Analysis, Kick Off Times, Spreads, and Broadcast Info for the Sixth Week of Sun Belt Football

Lots of SBC teams are getting some rest in Week Six: Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, Georgia State, and Appalachian State are all taking breathers. However, there will be no let-up in insane intensity! EVERY GAME HAS IMPLICATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE DIRE TO MANKIND. I’d explain the last part of that sentence in greater detail, but it involves a lot of math.

Saturday, October 7 (all times Central)

Marshall (5-0) at North Carolina State (3-2), 1:00 PM CW Network, -6.5 Wolfpack

Looks like the Sun Belt is going to have to beat at least one more ACC opponent before the conference earns any respect, and it might was well be NC State, who just lost to Louisville, triggering a QB change from Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong to sophomore signal caller MJ Morris. No matter who’s QB-ing the Wolfpack, he’ll have to face the Thundering Herd’s blistering pass defense, ranked second in the nation.

Prediction: Herd keeps surprising me

Texas State (4-1) at Louisiana (3-2), 2:30 PM ESPNU, -1 Cajuns

Yes, it’s time to take the Bobcats seriously. Yes, it’s also time to worry about the Cajuns, who seemed to have Minnesota in check last week before dropping the bag in the second half. Louisiana gets the Vegas shrug, but nobody in the conference is running an engine hotter than Texas State’s. Only Georgia Southern’s Davis Brin and Appalachian State’s Joey Aguilar have tossed more touchdowns in the Sun Belt than TJ Finley (10), and sophomore running back Ismail Mahndi’s 9 total TDs is among the top nation’s ten for scorers. Louisiana will need a heavy lift from its fine RB tandem – Jacob Kibodi and Dre’lyn Washington – to declaw these cats.

Prediction: Bobcats continue to make the SBC West gnash their teeth

Arkansas State (3-2) at Troy (3-2), 3:00 PM ESPN+, -16.5 Trojans

Troy is heavily favored because 1) the nation witnessed Oklahoma pound the Red Wolves 73-0, 2) the Trojans defense, led by junior defensive end Javon Solomon, is ranked 24th in the nation, and 3) Troy is a hard place to pick up a win. Still, the Red Wolves offense has scored 96 points its last two weeks since scoring only 3 points in the first two weeks. Credit freshman QB Jaylon Raynor for the offensive lift, who threw six touchdown passes in last weeks win over Massachusetts. However, Arkansas State hasn’t faced a quality defense since Week 1 against the Sooners.

Prediction: Arkansas State falls, but so does the spread

South Alabama (2-3) at ULM (2-2), 6:00 PM ESPN +, -11.5 Jaguars

I’m not sure if Vegas is aware of the level of desperation the Warhawks applied to the psyche of the Mountaineers, who had to sacrifice their last ounce of Adirondack soul to the strange gods who govern Monroe. The Jaguars may have spent their last kernal of cosmic chi on its victory over Oklahoma State. Since then (and before then), South Alabama has appeared in a chronic coma. Jiya Wright displayed bursts of amazing against the Appalachian State defense. Unless the Jags wake up, we expect to see Wright discover more super powers.

Prediction: Warhawks apply the voodoo

Old Dominion (2-3) at Southern Miss (1-4), 6:00 PM ESPN+, -1.5 Southern Miss

Since sticking a pepper in the eye of the Cajuns, nothing has gone well for the Monarchs, including last Saturday when Rickey Rahne’s bunch lost a 21 point lead (and the game) to Marshall. QB play is an issue – a game after Grant Wilson tossed three picks, his replacement Jack Shields tossed three of his own. Meanwhile, nothing is going well for Southern Miss, now 0-2 in conference play with losses to Arkansas State and Texas State. Nobody needs a victory more badly in the SBC right now than Will Hall, who’s getting the worst of the Hattiesburg faithful.

Prediction: We’re picking the Golden Eagles, but we could also pick the Monarchs!

IMAGE: Sun Belt Sports