After more than eight punishing weeks of football, the specter of wisdom has finally darkened our doors; the wheat is separated from the chaff. The Sun Belt now features three 0-3 teams – Georgia State, South Alabama and Texas State, the last of which selected in the preseason by Sun Belt coaches to place second in the SBC West. Additionally, the Sun Belt features three undefeated-in-conference teams – James Madison, Troy and Southern Miss, the last of which finished 1-11 last season. It all makes partial sense!

As it stands, six teams in the Sun Belt have a reasonable shot at winning their respective divisions. Everybody else is clawing for bowl eligibility, including two teams – Jaguars and Panthers – who are just one loss from becoming ineligible. What a time to be alive!

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.”

Thursday, October 23

South Alabama Jaguars (1-6) @ Georgia State Panthers (1-6), 6:30PM, ESPN2, -6.5 USA

South Alabama was picked to finish a humble-yet-respectable fourth in the Sun Belt West in the preseason. On Thursday night, they struggle to maintain slender hopes for bowl eligibility against Georgia State, who happens to be in an equal state of direness. What a gorgeous game for ESPN2 viewers! Both the Panthers and Jaguars endured fourth quarter defensive collapses last week, with Georgia State surrendering 21 to not-hated instate rival Georgia Southern and South Alabama squandering an 11 point lead to Arkansas State. Failure to close escrow has haunted both teams all season, but the good news (relatively speaking) is that one of these teams will win Thursday night.

RESULT: Neither team deserves confidence, but it’s bizarre that a roster with South Alabama’s talent could possibly lose this game.

Saturday, October 25

Appalachian State Mountaineers (4-3) @ Old Dominion Monarchs (4-3), 11:00AM, ESPNU, -13.5 ODU

Just when it seemed that Old Dominion had burst free from mediocrity’s shackles, the Monarchs drop two straight in brutal fashion, tallying eight total turnovers and losing to JMU and Marshall by an average of 30 points. It’s not enough to be weird! You have to be good at football, too. Over in Boone, the Mountaineers are still trying to cope with losing a 14-point second half lead to the suddenly capable Chanticleers. The battle between Appalachian State’s enormous QB JJ Kohl and ODU’s dual threat QB Colton Joseph should entertain the ESPNU audience, and if the Monarchs can put a cork into the turnovers, it should have enough experience to overcome Coach Dowell Danger Zone Loggains in Norfolk.

RESULT: Surely ODU doesn’t give up multiple turnovers for a third straight game. Right?

ULM Warhawks (3-4) @ Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 2:30PM, ESPN+, -11.5 Eagles of Gold

Remember last season when coach Bryant Vincent leaped out to a 5-1 record and it appeared that the Warhawks were back baby? ULM didn’t win a game moving forward. After dunking Arkansas State in the conference opener, ULM seemed a contender again. Three losses later, in which the Warhawks offense has managed only 29 points, one wonders if ULM has near enough steam to break the six wins threshold. It’s Opposite World in Hattiesburg, where the Golden Eagles shine behind Braylon Braxton and the nation’s 54th best passing offense. Can coach Charlie Huff become the first Sun Belt coach in history to win a divisional title in the SBC East and West in consecutive years?

RESULT: Unless the Warhawks suddenly discover the end zone, Southern Miss should roll

Georgia Southern Eagles (3-4) @ Arkansas State Red Wolves (3-4), 6PM ESPN+, -2.5 Wolves of Red

It feels like coach Clay Helton and his Eagles are still jet lagged from its double-California road trip to open the season, but perhaps the program has finally regained its stamina after putting 21 4th quarter points on Georgia State last week. JC French tossed a pair of touchdown passes in that quarter to secure the victory, including one to super-receiver Camden Brown. Now they take the show to Jonesboro, where the Red Wolves are difficult to defeat. The Red Wolves are favored in this game by 2-points, which seems like an orgy of scoring. After all, Arkansas State has won its next two games by a total of two points (why waste points?).

RESULT: Red Wolves rarely lose in Jonesboro these days, and it’s Homecoming

Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (2-5) @ Troy Trojans (5-2), 6PM, ESPN+, -8.5 Trojans

It’s been a disaster year for coach Mike Desormeaux and the Cajuns, picked to finish first in the Sun Belt preseason poll and now on the cusp of fading from the divisional race entirely. A win over the Trojans could right the swamp boat, however. To do so, the Cajuns need more from its 109th ranked total offense, which means QB Lunch Winfield needs to improve on his 112 passing yards/one interception performance in Louisiana’s defeat to Southern Miss. Meanwhile, Troy has won four straight and is feeling confident behind electrically-charged quarterback Tucker Kilcrease, who has tossed seven touchdowns in his last three games.

RESULT: Troy is on the march, and the Cajuns haven’t a wooden horse to offer

TAKING A BREAK: James Madison, Marshall, Texas State and Coastal Carolina

IMAGE: AI monstrosity