Earlier in the week, the tragic and murderous events committed against University of Virginia students rightfully compelled university officials to cancel the weekend contest between Virginia and Coastal Carolina. It was really the only appropriate decision to make, but Coastal Carolina and the Sun Belt will pay an unintended penalty.
Currently, the AP Top 25 has ranked 9-2 Tulane and 9-2 Cincinnati ahead of 9-1 Coastal Carolina (the College Football Playoff Committee has yet to even rank the Sun Belt, which is maddening). Without a victory over a Privileged Five program, it’s difficult to believe that the Committee will elevate Coastal (or Troy/South Alabama) to a position that merits a NY6 Bowl.
It’s both unfortunate and infuriating – the AP and the Committee have been criminally negligent in ignoring the Sun Belt. One can only hope that Cincinnati defeats Tulane this week and that somehow compels those of operate the levers of power positions the Sun Belt where it rightfully belongs.
Damn, Georgia State! I mean, DAMN!
I caught much of the first half of the Panthers vs Dukes game, and Jimmy Mads looked awful (they’d wind up fumbling the ball a whopping 7 times). By halftime, the score was 34-14 and I was posting shit-talk like this:
Much in the manner that James Madison crawled themselves out of the grave earlier in the season against Appalachian State, the Dukes outscored Georgia State 28-6 in the second half to eek out a two-point victory. The four-win Panthers are now unceremoniously bounced from any bowl bid.
No Martial. Not Webb. No Problem.
On Saturday, Troy was without Human Tackle Machine Carlton Martial and South Alabama was missing the services of emerging super stud running back La’Damian Webb. It didn’t matter. Troy pile-drove the Warhawks into the Veteran Stadium turf, and the Jaguars managed to come back from behind and slip by pesky Southern Miss. Both Troy and South Alabama are built deep, able to absorb the loss of their studs without consequence.
The Sun Belt Battle for the Basement Did Not Disappoint by Not Disappointing
We know that Bobcats versus Red Wolves was going to be a showcase of woefully inept offense, and it truly lived up to the billing. Won on a last second field goal by Texas State, the 16-13 contest saw a total of two touchdowns, fifteen punts, and just nine third-down conversions. When the turf-pellets settled, the Red Wolves were the ones taking their cardboard box into the Sun Belt Basement, with the Bobcats now having one four in a row over Arkansas State.
Four Sun Belt Teams Need Wins this Week for Bowl Eligibility
Joining the defending Sun Belt Champion Louisiana Rage’n Cajuns for seeking that final win for bowl eligibility is defending Sun Belt East champion Appalachian State (who needs seven victories), Southern Miss and Georgia Southern. Not all four will make it. Appalachian State finishes the season against the Eagles.
Howlraiser 