The Sun Belt is only halfway through its conference slate, but for some Sun Belt fans, it’s officially basketball season. Georgia State and Texas State enter Week 10 without a conference win. Five more SBC teams have just one victory – Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, South Alabama, ULM and Louisiana. That leaves only half of the Sun Belt with even a slender chance at winning a division.

On the flip side, a handful of teams have already punched their Bowl tickets: James Madison, Troy and Southern Miss are already blocking off days on their calendars, while Old Dominion is one win from joining them at the travel agency. Somewhere in the middle is where the fire burns brightest! Fighting for both bowl eligibility and a divisional title: Arkansas State, Marshall and the before-mentioned ODU. We’re in the shit now, Sun Belt fans!

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.”

Tuesday, October 28

James Madison Dukes (6-1) @ Texas State Bobcats (3-4), 7PM, ESPN2, -6.5 Da Dukes

Texas State hasn’t won a a game since conference play began, falling three straight to Arkansas State, Troy and Marshall – all one score losses, two on the road. Scoring hasn’t been the issue. The Bobcats averaged 39 points during the losing streak, pointing at a defense that cannot deal with fourth quarter pressure. Over in Harrisonburg, it’s business as usual for JMU, riding the conference’s #1 rated rushing offense and run defense to smother hopes of remaining Sun Belt East contenders. However, Lincoln Pare and the the well-rested Bobcats run game will test James Madison, who doesn’t play nearly as well on the road.

RESULT: This should be a fun Tuesday night game for ESPN2 viewers. Until the Bobcats prove they can defend their own territory in the fourth quarter, this one leans Dukes.

Thursday, October 30

Marshall Thundering Herd (4-3) @ Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (4-3), 7PM, ESPN2, 3.5 Herd

A Tuesday and a Thursday night game? Is this even allowed? The astrophysics notwithstanding, this is among the most consequential games this week in the Sun Belt, with the winner remaining in the SBC East hunt and the loser left to focus on bowl eligibility. The Herd is favored in this game thanks to the volcanic emergence of Carols Del Rio-Wilson, the Marshal QB who can throw or run a TD on you, depending on his mood. On the opposite sideline, we had declared the Chanticleers cooked as early as Week 3 when Eastern Carolina shut out Coastal. Credit the Chants’ rise to steady production from running back Samari Collier. But will Collier have room to run against the Herd’s 4th ranked SBC run defense?

RESULT: Coastal’s resiliency has been impressive, but even at home the Chants will struggle to keep Rio-Wilson out of the end zone.

Saturday, November 1

Old Dominion Monarchs (5-3) @ ULM Warhawks (3-5), 2:30PM, ESPN+, -16.5 Monarchs

Not only were the Monarchs just too weird for Appalachian State last week, ODU finally squashed the turnover bug with Colton Joseph giving up just one pick. When Old Dominion protects the ball, the ground combo of QB Joseph and running back Trequan Jones is difficult to overcome, even for the Warhawks’ run defense, rated third best in the Belt. Defense hasn’t been an issue for coach Bryant Vincent and ULM, losers of four straight. During it’s losing streak, the Warhawks offense is only mustering 12.5 points per game – and were twice held to single digits. The scoring won’t come any easier against a well balanced ODU team.

RESULT: Monroe forces you to play ball, but the Warhawks won’t win with just 12 points on the board.

Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (2-6) @ South Alabama Jaguars (2-6), 2:30PM, ESPN+, -4.5 Jaguars

It’s difficult to think of a more disappointing tandem than the the SBC West defending champions Louisiana and talented (on paper) South Alabama. Success depleted the Cajuns roster of the off season, and it shows with Louisiana’s offense, ranked 12th in the Sun Belt. Since putting up 54 on Marshall, the Cajuns have melted in the fourth quarter, scoring only three fourth-quarter points in their last three losses. Meanwhile, South Alabama’s troubles are more difficult to identify, with both its offense and defense rated right down the middle in the conference. Sometimes, coaches say that a team has to “learn how to win.” The Jags could use some lessons.

RESULT: The Jaguar roster appears to have fewer holes than the Cajuns’, which might be enough to notch the team’s second win in a row.

Arkansas State Red Wolves (4-4) @ Troy Trojans (6-2), 7PM, ESPNU, -7.5 Trojans

When Goose Crowder went down with injury, the Trojans appeared headed for another humbling season. However, back-up quarterback Tucker Kilcrease has emerged as one of the conference’s more effective quarterbacks, throwing 8 touchdowns in the team’s four conference victories. Defensively, Coach Gerad Parker’s team has bent but remained unbroken, giving Kilcrease and running back Tae Meadows enough room to work. Arkansas State has also appeared to turn a corner, winning three straight largely on an extended period of defensive competency and bursts of offense executed in the fourth quarter. However, Troy will be the team’s toughest SBC opponent yet.

RESULT: There might not be a team in the Sun Belt playing with greater confidence than Troy

TAKING TIME OFF: Southern Miss, Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State

IMAGE: AI Monstrosity