What to Expect:

• Sun Belt Conference Season Win Totals
• Sun Belt Conference Champion

A clear 61-degree high-desert morning here in the valley. The coffee to my right, the fuzzy beast to my left, a flock of ducks whistling their wings overhead as they fly SW towards “Grandpas Pond,” and this typing machine resting on my lap as I sit on a padded wooden chair in the garden. A serene setting amongst the oasis of Lilac and white and pink Hibiscus bushes. A honeybee lands on an eggshell petal and tickles the stigma of a budding flower. A squirrel bounds limb to limb. The Fuzzy keeps careful watch. I’m grateful for life, the passion in my veins, and the air in my lungs. Spes et fides

With that–let’s take a peek at the upcoming Sun Belt Conference.

If I know anything, and I’m not saying I do–the following is an exact script for the Sun Belt Conference. That is--If I know anything, and again, I’m not saying I do.

Sun Belt West:

• Arkansas St Wins: Southeast Missouri St, Kennesaw St, LA Monroe, Troy, Louisiana
  • Losses: Arkansas, Iowa St, GA Southern, App St, Southern Miss, Texas St, S. Alabama
  • 5-7 Under 5.5 Season Wins
• Louisiana Wins: Rice, McNeese St, Eastern MI, Southern Miss, Troy, S. Alabama, Texas St, LA Monroe, Marshall
  • Losses: Arkansas St, Mizzou, James Madison
  • 9-3 Over 7.5 Season Wins
• Louisiana Monroe Wins: St. Francis, Troy
  • Losses: Louisiana, Texas St, S. Alabama, Old Dominion, Southern Miss, Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, AR St, UTEP, Alabama
  • 2-10 Under 4.5 Season Wins
• South Alabama Wins: Morgan St, Troy, AR St, LA Monroe, Southern Miss, Texas St
  • Losses: Tulane, Auburn, North Texas, GA St, Louisiana, Coastal
  • 6-6 Under 6.5 Season Wins
• Southern Miss Wins: MS St, Jackson St, App St, Jacksonville St, GA Southern, LA Monroe, AR St, Texas St, Troy
  • Losses: LA Tech, Louisiana, S. Alabama
  • 9-3 Over 5.5 Season Wins
• Texas St Wins: Eastern MI, Nicholls St, AR St, Troy, LA Monroe, Marshall
  • Losses: S. Alabama, Southern Miss, Louisiana, James Madison, Arizona St, UTSA
  • 6-6 Under 7.5 Season Wins
• Troy Win: Nicholls St
  • 1-11 Under 5.5

Sun Belt East

• Appalachian St Wins: Charlotte, Lindenwood, Old Dominion, James Madison, Marshall, AR St
  • Losses: Southern Miss, Boise St, Oregon St, GA St, Coastal, GA Southern
  • 6-6 Over 5.5 Wins
• Coastal Carolina Wins: Virgina, Charlston Southern, ECU, S. Alabama, LA Monroe, App St, Marshall, GA St, James Madison
  • Losses: ODU, GA Southern, South Carolina
  • 9-3 Over 5.5 Season Wins
• Georgia Southern Wins: App St, GA St, Jax St, Maine, AR St, Coastal, Marshall
  • Losses: Fresno St, USC, James Madison, Southern Miss, ODU
  • 7-5 Under 7.5 Season Wins
• Georgia St Wins: Murray St, James Madison, App St, S. Alabama, Marshall, Troy
  • Losses: Ole Miss, Memphis, Vandy, GA Southern, Coastal, ODU
  • 6-6 Over 3.5 Season Wins
• James Madison Wins: Weber St, Texas St, GA Southern, Marshall, Louisiana
  • Losses: Louisville, Liberty, GA St, ODU, App St, Wash St, Coastal
  • 5-7 Under 8.5 Season Wins
• Marshall Wins: Mizzou, EKU, MTSU, ODU
  • Losses: Georgia, Louisiana, Coastal, JMU, GA St, App St, GA Southern, Texas St
  • 4-8 Under 5.5 Season Wins
• Old Dominion Wins: NC Central, Liberty, JMU, GA Southern, GA St, Coastal, LA Monroe, Troy
  • Losses: Indiana, VA Tech, Marshall, App St
  • 8-4 Over 5.5 Season Wins

The Sun Belt West features two 9-3 records both with 2 conference losses. Louisiana has the H2H win over Southern Miss so Ragin’ Cajun will play for the Sun Belt Championship.

The Sun Belt East is led in wins by Coastal Carolina (9-3) followed by 8-4 Old Dominion. Both teams have (2) conference losses, with ODU losing to Marshall and App St, and Coastal losing to GA Southern and ODU. By my estimation, the H2H win in Week 6 over Coastal would give the Monarchs the edge to make the Conference championship game.

Sun Belt Championship Game: (8-4) Old Dominion vs (9-3) Louisiana

Sun Belt Champion: Louisiana

This is going to be a roller coaster ride of a conference this season. Parity abounds and nearly every team should feel like they have at least a punter’s chance as the season kicks off. I expect that a reflection of this will be 3 to 5 point spreads for conference games and plenty of exciting fourth quarters.

At least, at 7:44 on this gloriously ambient morning at 4450 ft above sea level. The Fuzzy is now frustrated and grumbling about the sleuthy squirrel that had the audacity to use the fence line as a road…inside we go. Football season is less than 7 weeks away. 47 days from Dublin.

Find the humor and keep on movin’

Whit W.