Three Things We Learned About The Sun Belt In Week 10
The tenth week of the Sun Belt saw a gambit of action all over. Among the action is the fact that IDAHO IS ONE WIN AWAY FROM BOWL ELIGIBILITY!!! The Vandals went to Lafayette and got a defensive 23-13 win over the Cajuns to move to 5-4. If Idaho wins at Texas State, surely they’re a lock for the Arizona Bowl, right?
Well cover that if it happens. There were other results from around the league and we’ll start with one where we just have to sigh.
South Alabama Dun Goofed
THE CONSEQUENCES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME JAGUARS!
It looked like South Alabama was going to escape Monroe with a victory after Chris Henderson got an interception and returned it to the ULM 33 with 50 seconds left tied 35-35. Alas, the 50-yard attempt was blocked and it went to overtime where the Warhawks got a touchdown and the Jaguars imploded, with Dallas Davis getting sacked on fourth down and USA losing a game they shouldn’t have.
The loss puts the Jaguars at 4-5 overall. Bowl eligibility is still possible, but it will have to come from beating Idaho and New Mexico State as the game with FCS Presbyterian as of now doesn’t count due to it being a second FCS game. That could change due to the circumstances surrounding it and the SEC’s inability to communicate properly.
Still, South Alabama should be bowl eligible without this. They should have beat ULM, they should have beaten Troy, etc. The team that beat both Mississippi State and San Diego State should be bowling this December.
Georgia Southern Out-Smarted Themselves Out Of An Upset
After a tumultuous week changing play callers and examining what happened, Georgia Southern went into Oxford and shocked everyone by taking an early 21-10 lead. Ole Miss had scored, but the Eagles responded with a 68-yard run by Matt Brieds to re-extend their lead.
Then, with an 11-point lead early in the second quarter, the Eagles got cute and called for an onside kick. It was recovered by the Rebels and five plays later, cut the deficit to 21-17. The next two GS drives ended in punts and the next two Ole Miss drives ended in touchdowns to make it 31-21. The Eagles didn’t again find the end zone in a 37-27 defeat.
Was the onside kick necessary? If you think the Rebels were going to score anyway, then maybe so. But to take the momentum and throw it in the air like that? Give your defense a chance Southern.
All Roads Lead To Troy
Like how a thousand ships of Greece sailed for Troy, the ASU Empires of East and West will each journey to the city for huge Sun Belt clashes that will determine the league title.
This weekend has the first such game as App State will face the Trojans. The game right now is almost a pick’em on betting lines and picking a winner will be tough. Regardless of the result, the next test comes just five days later as Arkansas State visits Troy.
Last year, App State went to triple OT before defeating Troy on Halloween before turning around and facing Arkansas State at home five days later and losing what turned out to be the Sun Belt title decider. Now we have almost a mirror image with Troy playing App State this season, both as the home team and the new league favorite.