The Sun Belt Conference did well against their FCS opponents, and even kept games a lot closer than they should have. The best teams did what they should have, and that is going to be the most important going into conference play.
James Madison: 20, Liberty: 13
(Courtesy James Madison Athletics)
James Madison will have one of the most dynamic running games in the conference, and on top of a stingy defense, they will make for one of the league’s top contenders.
Quarterback JC Evans only threw for 61 yards, but he ran for 69. A position that had lots of questions for the Dukes was answered pretty quickly by Evans in his first start. His health may be a worry, and he may be out a couple of weeks, where quarterback Camden Coleman will have to step in.
The Dukes defense was dominant last season, and they will be again, only allowing 13 points against the Flames. After an FCS game against Wagner, a West Coast trip to San Diego State will be the next big test.
West Virginia: 31, Coastal Carolina: 24
Coastal Carolina did not win this game, and they were never supposed to. Running back Cam Cook had his way in the first half, and ran for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. It was 24-0 at halftime.
Chanticleer quarterback Deuce Bailey took over the game at halftime, throwing for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns in the game. Bailey saw limited action at Missouri State in 2025, but was able to fill up the box score against a Big 12 Conference opponent. The Chanticleers ended up running out of time, but were able to put a lot of confidence into the rest of the season.
Memphis: 42, Arkansas State: 24
After a close first half, Arkansas State was outmatched by a clearly superior Memphis team. Texas transfer quarterback Trey Owens struggled with 4 interceptions, and the Tigers were efficient offensively all night.
Memphis will be one of the challengers for the Group of 6 playoff spot, but Arkansas State is in a position to challenge for a Sun Belt West Division title. They will need to be much better against conference opponents.
Troy: 24, Sam Houston State: 21
Similar to Arkansas State, Troy had issues with the quarterback position, and offensively all game, but this time they were able to escape with the win. The Trojans have a tough non-conference schedule, and are going to have to figure it out.
The rushing defense for the Trojans was immaculate, one of the best performances in the conference of the week.
Week 2 Preview
App State heads to Greenville, North Carolina for an in-state rivalry matchup with East Carolina. The Mountaineers put up 647 yards in their first game, the most in the Sun Belt, but will now have an opportunity to showcase the running game against one of the American Athletic Conference’s best teams.
Georgia State is also coming off a strong showing against an FCS team, but will now travel to Kennesaw State, which will be tough for a Panthers team that went 0-8 in conference play in 2025.
South Alabama hits the road for a tough game with Tulane, who are coming off a loss to Duke in their first game.
Five teams head into a power conference road game, with Georgia Southern’s matchup with Clemson being the most notable for upset potential.
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