“November makes champions” is among the 20,000 mantras I live by every day. November will once again determine the fate of the Sun Belt. with both divisions still up for grabs (understanding full well that this statement may illicit a smirk from Rustin).
Five Sun Belt West programs find themselves at 2-2, looking up at 4-0 Louisiana Tech with a bartender’s mix of one-part chagrin and two-parts jealousy. Over in the SBC East, the Dukes were kind enough to lose two straight, elevating 4-4 Georgia Southern into first place and leaving the possibility of a title open to everyone except ODU – my preseason pick to win the entire Sun Belt. November makes champions, but July breeds fools.
Thursday, November 5
James Madison Dukes (7-2) @ Southern Miss Golden Eagles (3-5), 7:00 PM, ESPN2, -14.5 Dukes
That the Dukes are only favored over Southern Miss by a pair of touchdowns-and-change is telling. The Dukes are in a mini-spiral, having been bested in consecutive weeks by Appalachian State and Troy. Now they get a second SBC West opponent in the Golden Eagles, who just won a battle of attrition with ULM and might be discovering their strengths under head coach Blake Anderson. JMU will still be without the services of all-world running back George Pettaway, but the prospect of James Madison losing a third straight game feels awfully unlikely. Also, I guess the Dukes only play mid-week now?
OUTCOME: Dukes score on the opening possession and maintain the lead
Saturday, November 7
Old Dominion Monarchs (2-7) @ Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (3-5), 12:00 PM, ESPN+, -7 Coastal
It hasn’t been a storybook season for either program, but it seems like the Chants are bubbling more towards the positive than ODU, who continue to audition QB replacements for the dinged Quinn Hencile. Meanwhile, head coach Ryan Beard has led Coastal to wins in two of its last three outings behind the magic of young quarterback Deuce Bailey and his hunger for touchdowns. A win over the Monarchs would keep the Chanticleers in the divisional conversation so look for Coach Beard to horse-whisper a winning strategy into his players’ ears.
OUTCOME: Chants continue to crow
Georgia State Panthers (4-4) @ Appalachian State Mountaineers (5-3), 1:30 PM, ESPN+, -5.5 App
It was merely weeks ago with the Panthers were 4-1 and a threat in the SBC East. Three losses later, head coach Dell McGee is struggling to regain the narrative. The Panthers once-stout defense has surrendered 39-points per game during the losing streak, putting pressure on an offense half-functioning with banged-up Cameran Brown on the sideline. In Boone, the Mountaineers Jekyll and Hyde season continues after a loss to rival Georgia Southern. Is Appalachian State back or not? The Mountaineers seals bowl eligibility with a win. But the Panthers are playing to save their season. This game could get ugly, but at least the Appalachian fall foliage should look pretty.
OUTCOME: I have a cheery feeling about these Panthers
ULM Warhawks (1-7) @ Arkansas State Red Wolves (4-4), 2:00 PM, ESPN+, -14.5 Red Wolves
Last year, the Red Wolves opened conference play with a stunning loss to the Warhawks – its first defeat to ULM since 2009. The cursed Warhawks would lose every single game after that until upsetting Troy a couple weeks ago. The Red Wolves haven’t likely forgotten the sting of the defeat, but ULM QB Aiden Armenta returns for the sequel, looking to orchestrate another upset. However, Arkansas State is riding a two game win streak and appears to be offensively humming behind Trey Owens and a cadre of capable wide receivers and running backs. Don’t count on head coach Butch Jones being bamboozled twice.
OUTCOME: Revenge
Marshall Thundering Herd (5-3) @ Georgia Southern Eagles (4-4), 2:30 PM, ESPN+, -10.5 Eagles
Marshall laid the wood on Old Dominion and South Alabama, only for Vegas to make the Herd a double digit dog to the 4-4 Eagles. That said, Georgia Southern can be a supernatural force in Statesboro, and the Eagles’ defense has been downright miserly since conference play began. Can Marshall, who may or may not start quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, generate enough yards to put a sweat on coach Clay Helton’s forehead?
OUTCOME: Eagles fill their chalices with Beautiful Eagle Creek water
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (6-2) @ Troy Trojans (4-4), 3:00 PM, ESPN+, -4.5 LaTech
It’s is Troy’s turn to attempt to answer the weekly-asked question: Can YOU Beat Louisiana Tech? The Bulldog’s offense behind Blake Baker and wide receiver Jalen Mickens is pretty good, but the defense led by sack-happy linebacker Alonzo Jackson Jr. is delivering nightmares to the Sun Belt. The Long John Silver’s quarterback combo platter of Goose Crowder and Tucker Kilcrease is likely to absorb an unreasonable amount of sacks on Saturday, but any team that can saunter out of Harrisonburg with a win cannot be outright discounted.
OUTCOME: I’m discounting Troy
South Alabama Jaguars (4-4) @ Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (5-3), 4:00 PM, ESPN+, -7.5 Cajuns
Much like the Panthers, the Jaguars kinda looked like a team that might threaten its division, pouring out more than enough points to make up for what only the most aspirational of football fans would call a defense. Since outpounding the Red Wolves, South Bama has lost two straight and now get the Cajuns, who recently made the bad mistake of underestimating the Golden Eagles. The loser of this game can pretty much bid adios to any chance at winning the division, so expect both to come out swinging with big bounce-back games from both QBs – the Jags’ Jarred Hollins and Louisiana’s Lunch Winfield
OUTCOME: South Bama regains their mojo
Taking the Week Off
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IMAGE: SUN BELT MEDIA