Analysis, Kick Off Times, Broadcast Info and Spreads for Week Eight Sun Belt Action

The Sun Belt enjoyed last week’s Tuesday dust-up between Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State so much that Keith Gill is doing it again – plus setting up a Thursday match. Sip deeply from the Sun Belt Chalice of Pure Excellence, America!

Tuesday, October 17

Southern Miss (1-5) @ South Alabama (3-3), 6:30 PM ESPN 2. -18.5 Jaguars

Southern Miss is at the point of firing a shotgun in the air an seeing what fowl lands at their feet. Seven weeks of football have provided no food for Will Hall, who finds his offense ranked 11th in the Sun Belt and his defense ranked next to last. Is it time to throw some new talent into the huddle? Meanwhile, the Jaguars poured all of their frustration on waxing ULM in Week 6, enjoyed a nice, quiet BYE week, and are salivating at the thought of a magic Carter Bradley-to-Caullin Lacy touchdown orgy on national TV.

Prediction: Announcers are talking about Michigan by the second quarter

Thursday, October 19

James Madison (6-0) @ Marshall (4-2), 6:00 PM ESPN, -3.5 Dukes

James Madison is the best football team in the best Group of Five conference but has yet to be included in the AP Top 25 this year, which is a crime. Nobody believes this more than Georgia Southern (not a bad team in its own right) who looked absolutely baffled by Curt Cignetti’s machinations on both sides of the ball. The Dukes visit Marshall on Thursday, so expect a lot of ESPN announcers reciting numerous We Are Marshall anecdotes while JMU quarterback Jordan McCloud pounds the Thundering Herd into oblivion.

Prediction: Dukes go 7-0, remain unranked

Saturday, October 21

ULM (2-4) @ Georgia Southern (4-2), 1:00 PM ESPN+, -16.5 Eagles

Would Appalachian State and Texas State give the Warhawks a 16.5 point spread? Doubtful! Both of those programs defeated ULM by a grand total of three points. Now Terry Bowden’s Boys get the Eagles, freshly chastised by James Madison and looking to rediscover their high-flying identity. The Warhawks’ JaTerious Evans leads the Sun Belt with 3 picks, including one for a touchdown. Eagles signal calling Davis Brin has thrown more picks (9) than any Sun Belt QB. If ULM can force enough mistakes out of Brin, look for another close Warhawks game.

Prediction: ULM somehow loses by half a point

Appalachian State (3-3) @ Old Dominion (3-3), 6:00 PM NFL Network, -6.5 Mountaineers

The Monarchs are just a weird team, randomly displaying good defense to defeat Sun Belt West programs, but also fielding the nation’s 96th ranked offense to nearly lose to programs like Texas A&M-Commerce. Perhaps equally as weird: the Mountaineers, a team that bears a better-than-solid quarterback in Joey Aguilar, an elite RB in Nate Noel, and only three wins to show for it. Fielding the nation’s 100th ranked defense likely doesn’t help Shawn Clark in Boone, and won’t help him at all in Norfolk.

Prediction: Far fewer than 6.5 points will separate the winner from the loser

Coastal Carolina (3-3) @ Arkansas State (3-3), 6:00 PM ESPN+, -10 Chanticleers

With Coastal on the down slope and the Red Wolves on the up, you couldn’t ask for a more promising Homecoming match than the one in Jonesboro for Week 8. Grayson McCall and the Coastal offense looked, in brief bursts, like the Chants of old last Tuesday against Appalachian State. Will Tim Beck allow McCall to cook against an Arkansas State defense that is healthier than usual after its BYE week? Meanwhile, young A-State quarterback Jaylen Raynor hopes to learn the lessons taught by Troy’s smothering defense to escape the Chants’ capable pass rush.

Prediction: Red Wolves surprise everyone except us

Georgia State (5-1) @ Louisiana (4-2), 7:00 PM ESPNU, -3 Cajuns

Mike Desormeaux and the Ragin Cajuns reminded us that Louisiana isn’t ready to die with a big win over Texas State a couple weeks ago. Well rested after the BYE, quarterback phenom Zeon Chriss tests his growing powers against Darren Grainger, Marcus Carrol and a Georgia State team that also reminded us that they’re not ready to die with a big victory over Marshall. Can the Panthers take the train on the road? Victories don’t come easy in the Cajun dome.

Prediction: Cajuns season the Panthers in chili powder and peppers

PHOTO CREDIT: Sun Belt Sports