The timing of James Madison’s intentions to drop to The American wasn’t great. This was supposed to the season the Sun Belt dined out on placing a program in the College Football Playoffs. Instead, we’re enduring another example of how success is too often to the detriment to the SBC, whose members use victory as a springboard to pastures perceived as greener. Instead of basking in the glow afforded by the CFP spotlight, Commissioner Keith Gill will spend the autumn fielding questions about JMU’s departure and possible replacements. It’s a bummer.
Meanwhile, the Sun Belt bears a surprise leader out of the gate: South Alabama. Who needs defense? The Jaguars are overpowering SBC opponents with 50+ point outbursts while surrendering 42. Is such an imbalance sustainable? Probably not, at least in a reasonable world, but SBC Entropy chooses its master.
Thursday, October 15
Georgia Southern Eagles (2-4) @ Old Dominion Monarchs (2-4), 6:30 PM, ESPN2, -3.5 Eagles
James Madison crushed ODU. Georgia Southern nearly defeated the Dukes. Hence, the 3.5 edge for the Eagles. However, we should all remember that playing at ODU is no picnic, and Ricky Rahne’s guys are coming off a gritty victory over Appalachian State and the mud. That said, Georgia Southern’s Max Johnson was better-than-solid against JMU’s tough defense, throwing for 343 yards and three touchdowns. ODU’s soft defense should feel like an afternoon constitutional by comparison.
OUTCOME: Eagles soar behind Johnson
Friday, October 16
Appalachian State Mountaineers (3-2) @ Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (2-4), 7:00 PM, ESPN2, -1.5 Mountaineers
Suddenly, Vegas has a tentative belief in the Chants, who just deepened Thundering Herd dismay following a 27-21 victory in Huntington. Coastal RB Dominic Lee-Knicely enjoyed a breakout game, clocking 169 yards and a touchdown. Now they get a sore Mountaineers team rudely dropped back to earth after losing to ODU in Boone and punting a dent into their “App State is Back!” campaign. Mountaineers QB Malachi Singleton completed just five passes out of 23 attempts in the loss, with the weather likely playing a role. Look for Singleton to enjoy Conway’s climate.
OUTCOME: Mountaineers bounce back
Saturday, October 17
Georgia State Panthers (4-1) @ James Madison Dukes (6-0), 11:00 AM, ESPNU, -12.5 Dukes
Who could have predicted that the premier Sun Belt East showdown would between the Dukes and…the Panthers? Yes! Head coach Dell McGee has his QB in Cameran Brown, who’s thrown for 12 touchdowns, 1,157 yards and leads an offense that’s putting up 40 points per contest. The Dukes are no peasants, even with a QB situation that is unorthodox to say the least. Against Georgia Southern, Camden Coleman received the majority of the snaps while JC Evans threw two passes – both completions for touchdowns. Whatever works!
OUTCOME: Panthers continue to be fatally underestimated
Troy Trojans (3-2) @ Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (4-2), 4:00 PM, ESPN+, -4.5 Cajuns
The SBC West is still here, folks. The outcome of Troy vs. Louisiana could have deep ramifications come end of season, with both teams legit contenders for the divisional crown. We haven’t seen Troy since October 6, when Goose Crowder became Michael Vick in a destruction of Southern Miss. Head coach Gerad Parker will be bringing that energy to Lafayette, where Lunch Winfield will hope to recover from the two picks he threw in a rivalry loss to Louisiana Tech. The difference here should be the Cajun defense, which isn’t nearly as soft as the Golden Eagles’.
OUTCOME: Cajuns ground the Goose
Arkansas State Red Wolves (2-4) @ Southern Miss Golden Eagles (1-4), 6:00 PM, ESPN+, -7 Red Wolves
Arkansas State has lost two consecutive one-score games and finds itself in a very deep hole in conference play. The Golden Eagles, led by former Red Wolves head coach Blake Anderson, are mostly playing for positives in a rebuild season. Still, the Golden Eagles showed some pluck against Troy, who piled up 34 points after being down 17-0 in the first quarter. Southern Miss isn’t here to tailgate. Meanwhile, the offensive explosion that Arkansas State showed South Alabama was encouraging, but the Jags exposed a great many weaknesses in the defense that head coach Butch Jones will have to hustle to fix.
OUTCOME: Red Wolves have enough on both ends to win
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (3-2) @ ULM Warhaws (0-5), 7:00 PM, ESPN+, -15.5 Bulldogs
Bulldogs accept its second in-state challenge in two weeks by bussing to Monroe for a date with Warhawks. Louisiana Tech piled up 19 points in the fourth quarter to dispatch the Cajuns 32-31 in Rustin thanks in large part to four total touchdowns from quarterback Blake Baker. These Bulldogs mean business! Not meaning business: the Warhawks, last seen on October 3 getting boat-raced by South Alabama’s merciless offense. However, ULM did managed to put up 35 points in Mobile, displaying a level of sand that likely game head coach Bryan Vincent some measure of hope.
OUTCOME: Warhawks, 0-6
Taking the Week Off
South Alabama, Marshall
IMAGE: Sun Belt Media