Sept 17 at Troy W
Sept 24 James Madison W
Oct 1 The Citadel W
Oct 8 at Texas State W
Oct 15 OPEN DATE
Oct 19 Georgia State W
Oct 29 Robert Morris W
Nov 3 at Coastal Carolina L
Nov 12 at Marshall L
Nov 19 Old Dominion W
Nov 26 at Georgia Southern W
Appalachian State 2022 Preview
Appalachian State 10 Best Players
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
2022 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2022 Sun Belt Prediction: 7-1
2021: 11-2, Prediction: 10-2
2020: 11-1, 2019: 5-7, 2018: 5-7
Sept 3 Army W
Sept 10 Gardner-Webb W
Sept 17 Buffalo W
Sept 22 at Georgia State W
Oct 1 Georgia Southern W
Oct 8 at ULM W
Oct 15 Old Dominion W
Oct 22 OPEN DATE
Oct 29 at Marshall L
Nov 3 Appalachian State W
Nov 12 Southern Miss W
Nov 19 at Virginia L
Nov 26 at James Madison W
Coastal Carolina 2022 Preview
Coastal Carolina 10 Best Players
Georgia Southern Eagles
2022 Preseason Prediction: 5-7
2022 Sun Belt Prediction: 3-5
2021: 3-9, Prediction: 6-6
2020: 8-5, 2019: 7-6, 2018: 10-3
Sept 3 Morgan State W
Sept 10 at Nebraska L
Sept 17 at UAB L
Sept 24 Ball State W
Oct 1 at Coastal Carolina L
Oct 8 at Georgia State L
Oct 15 James Madison W
Oct 22 at Old Dominion L
Oct 29 OPEN DATE
Nov 5 South Alabama W
Nov 10 at Louisiana L
Nov 19 Marshall W
Nov 26 Appalachian State L
Georgia Southern 2022 Preview
Georgia Southern 10 Best Players
Georgia State Panthers
2022 Preseason Prediction: 6-6
2022 Sun Belt Prediction: 5-3
2021: 8-5, Prediction: 6-6
2020: 6-4, 2019: 7-6, 2018: 2-10
Sept 3 at South Carolina L
Sept 10 North Carolina L
Sept 17 Charlotte W
Sept 22 Coastal Carolina L
Oct 1 at Army L
Oct 8 Georgia Southern W
Oct 15 OPEN DATE
Oct 19 at Appalachian State L
Oct 29 Old Dominion W
Nov 5 at Southern Miss W
Nov 12 ULM W
Nov 19 at James Madison W
Nov 26 at Marshall L
Georgia State 2022 Preview
Georgia State 10 Best Players
James Madison Dukes
2021 Preseason Prediction: 5-7
2021 Sun Belt Prediction: 3-5
2021: 12-2, 2020: 7-1, 2019: 14-2, 2018: 9-4
Sept 3 Middle Tennessee W
Sept 10 Norfolk State W
Sept 17 OPEN DATE
Sept 24 at Appalachian State L
Oct 1 Texas State W
Oct 8 at Arkansas State W
Oct 15 at Georgia Southern L
Oct 22 Marshall W
Oct 27 OPEN DATE
Nov 5 at Louisville L
Nov 12 at Old Dominion L
Nov 19 Georgia State L
Nov 26 Coastal Carolina L
James Madison 2022 Preview
James Madison 10 Best Players
Marshall Thundering Herd
2022 Preseason Prediction: 8-4
2022 Sun Belt Prediction: 5-3
2021: 7-6, Prediction: 9-3
2020: 7-3, 2019: 8-5, 2018: 9-4
Sept 3 Norfolk State W
Sept 10 at Notre Dame L
Sept 17 at Bowling Green W
Sept 24 at Troy L
Oct 1 Gardner-Webb W
Oct 8 OPEN DATE
Oct 12 Louisiana W
Oct 22 at James Madison L
Oct 29 Coastal Carolina W
Nov 5 at Old Dominion W
Nov 12 Appalachian State W
Nov 19 at Georgia Southern L
Nov 26 Georgia State W
Marshall 2022 Preview
Marshall 10 Best Players
Old Dominion Monarchs
2022 Preseason Prediction: 4-8
2022 Sun Belt Prediction: 3-5
2021: 6-7, Prediction: 2-10
2020: 0-0, 2019: 1-11, 2018: 4-8
Sept 2 Virginia Tech L
Sept 10 at East Carolina L
Sept 17 at Virginia L
Sept 24 Arkansas State W
Oct 1 Liberty W
Oct 8 OPEN DATE
Oct 15 at Coastal Carolina L
Oct 22 Georgia Southern W
Oct 29 at Georgia State L
Nov 5 Marshall L
Nov 12 James Madison W
Nov 19 at Appalachian State L
Nov 26 at South Alabama L
Old Dominion 2022 Preview
Old Dominion 10 Best Players