Tag: Sun Belt Football

CFN Preseason All-Sun Belt Football Team, Top 30 Players: Preview 2022

Who are the best players in the Sun Belt going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt team and top 30 players

Who are the best players in the Sun Belt going into the 2022 college football season? They’re highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt team and top 30 players.

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2022 Preseason CFN Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year

QB Grayson McCall, Jr. Coastal Carolina

The star in the emergence of Coastal Carolina football, McCall has been one of the nation’s most efficient and effective passers over the last two seasons hitting 71% of his throws for close to 5.400 yards with 53 touchdowns and six picks.

He’s able to run – 870 yards and 11 career touchdowns – hit the deep ball, and get the high-octane attack rolling at will. Coastal Carolina has some rebuilding to do, but McCall will make everyone around him better.

2022 Preseason CFN Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year

LB Carlton Martial, Sr. Troy

The newly configured Sun Belt is loaded with do-it-all linebackers, but no one does-it-all more more than Martial. He’s not all that big, but the 5-9, 210-pound flash gets all over the field as a bit of a hybrid playmaker.

Going into his fifth season, he already has 443 tackles, ten sacks, 47.5 tackles for loss, and five picks with seven forced fumbles on the resumé.

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team: Offense

QB Grayson McCall, Jr. Coastal Carolina

RB Rasheen Ali, Soph. Marshall

RB Nate Noel, Jr. Appalachian State

WR Ali Jennings, Jr. Old Dominion

WR Kris Thornton, Sr. James Madison

TE Zack Kuntz, Jr. Old Dominion

OT Cooper Hodges, Sr. Appalachian State

OG Khalil Crowder, Sr. Georgia Southern

C Malik Sumter, Sr. Georgia State

OG Willie Lampkin, Jr. Coastal Carolina

OT Austin Stidham, Sr. Troy

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team: Defense

DE/EDGE Javon Solomon, Soph. Troy

DT Zi’Yon Hill, Sr. Louisiana

DT Will Choloh, Sr. Troy

DE Josaiah Stewart, Soph. Coastal Carolina

LB Kivon Bennett, Sr. Arkansas State

LB Nick Hampton, Sr. Appalachian State

LB Carlton Martial, Sr. Troy

CB Derrick Canteen, Jr. Georgia Southern

S Antavious Lane, Jr. Georgia State

S Anthony Wilson, Jr. Georgia Southern

CB Steven Gilmore, Sr. Marshall

College Football News 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team: Special Teams

PK Seth Keller, PK Jr. Texas State

P Rhys Byrns, Sr. Louisiana

KR LaMareon James, Soph. Old Dominion

PR Isaiah Paige, Soph. Old Dominion

CFN 2022 Team Previews
Appalachian State | Arkansas State | Coastal Carolina 
Georgia Southern | Georgia State | James Madison
Louisiana | Marshall | Old Dominion | South Alabama
Southern Miss | Texas State | Troy | ULM
Sun Belt Predictions For Every Game | CFN Preview 2022
Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings

College Football News 2022 Preseason Top 30 Sun Belt Players

30. Nick Kidwell, OT Jr. James Madison

29. Steven Jones, CB Sr. Appalachian State

28. Hayes Maples, LB Jr. Southern Miss

27. Cooper Hodges, OT Sr. Appalachian State

26. James Blackman, QB Sr. Arkansas State

25. Micah Abraham, CB Jr. Marshall

24. Zack Kuntz, TE Jr. Old Dominion

23. Keith Gallmon, S Sr. South Alabama

22. Malik Sumter, C Sr. Georgia State

21. Javon Solomon, LB/EDGE Soph. Troy

20. Darren Grainger, QB Sr. Georgia State

19. Willie Lampkin, OG Jr. Coastal Carolina

18. Eric Garror, Sr. CB/KR Louisiana

17. Quavian White, CB Sr. Georgia State

16. Kris Thornton, WR Sr. James Madison

15. D’Jordan Strong, CB Sr. Coastal Carolina

14. Anthony Wilson, S Jr. Georgia Southern

13. Austin Stidham, OT Sr. Troy

12. Zi’Yon Hill, DT Sr. Louisiana

11. Derrick Canteen, CB Jr. Georgia Southern

10. Abraham Beauplan, LB Sr. Marshall

9. Antavious Lane, S Jr. Georgia State

8. Steven Gilmore, CB Sr. Marshall

7. Kivon Bennett, LB Sr. Arkansas State

6. Darrell Luter, CB Sr. South Alabama

5. Nick Hampton, LB Sr. Appalachian State

4. Josaiah Stewart, DE Soph. Coastal Carolina

3. Carlton Martial, LB Sr. Troy

2. Rasheen Ali, RB Soph. Marshall

1. Grayson McCall, QB Jr. Coastal Carolina

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CFN 2022 Team Previews
Appalachian State | Arkansas State | Coastal Carolina 
Georgia Southern | Georgia State | James Madison
Louisiana | Marshall | Old Dominion | South Alabama
Southern Miss | Texas State | Troy | ULM
Sun Belt Predictions For Every Game | CFN Preview 2022
Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings

College Football Rankings, Season Predictions: Sun Belt Spring Version 2022

Sun Belt spring football rankings and predictions with best and worst case scenarios for every team

Sun Belt college football rankings and predictions with the realistic best and worst case records and quick analysis – the 2022 spring version.

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The Sun Belt just got a whole lot bigger, cooler, and more interesting with a shocking expansion that should take the conference up another level.

FCS powerhouse James Madison gets to join in right away, and Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss were able to leave Conference USA and get in for the 2022 football season.

Here’s the problem – several Sun Belt programs that made strides last year are going to have tougher schedules to deal with. Several teams should be better, but might not have the results to show it.

The rankings are based on how good the teams should be and not the final projected records. Keeping in mind that this all could/might/will change when we make the final calls in August …

– 2022 College Football Schedules By Teams: All 131 Schools

Sun Belt Preseason Predictions For Every Game: Preview 2021

The College Football News Sun Belt preseason predictions for every game, predicted order of finish, and lookahead to the 2021 season.

The College Football News Sun Belt preseason predictions for every game, predicted order of finish, and lookahead to the 2021 season.

Sun Belt Preseason Predictions: East

Sun Belt East

T1. Appalachian State*
T1. Coastal Carolina
T3. Georgia Southern
T3. Troy
5. Georgia State

Appalachian State Mountaineers

2021 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2021 Sun Belt Prediction: 6-2
2018: 11-2 2019: 13-1 2020: 9-3

Sept. 2 East Carolina (in Charlotte) W
Sept. 11 at Miami  L
Sept. 18 Elon W
Sept. 23 Marshall W
Oct. 2 at Georgia State W
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 12 at Louisiana  L
Oct. 20 Coastal Carolina W
Oct. 30 ULM W
Nov. 6 at Arkansas State  L
Nov. 13 South Alabama W
Nov. 20 at Troy W
Nov. 27 Georgia Southern W
Appalachian State 2021 Preview

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

2021 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2021 Sun Belt Prediction: 6-2
2018: 5-7 2019: 5-7 2020: 11-1

Sept. 4 The Citadel W
Sept. 11 Kansas W
Sept. 18 at Buffalo W
Sept. 25 UMass W
Oct. 2 ULM W
Oct. 7 at Arkansas State W
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 20 at Appalachian State  L
Oct. 28 Troy W
Nov. 6 at Georgia Southern  L
Nov. 13 Georgia State W
Nov. 20 Texas State W
Nov. 26 at South Alabama W
Coastal Carolina 2021 Preview

Georgia Southern Eagles

2021 Preseason Prediction: 6-6
2021 Sun Belt Prediction: 5-3
2018: 10-3 2019: 7-6 2020: 8-5

Sept. 4 Gardner-Webb W
Sept. 11 at Florida Atlantic  L
Sept. 18 at Arkansas  L
Sept. 25 Louisiana  L
Oct. 2 Arkansas State W
Oct. 9 at Troy  L
Oct. 14 at South Alabama W
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 Georgia State W
Nov. 6 Coastal Carolina W
Nov. 13 at Texas State W
Nov. 20 BYU  L
Nov. 27 at Appalachian State  L
Georgia Southern 2021 Preview

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Georgia State Panthers

2021 Preseason Prediction: 5-7
2021 Sun Belt Prediction: 4-4
2018: 2-10 2019: 7-6 2020: 6-4

Sept. 4 Army  L
Sept. 11 at North Carolina  L
Sept. 18 Charlotte W
Sept. 25 at Auburn  L
Oct. 2 Appalachian State  L
Oct. 9 at ULM W
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 Texas State W
Oct. 30 at Georgia Southern  L
Nov. 4 at Louisiana  L
Nov. 13 at Coastal Carolina  L
Nov. 20 Arkansas State W
Nov. 27 Troy W
Georgia Southern 2021 Preview

Troy Trojans

2021 Preseason Prediction: 6-6
2021 Sun Belt Prediction: 5-3
2018: 10-3 2019: 5-7 2020: 5-6

Sept. 4 Southern W
Sept. 11 Liberty  L
Sept. 18 at Southern Miss  L
Sept. 25 at ULM W
Oct. 2 at South Carolina  L
Oct. 9 Georgia Southern W
Oct. 16 at Texas State W
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 28 at Coastal Carolina W
Nov. 6 South Alabama W
Nov. 13 Louisiana  L
Nov. 20 Appalachian State  L
Nov. 27 at Georgia State  L
Troy 2021 Preview

NEXT: Sun Belt Preseason Predictions: East

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College Football News Preseason All-Sun Belt Football Team: Preview 2021

Preview 2021: Previewing and looking ahead to the Sun Belt season. College Football News Preseason All-Sun Belt Team & Top 30 players.

Preview 2021: Previewing and looking ahead to the Sun Belt season with the College Football News Preseason All-Sun Belt Team & Top 30 players. 

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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews 

2021 Sun Belt Team Previews
East Appalachian St | Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern | Georgia State | Troy
West Arkansas St | Louisiana | Texas St
South Alabama | ULM
2021 CFN Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
2021 CFN Sun Belt Top 30 Players

2021 Preseason CFN Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year

QB Grayson McCall, Soph. Coastal Carolina

There are a whole lot of good quarterbacks in the Sun Belt. Louisiana’s Levi Lewis has been around for forever, Arkansas State’s Layne Hatcher might throw for a bazillion yards, South Alabama is getting in transfer Jake Bentley, Georgia Tech transfer James Graham is a perfect fit for Georgia Southern, and Georgia State’s Cornelious Brown is outstanding.

Until Grayson McCall starts to screw up, he’s the guy.

Brilliant in the program’s breakout season, he completed 69% of his throws for close to 2,500 yards and 26 touchdowns with just three picks, and he ran for seven touchdowns. Now he’s a year older, his team is every bit as good, and he should once again be special.

2021 Preseason CFN Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year

LB Carlton Martial, Jr. Troy

Just 5-9 and 210 pounds, he’s not built to be a big linebacker who can do huge things, he’s as pound-for-pound tough as any defender in the Sun Belt. The only player in the conference to averaged ten or more tackles per game – and one of two to average more than nine – he hit everything with 113 stops coming off a 126-tackle season. Just assume 100 more tackles are coming.

2021 CFN Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
2021 CFN Sun Belt Top 30 Players

NEXT: CFN 2021 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

21 For 2021 College Football Topics, No. 18: Teams That Will Take A Wee Step Back

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 18: Five teams that should have worse seasons in 2021 after a fantastic 2020.

21 for 2021 College Football Topics, No. 18: Five teams that should have worse seasons in 2021 after a fantastic 2020.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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21 for 2021 College Football Topics 
21: 21 Thoughts, Wishes, Hopes
20: 5 Best Programs To Not Make CFP
19: 5 Teams That Will Rebound

Sometimes everything works just right.

2020 might have been a horrific year all the way around, but for a few college football teams and conferences, at least the production on the field was something special.

Sometimes it took everything to align correctly, and sometimes the teams were just that good. However, no matter how good a program it is – like the five on last year’s list: LSU, Minnesota, Baylor, Utah and Virginia – it’s almost impossible to get all of the same breaks, schedule timing, and amazing plays to recreate the magic.

The teams on this list are going to be very, very good, but all it takes is an extra loss, a key injury, or something else that might be off to take a step back.

Going from the lowest-ranked team in the 2020 final rankings to the highest, starting with a catch-all …

5. Sun Belt teams

2020 FInal RankingS
Coastal Carolina (11-1): AP 14, Coaches 14
Louisiana (10-1): AP 15, Coaches 16

What Made 2020 Special? 

It all started with a bang, and it never stopped.

If anything, the top Sun Belt teams were underrated considering Coastal Carolina beat Kansas at Kansas to start the season, Arkansas State beat Kansas State at Kansas State, and in the key win, Louisiana hit Iowa State 31-14.

It was a magical breakthrough year for the conference – helped by Coastal Carolina’s win over BYU in what might have been the best game of the season.

Coastal Carolina went from being picked by some dopey college football pundits – hand sheepishly raised – to be among the Sun Belt’s worst teams, but the offensive style was unstoppable for most of the year. Louisiana has some Power Five program’s next head coach in Billy Napier – how is he still around? – with a loaded offensive team, and others like Appalachian State were fantastic, too.

The conference had a wonderful bowl season – App State, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State all romped – just about everyone in the conference other than ULM had something positive to point to, and …

Why 2021 Will Be A Bit Worse, Schedule Part 1
– 2021 Sun Belt Football Schedule, Top Games

It’ll be hard to sustain.

The big problem is attention with even one loss meaning that proper credit won’t be given.

Put it this way (sorry, Cyclone fans, I promise this is the last time I’ll do this): Louisiana beat Iowa State by 17 points in Ames, and the only other loss on the year for the Ragin’ Cajuns was against Coastal Carolina. Iowa State finished ninth in both polls, and Louisiana was 15th in the AP and 16th in the Coaches. The respect just wasn’t there.

That’s not to say that Coastal Carolina won’t pull a threezie on Kansas by winning a third straight year in the series, but it has to go to Buffalo, Arkansas State, Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.

Appalachian State has the ability to beat Miami, but it’s conference schedule isn’t a breeze with road dates at Georgia State and Louisiana, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have to go to Texas.

Why 2020 Will Be A Bit Worse: Schedule, Part 2

There will be moments when the Sun Belt rises up and rocks. Again, the teams are going to be just that good, they all return a ton of talent, and they’ll all receive plenty of love and respect in the preseason rankings.

But again, just one loss by anyone screws up the national love, attention, and focus.

If one of the good teams slips by a Washington if you’re Arkansas State, or a Baylor if everything works right for Texas State, or a North Carolina if Georgia State is wonderful, or an Arkansas if it can’t stop the Georgia Southern option, there’s a strong enough league to have landmines all across the board.

NEXT: Indiana Hoosiers

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Sun Belt Football Rankings: CFN 2021 Pre-Spring

The pre-spring version of the CFN 2021 rankings with a first look at all the Sun Belt teams.

The pre-spring version of the CFN 2021 rankings with a first look at all the Sun Belt teams.

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2021 Sun Belt Rankings: Pre-Spring

Sun Belt: East

1. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Why To Be Happy: All the parts are back – almost (more on that in a moment). Everything you liked about the 2020 Chanticleers should kick in again, including the shocking return of head coach Jamey Chadwell after not getting hired away yet. The offense should get ten starters back, almost everyone returns on D, but …

What To Work On: Two very, very, very important parts are off to the next level. RB CJ Marable and DT Tarron Jackson were two of the Sun Belt’s best players as two difference-makers who helped take a very good team and make it special. There are parts to try replacing them, but they were just that good.

Bottom Line: It’s not the slam dunk that you might thing that a loaded team that did all that is going to be every bit as good, or better. Appalachian State and others in the league are strong, too, but the expectations are through the roof now – and rightly so.

2. Appalachian State Mountaineers

Why To Be Happy: Nothing stops. The defensive front is back and loaded, the offensive backfield is loaded with top running backs – helped by getting Jahmir Smith from Notre Dame – and the senior receivers are coming back for new QB Chase Brice – the former Clemson Tiger and Duke Blue Devils.

What To Work On: The offensive line loses parts. Brice needs to be prove he can be a mistake-free and consistent playmaker in place of Zac Thomas, and he’ll have to do it behind a retooled front

Bottom Line: Coastal Carolina will continue to be the darling of the Sun Belt – and rightly so – but the Mountaineers are a steady quarterback away from being right back in the Sun Belt title mix.

3. Georgia State Panthers

Why To Be Happy: All 11 starters are expected to be back – or close to it – from a fantastic offense that’s bringing in even more parts from the transfer portal. At the moment, eight starters appear to be back on the defensive side, but as long as QB Cornelious Brown and the offense can keep on improving, look out.

What To Work On: The offense has to be stronger at not turning the ball over and the defense has to be better in pass coverage. The experience should help both things – the defensive losses should be up front – but there are just enough tweaks needed to be just behind the best in the East.

Bottom Line: The Panthers are rising. No one’s going to put them ahead of Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State, but they’re going to be strong enough to beat either one and be a dangerous player in the chase.

4. Troy Trojans

Why To Be Happy: There’s an interesting influx of talent coming in to go along with an already experienced team. The quarterback situation is fine, but Taylor Powell is coming in from Missouri. The running backs are good, and in comes La’Damian Webb from Florida State. As is, at the moment, all 22 starters might just be back.

What To Work On: The turnovers have to stop and the ground game has to be more dangerous. This is going to be a very good, very experienced team that should be able to hang with anyone in the league, but it has to be a whole lot tighter to challenge for the East.

Bottom Line: The parts are there to possibly win the division. The team lost four of their last five games and weren’t close to consistent enough, but watch out for a big turnaround.

5. Georgia Southern Eagles

Why To Be Happy: Losing a veteran QB like Shai Werts who knows exactly how to run this offense would be devastating, but in comes James Graham from option-era Georgia Tech. Outside of Werts, there aren’t enough big losses to need a major overhaul, but …

What To Work On: The offensive line is the one area that’s going to near reworking. Just enough is gone off the front five to need a full offseason to get right, and now throw in the new quarterback aspect in a division loaded with great QBs.

Bottom Line: Don’t get hung up on this ranking – all five teams in the division could end up in any order. As always, Georgia Southern is going to be a thorn in everyone’s side, but unlike the top teams, there are just enough missing parts to be behind the the rest of a strong division.

– 2021 Pre-Spring Sun Belt: West

2021 Sun Belt: West Rankings: Pre-Spring 7-12

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Sun Belt Predictions, Schedule, Game Previews, Lines, TV: Week 7

Sun Belt college football predictions, schedule, game previews, lines and TV listings for Week 7 of the season.

Sun Belt college football predictions, schedule, game previews, lines and TV listings for Week 7 of the season.

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Results So Far
SU: 21-7, ATS: 11-14, Point Total: 18-7

Click on each game for game preview & prediction

Wednesday, October 14

Coastal Carolina at Louisiana

Line: Louisiana -9.5, o/u: 58.5
Prediction: Louisiana 30, Coastal Carolina 23
Final Score: Coastal Carolina 30, Louisiana 27

Thursday, October 15

Georgia State at Arkansas State

7:30 ESPN
Line: Arkansas State -3, o/u: 72
– Bet on this at BetMGM

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Saturday, October 17

Texas State at South Alabama

12:00 ESPNU
Line: South Alabama -2.5, o/u: 58
– Bet on this at BetMGM

UMass at Georgia Southern

4:00 ESPNU
Line: Georgia Southern -31, o/u: 63
– Bet on this at BetMGM

Eastern Kentucky at Troy

7:00 ESPN3
Line: Troy -28, o/u: 60.5
– Bet on this at BetMGM

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Sun Belt Preseason Predictions For Every Game

What’s going to happen this season in the Sun Belt? The schedules and predictions for each team and every game. 

What’s going to happen this season in the Sun Belt?  The schedules and predictions for each team and every game. 

Sun Belt Preseason Predicted Finish

East
1. Appalachian State
2. Georgia Southern
3. Troy
4. Georgia State
5. Coastal Carolina

West
1. Louisiana
2. Arkansas State
3. ULM
4. South Alabama
5. Texas State

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Sun Belt Championship Prediction

Louisiana over Appalachian State

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Sun Belt East Schedules

Appalachian State Football Schedule

2020 Record: 0-0
2020 Preseason Prediction: 10-2
2020 Preseason Sun Belt Prediction: 7-1
2019 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2019: 13-1, 2018: 11-2
2020 Appalachian State Preview

Sept. 5 OPEN DATE
Sept. 12 Charlotte W
Sept. 19 at Marshall W
Sept. 26 Campbell W
Oct. 3 OPEN DATE
Oct. 7 Louisiana W
Oct. 14 at Georgia Southern W 
Oct. 24 Arkansas State L
Oct. 31 at ULM W
Nov. 7 at Texas State W
Nov. 14 Georgia State W
Nov. 21 at Coastal Carolina W
Nov. 28 Troy W

Coastal Carolina Football Schedule

2020 Record: 0-0
2020 Preseason Prediction: 4-7
2020 Preseason Sun Belt Prediction: 2-6
2019 Preseason Prediction: 4-8
2019: 5-7, 2018: 5-7
2020 Coastal Carolina Preview

Sept. 5 OPEN DATE
Sept. 12 at Kansas L
Sept. 19 Campbell W
Sept. 26 OPEN DATE
Oct. 3 Arkansas State L
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 17 at Louisiana L
Oct. 24 Georgia Southern L
Oct. 29 at Georgia State L
Nov. 7 South Alabama W
Nov. 14 at Troy L
Nov. 21 Appalachian State L
Nov. 28 at Texas State W
Dec. 5 Liberty W 

Georgia Southern Football Schedule

2020 Record: 0-0
2020 Preseason Prediction: 8-3
2020 Preseason Sun Belt Prediction: 6-2
2019 Preseason Prediction: 7-5
2019: 7-6, 2018: 10-3
2020 Georgia Southern Preview

Sept. 5 OPEN DATE
Sept. 12 Campbell W
Sept. 19 Florida Atlantic W
Sept. 26 at Louisiana L
Oct. 3 at ULM W
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 14 Appalachian State L
Oct. 24 at Coastal Carolina W
Oct. 31 South Alabama W
Nov. 7 Troy W
Nov. 14 Texas State W
Nov. 21 at Army  L
Nov. 28 at Georgia State W

Georgia State State Football Schedule

2020 Record: 0-0
2020 Preseason Prediction: 3-7
2020 Preseason Sun Belt Prediction: 3-5
2019 Preseason Prediction: 4-8
2019: 7-6, 2018: 2-10
2020 Georgia State Preview

Sept. 5 OPEN DATE
Sept. 12 OPEN DATE
Sept. 19 Louisiana L
Sept. 26 at Charlotte L
Oct. 3 East Carolina L
Oct. 10 OPEN DATE
Oct. 15 at Arkansas State L
Oct. 24 at Troy L
Oct. 29 Coastal Carolina W
Nov. 7 ULM W
Nov. 14 at Appalachian State L
Nov. 21 at South Alabama W
Nov. 28 Georgia Southern L

Troy Football Schedule

2020 Record: 0-0
2020 Preseason Prediction: 6-6
2020 Preseason Sun Belt Prediction: 5-3
2019 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2019: 5-7, 2018: 10-3
2020 Troy Preview

Sept. 5 OPEN DATE
Sept. 12 OPEN DATE
Sept. 19 at Middle Tennessee L
Sept. 26 at BYU L
Oct. 3 at South Alabama W
Oct. 8 Texas State W
Oct. 17 Eastern Kentucky W
Oct. 24 Georgia State W
Oct. 31 at Arkansas State L
Nov. 7 at Georgia Southern L
Nov. 14 Coastal Carolina W
Nov. 21 Middle Tennessee L
Nov. 28 at Appalachian State L
Dec. 5 ULM 
W

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Could the Sun Belt really play football while Big Ten, Pac-12 sit?

So many absurd possibilities exist right now.

First things first: No, I don’t expect the Sun Belt or Conference USA to play college football this fall. Yet, on the morning of August 12, 2020, that possibility is still in play. Meanwhile, the Big Ten and Pac-12 have called it quits for the fall.

Is this real life? In 2020, you bet it is. Everything is crazy and upside-down. Nothing makes sense. Normalcy has been shredded. Familiarity has been obliterated.

Given the “every conference for himself” reality we are seeing in college football, there is very little coordination or cohesion between conferences in announcing decisions on whether to play this fall. This has left us with the absurd situation of August 12: Three Power Five conferences want to continue to make an attempt to play football this fall, while two do not. Three Group of Five conferences want to try to play, while two do not.

Are we really going to have a world in which the Sun Belt plays fall football and the Big Ten does not? This means the Texas State Bobcats could play while the Ohio State Buckeyes don’t.

One would think that the reality of resources — Sun Belt schools do not have the infrastructure of SEC or Big 12 schools — will close the door on college football for the Sun Belt as well as Conference USA. However, those two Group of Five conferences reside in the same part of the country as the SEC, where football matters more than in many other regions of the United States. If state governors and state populations are galvanized in the pursuit of football, who is to say this couldn’t happen under any circumstances?

This isn’t a verdict on how wise such a move would be. This isn’t a verdict on citizens’ or politicians’ value systems. This is merely an assessment of whether such a scenario could unfold.

It could. It isn’t particularly likely, but what has 2020 been if not a parade of one unlikely event after another?

If the Sun Belt plays this fall — just as if any other conference or school plays in the coming weeks — players would deserve hazard pay and guaranteed health care. Is that likely to happen? No.

If the Sun Belt plays at a time when the SEC has pursued a conference-only schedule, just how much revenue can SBC programs expect to get from television? It won’t be that high.

The situation is so markedly bad for the Sun Belt and Conference USA. The upside of playing is not that high, since league programs were depending on getting game checks primarily from SEC powerhouses; that’s how these conferences get the money which sustains their athletic budgets. Yet, I understand why these smaller FBS conferences are still trying to play: Any revenue infusion could mean the difference between staying afloat for a given period of time and having nowhere else to turn. When faced with a menu of several bad options, playing games offers the less terrible path. I get it.

We will see if the less terrible option remains a possibility for the Sun Belt and Conference USA, or if a postponement of fall football comes fairly quickly, as the walls of a grim reality close in.

Preview 2020: College Football News All-Sun Belt Team

Preview 2020: Previewing and looking ahead to the Sun Belt season with the College Football News All-Sun Belt Team & Top 30 players. 

Preview 2020: Previewing and looking ahead to the Sun Belt season with the College Football News All-Sun Belt Team & Top 30 players. 

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews  

– 2020 CFN All-Sun Belt Team
– 2020 CFN Top 30 Sun Belt Players

2020 Preseason CFN Sun belt Offensive Player of the Year

QB Levi Lewis, Sr. Louisiana

Flip a coin here, and either answer is right between Appalachian State QB Zac Thomas and the left-hander from Louisiana who has figured out how to run the Ragin’ Cajun offense so well.

Lewis is a smallish 5-11 and 190 pounds, and he doesn’t run a ton – 410 yards and four scores in his three seasons – but he’s accurate, he can hit the downfield plays, and he progressed into a terrific passer after taking over the job full-time last season.

Four interceptions – that’s it. He threw 26 touchdown passes, connected on 64% of his throws, and he winged it around the yards for over 3,000 yards. This year, he has the talent around him to do even more.

2020 Sun Belt Team Previews
East Appalachian State | Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern | Georgia State | Troy
West Arkansas State | Louisiana
South Alabama | Texas State | ULM

CFN in 60 Video: Coastal Carolina Preview
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2020 Preseason CFN Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year

DE Tarron Jackson, Sr. Coastal Carolina

There are few more active defensive linemen in college football.

The Sun Belt has plenty of good quarterbacks coming into the season, but there’s a premium in the conference on a 6-2, 270-pound versatile force up front who’s quick off the ball and can hold up against the run.

He not only finished second on Coastal Carolina last year with 60 tackles, but he came up with a Sun Belt-high ten sacks with 13 tackles for loss to go along with nine quarterback hurries.

That’s what the guy does.

He made 58 tackles with 11 tackles for loss as a sophomore, and he’ll be the league’s most disruptive force up front once again.

NEXT: CFN 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

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