Game analysis, broadcast, kick-off times, and odds for every Sun Belt football game

Week 2 is the perfect opportunity to forget all about the failures of Week 1 – a disappointing smorgasbord of blowout losses (Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss, Georgia State), peer conference sputterings (Georgia Southern and Louisiana) and FCS heart palpitations (Troy and South Alabama). After week 1, some of us will be replenishing our booze pantry.

Redemption comes in the form of a second week of football! Let’s dig into the data.

For the entire Sun Belt football season, Sun Belt Heat will be dissected on the FunBelt Podcast each week on the segment “Second and Short.”

Friday, September 5

James Madison Dukes @ Louisville Cardinals, 6PM, ESPN2, +12.5 Dukes

The Dukes and starting QB Alonza Barnett III didn’t have much trouble dispatching their FCS competition, thumping Weber State 45-10. Now the Dukes receive a sterner test by visiting the Cardinals in Louisville, who pounded Eastern Kentucky 54-17. JMU’s run game delivered more than 300 yards and four touchdowns, and that will be helpful against the Cardinals, who held Eastern Kentucky to just 79 yards on 39 attempts. But what Jimmy Mads needs most is a sharper Barnett, understandably rusty after recovering from injury, who completed 14/22 passes for 130 yards.

RESULT: James Madison authors the Federal Papers and a Victory

Saturday, September 6

Troy Trojans @ #8 Clemson Tigers, 2:30PM, ACC Network, +33.5

The Clemson Tigers are a classic example why releasing an AP Top 25 before October is a sham. Upon losing at home to LSU this weekend, voters still kept the Tigers tucked into the Top 10, illustrating how brand names must fail again and again to exit the Top 25 while the rest of us must endure the Labors of Hercules for an ounce of recognition. Anyway, the Trojans’ Goose Crowder rebounded from a lackluster first half against McNeese by throwing a trio of TD passes, while running back Tae Meadows chalked up a Week 1 high 186 yards on the ground. They’ll need similar production to break that Clemson defense.

RESULT: Add Trojans bones to the Death Valley graveyard

Lindenwood Lions @ Appalachian State Mountaineers, 2:30PM, ESPN+, NO ODDS GIVEN

All the questions about new head coach Dowell Loggains and his reimagined Mountaineers were answered by a Week 1, 34-11 thumping of Charlotte. Quarterback AJ Swann’s performance (368 yards, 3 touchdowns) earned him SBC Player of the Week honors while the App State defense held the 49ers to just 76 yards on the ground. I don’t know anything about the Lions except that they are already 0-1.

RESULT: Mountaineers bask in the glow of a 2-0 start

Texas State Bobcats @ UTSA Roadrunners, 2:30PM, ESPN+, +4.5 Bobcats

Texas State looked pretty powerful against Eastern Michigan on Saturday, running away in the second half 52-27 behind four touchdown passes from Brad Jackson and 167 yards rushing from Lincoln Pare. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners endured a 42-24 grinding from Texas A&M, despite UTSA getting 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns from dashing running back Robert Henry Jr. Do the Bobcats have enough up front to slam the brakes on Henry? Texas State’s run defense performed fine Saturday.

RESULT: Bobcats claw out a win

Arkansas State Red Wolves @ Arkansas Razorbacks, 4:00PM, ESPN+/SEC Network, +23.5 Red Wolves

For the first time ever, the Red Wolves and Razorbacks will meet on a gridiron to settle their grievances. Set at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, both team come off Week One wins over FCS opponents fueled excellent performances from both quarterbacks (Jaylen Raynor and Taylen Green, respectively). Arkansas will bring SEC speed and size to the table, but don’t expect the Red Wolves to be intimidated by the moment. Fans have waited a long time for this game to come to fruition. Look for Arkansas State to play with an edge. You can read my preview here.

RESULT: There Will Be Blood

Jackson State Tigers @ Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 4:00PM, ESPN+, NO ODDS GIVEN

The Tigers are 1-0 after notching a win against Hampton. On the other side of the gridiron, the Golden Eagles are shaking off a second-half collapse against in-state rival Mississippi State. New Southern Miss head coach Charlie Huff brought a sizable chunk of his conference winning Marshall team to Hattiesburg, including SBC Preseason Player of the Year Braylon Braxton, who tossed a pair of TDs (and a pick) on Saturday. But has this team turned a corner from last year’s 1-11 season? The sledding should come easier against the Tigers, though Jackson State is historically a tough FCS test.

RESULT: Boing! Southern Miss gets a bounce back

Missouri State Bears @ Marshall Thundering Herd, 5:00PM, ESPN+, -10.5 Thundering Herd

Missouri State was welcomed rudely to the FBS by USC, who crunched the bears 73-13. The Thundering Herd experienced similar disrespect at the hands of Georgia, who clobbered Marshall 45-7. New head coach Tony Gibson likely wasn’t wild about debuting his new team against a Top 5 program, but life isn’t always accommodating. Hosting the Bears should tell us more about the competence of the Thundering Herd, who needs to see a lot more from its defense and its starting QBs JacQai Long and Zion Turner.

RESULT: Herd feels it a home

North Carolina Central Eagles @ ODU Monarchs, 5:00PM, ESPN+, NO ODDS GIVEN

The Eagles are a creature of Week 0, already bearing the experience of two games played (1-1). Meanwhile, the Monarchs played a competent game against Playoffs veteran Indiana, getting a pair of rush touchdowns from quarterback Colton Joesph. What contributed heavy to the loss against the Hoosiers was three picks from Joseph, who didn’t even break 100 yards passing. Look for Joseph and ODU to find more rhythm against NCC.

RESULT: Monarchs crown themselves king

Memphis Tigers @ Georgia State Panthers, 6:00PM, ESPN+, +13.5 Panthers

Dell McGee and his Panthers got derailed by Ole Miss on Saturday, mustering only one score in a crushing 63-7 loss. Meanwhile, the Tigers got a business win over Chattanooga 45-10 courtesy of four rushing touchdowns from four different runners. Can the Panthers put a cork in Memphis’ running attack? Perhaps the Tigers should worry about their own run defense – Georgia State put up 191 ground yards in Oxford for a lonely bright spot on the day.

RESULT: Monarchs crown themselves king

Tulane Green Wave @ South Alabama Jaguars, 6:00PM, ESPN+, +10.5 Jaguars

South Alabama welcomes former Troy head coach Jon Sumrall back to the Sun Belt, if only for the evening. The Jaguars took their time warming up for its opener with Morgan State, eventually closing out the Bears with a 38-21 win. Tulane had an easier time with its Big 10 opponent, crunching Northwestern in Chicago behind a balanced attack from QB Jake Retzlaff. Look for Jag running back Kevin Bullock to continue his good work, while starting quarterback Bishop Davenport builds on a 12/14, two TD performance against Morgan State.

RESULT: Jaguars do what they usually do – surprise us all

Georgia Southern Eagles @ USC Trojans, 6:30PM, FS1, +28.5 Eagles

For the first half against Fresno State last week, the Eagles looked like a competent and dangerous football team. The second half was a disaster, as Fresno rolled to a 42-14 victory by running over the Eagles on 350 yards rushing. Georgia Southern should put up more of a fight against the Trojans than did Missouri State, but after the game in Fresno, it’s difficult to determine just how game-ready these Eagles truly are.

RESULT: USC might goad Clay Helton into returning to the triple option

Charleston Southern Buccaneers @ Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 6:30PM, ESPN+, NO ODDS GIVEN

The Bucs lost 45-3 last week to Vanderbilt, and they probably won’t fare much better against Coastal Carolina, despite the Chants getting crotch-kicked 48-7 by Virginia on Saturday. Against Charleston Southern, the Chanticleers need to see something from just about everybody, especially from its run game, which didn’t break 100 yards against the Cavaliers.

RESULT: The Sun Belt doesn’t lose to the FCS

ULM Warhawks @ #21 Alabama Crimson Tide, 6:45PM, SEC Network, +36.5 Warhawks

Did you know ULM once upset a Nick Saban led Alabama team? Nick can’t save the Crimson Tide anymore, if you trust the word of Florida State. The Warhawks are coming off a 29-0 shutout of Saint Francis, where they enjoyed an opportunity to identify problem areas and tune-up their strengths – among the latter a defense that chalked up three sacks and allowed a mere 50 yards passing. The question is, does head coach Bryant Vincent get a Crimson Tide racked by self doubt? Or one that is boiling for bloody revenge?

RESULT: We likely won’t see another ULM upset in Week 2, 2025

McNeese Cowboys @ Louisiana Ragin Cajuns, 7:00PM, ESPN+, NO ODDS GIVEN

The Cowboys put up more than 50 points on Louisiana College on Saturday, while the Cajuns couldn’t score more than 12 on Rice at newly refurbished Cajun Field. It was quite a blow to the defending Sun Belt West champion and preseason favorite. Staring QB Walker Howard was only 10/22 for 88 yards against the Rice defense, and the run game put of a ho-hum 150 yards. Is McNeese the right medicine to cure the Cajun’s indigestion?

RESULT: Cajuns make the win look difficult

IMAGE: AI Monstrosity