And just like that, two weeks of the college football season are already history.
Most teams are gearing up for their final week of non-conference action, while others are already slated to start their Sun Belt campaigns.
We’ll take glance at some of the bigger stories in the conference and see what’s on the not-so-distant horizon for the full swing of Sun Belt Conference competition.
The Beasts are in the East:
Four of the five remaining undefeated teams in the Sun Belt reside in the East Division, with the lone 2-0 team in the west being ULM. Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Marshall and James Madison all boast the still-untarnished 2-0 record at this point, but 1-1 Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State are still contenders in the division.
Coastal’s one loss came against California at the start of the season. While Cal took over in the second half of the game, Coastal Carolina made the game competitive for over 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, App State’s lone loss was its second heartbreaking defeat in as many years to North Carolina. This year’s contest ended in second overtime, favoring No. 17 UNC.
Realistically, I see four true contenders for the Sun Belt coming from the east. Had James Madison’s reclassification waiver been approved, the Monarchs would be in that conversation too.
There’s Trouble Down in Cajun Country:
Louisiana Lafayette. ULL. Oh-La-La. Whatever you call the other Louisiana-based Sun Belt team, the Ragin’ Cajuns are off to a lackluster start. Against Football Championship Subdivision Northwestern State, they stalled out early before showing up late for a week one win. Over the weekend, the Cajun’s defense surrendered four passing touchdowns to Old Dominion, splitting their record at 1-1. After a loss against a team expected to finish last in the east, the Cajuns have every right to be Ragin’.
Texas State is Better Than Expected, But Not a Contender:
We’ve all heard the news about the college football sweethearts of week one, defeating an uninspired, yet heavily favored Baylor football program. That same Texas State team is back to reality after a road loss to UTSA.
TJ Finley might be the much-needed improvement at quarterback the Bobcats have sought, but being sacked six times in a game will ruin even the most productive days.
The questionable offensive line play also limited the Bobcats to a measly 31 yards rushing.
The Unpredictable West:
The West Division is tough to gauge for reasons different than the east. Troy took the conference title last season, a defense that clogged up almost every offense it faced. This season, Troy has already allowed as many 30-point games as it did all last season, one coming against FCS Stephen F. Austin.
Meanwhile the West Division runner-up South Alabama features more returning key players but hasn’t had an opponent for me to fairly judge their full potential at this point in the season.
Sprinkled into the mix is a sneaky-solid Southern Miss team that has a shot at another bowl appearance and potentially a date to this year’s SBC Championship.
ULM’s Undefeated, But Don’t Look Too Far Ahead:
If you’ve been around ULM football for a few seasons, then you’ll understand why a 2-0 start is a big deal. On the same note, you’ll also understand the difference between the start of this season and the past few — there are no Power Five opponents this early. But there are two on the schedule, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. ULM’s shown potential to avoid the basement-dwelling preseason predictions, but there is still plenty of room in mediocrity before reaching the bowl game conversation.
