A blow to the Sun Belt Conference: Middle Tennessee headed to C-USA

College football re-alignment may have found its way to Sun Belt Avenue once again. There is possible word that the Sun Belt Conference may be taking some more big hits, as they sit still and watch it all unfold in this business of college conference re-alignment.

                                                                                                                                                                               

On yesterday C-USA took another blow when Tulane and East Carolina decided to leave together for the changing Big East Conference.  So that caused another wave of conference shuffling. And this is no joke but reality. My question in all this is what is the Sun Belt Conference doing to do to survive and fight back. Or are they doing anything? We have not heard anything from the Sun Belt on any front, but in this regards the same old news headliner comments over and over again. It’s time for some action and details.

Rumors are out today that Middle Tennessee State is possibly headed to Conference USA. We will wait to see if this unfolds exactly how it sounds. There is no doubt that C-USA will be looking to replace their two lost members.

Conference USA is doing it to the Sun Belt Conference once again, just like they did it to the WAC. And now the Sun Belt has to go out and scramble to find schools that are willing to come in now and that are capable of being in the FBS.

Word is also that Western Kentucky may follow suit, but their TV market may hold them back. It is word out today that their soccer program is moving to the Pac-12, Oh REALLY? What is going on with the Sun Belt?

There are some potential candidates to bring into the Sun Belt Conference immediately, and the Sun Belt Conference and its board should hold a special called tele-conference meeting to discuss extending a conference invitation to the following schools. These schools may be waiting for an invitation, Georgia Southern, New Mexico State, Lamar, Jacksonville State, and Liberty. However Appalachian State made it known they are ready, but the question is will they now get invited to Conference USA as they have lost East Carolina in that region.

When all is said and done, it is better that the Sun Belt Conference act now than later. Sitting back and watching it unfold is not the brightest idea. If the Sun Belt Conference would like to stay a step ahead of Confernce USA they will need to go out and recruit and extend that hand that they continue to hold together and show love to those who wants to be loved. So all programs can begin to build and continue the great work the Sun Belt has started.

Middle Tennessee is another program that can leave without an exit fee to the conference. The Sun Belt Conference just lets other conference have their way with our conference.  SHAME!

Good Bye MIDDLE TENNESSEE! 

Sun Belt Conference Needs To Act Sooner Rather Than Later on Conference Expansion

Sun Belt Conference should add two-four more programs in 2013

College football re-alignment is hitting the non-AQ conferences again, more conference shake ups is happening and will happen in the near future.

On this week sever schools have re-aligned with new conferences from the Big East to the ACC and now two more schools have left the Conference USA for the Big East. With all this shuffling in the conference arena, the question that is on my mind is “What is the Sun Belt Conference going to do?”

Conference USA just raided the WAC and took two programs from the Sun Belt Conference this season for 2013. And the Sun Belt replaced them with two programs Texas State and Georgia State. However it is a known fact that C-USA wants to be a super conference with at least 14 teams and high as 16 teams or more.  And now that they have lost Tulane and East Carolina to the Big East beginning in 2014, their commissioner have made it known they have more options to choose from. Sorry to say those options may be the Sun Belt Conference.

Conference USA may be headed back to the Sun Belt to get two more programs or they may go out and get two more great FCS programs that the Sun Belt has failed to add sooner rather than later in Georgia Southern and Appalachian State.  C-USA also has Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and UL-Lafayette on their radar. And don’t forget New Mexico State is sitting out there still an established FBS program.

So why would the Sun Belt Conference sit back and enjoy the shuffling and snatching of Sun Belt Conference teams to C-USA?  No doubt they will be looking to rob the Sun Belt Conference once again.  Commissioner Karl Benson the new conference commissioner stated several times that he want the SBC to stay a step ahead of C-USA. So does he really mean that or is it just talk?

The Sun Belt Conference has a chance to be that great powerful non-AQ conference out of the new group of five. Adding two great programs to get to the solid 12 for a conference championship game would be great for the Sun Belt Conference moving forward, especially with the new playoff system coming into effect in 2014. This would help the conference in its chances at that big bowl game and playoff and also generate more revenue for the conference and its teams.  What are the SBC offering its members to stay or come aboard?

Will the Commissioner continue to talk the talk and those that sit on the board continue to sit at the board table along with Commissioner Karl Benson and watch or will they act and get the job done before it’s too late?

Why wouldn’t the Sun Belt Conference aggressively seek to add Southern Miss and UAB, and why would they not add Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, or Lamar in Texas?

In all of this conference re-alignment talk, there is one more big eye catcher that continues to bother me, and that is the Sun Belt Conference has no exit fee in place for those programs that desire to leave. It makes it so easy for other conferences like C-USA to come in and offer so many sweet deals and greener paths to our members because it cost them anything to leave the Sun Belt, so we just get robbed. That should be changed immediately.

But this is decision making season in the offseason of college football, now that we all know what is going on and what can happen in the near future. Our commissioner and board presidents need to make a decision quickly on our next step for the Sun Belt Conference. Are we going to really stay a step ahead of the C-USA or we going to continue to get robbed and lose programs to C-USA and make them better, and watch other conferences grow? I rather see our leaders act now and preserve our conference and make it the top of the non-AQ conferences as they have been doing. Adding two more programs or four would not hurt, but I believe would help the conference in all aspects.

If the best of the FCS get added by other conferences and the SBC lose two more programs to C-USA, then who will be left to lift us back up and help us get to where we want to be. Last minute deals are not always the best deals. We don't need a repeat of the WAC in the Sun Belt Conference. 

What would you like to see happen and who would you like the conference to add as members? 

The best of the best brought home wins on Saturday as Sun Belt Conference Football comes to an end for 2012

What a season for the Sun Belt Conference? 

With the 2012 College Football Season coming to an end for the Sun Belt Conference and only one week left to go, many of the Sun Belt teams did what they needed to do to capture bowls invitations this post season.  For two teams they will be departing the SBC for C-USA, they played their last SBC games on Saturday.

There is one more week left for SBC football, with the biggest SBC game being in Jonesboro, Arkansas at Arkansas State against Middle Tennessee for the conference title. Arkansas State switch coaches after capturing the conference title last season, and brought in former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn as their head coach, and certainly he has proven that he can be a head coach. Arkansas State is in the running for the SBC Championship once again for the second time in a row. WOW!  Middle Tennessee made a surprise turn around to rise to the top of the conference and they are also in the hunt for the SBC title.  The title game will be held at 2:00pm in Jonesboro, AR this will be a game worth watching and attending. Both teams are sitting at 8-3 for the season and both have a well qualified bowl berth.

When I look back over this season I look at it as the best season ever for the Sun Belt Conference. I also believe that the Sun Belt has proven to be a very competitive non-AQ conference. Several teams have defeated BCS conference teams and two of them in the number one conference in college football.

I give that credit to UL-Monroe, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.

I want to especially congratulate UL-Monroe Warhawks and Head Coach Todd Berry for what they have done with the program in Monroe, LA. WOW, the staff and players have really come together to turn this program around and turn it into a winning program. The Warhawks are at their best record since being in the FBS.  They should also get a bowl invitation in this post season. They defeated then No.6 Arkansas in their first game of the season, and the second week they nearly defeated their second SEC team at Auburn in overtime. Not only did they give the SEC teams a run for their money but they gave Baylor of the Big 12 a run for their money as well in Monroe, LA.  ULM is my most improved team in the Sun Belt Conference in 2012.

Western Kentucky has maintain a second straight season of a winning program. They ended their 2012 season on Saturday with a 1-point victory over North Texas defeating the Mean Green 25-24 to improve their record to 7-5 for the 2012 season. I have to give it to coach Willie Taggert for keeping a positive team that he improved since arriving in Bowling Green, KY. For the second straight season they have reach a bowl berth. However, last season they was not invited to a bowl, which they should have. This season may be different as I hope and think they will be in a bowl game this post season.  

South Alabama is the newest team to the SBC conference in 2012. And they have proven that they are ready for the big boy game, having played 12 games thus far and winning (2) of those games. They didn’t produce the record they desired, but they put forth the efforts in every angle. They played a great game at Mississippi State and stayed within the spread. They also traveled to NC State for the second time in a row. Now that they have gotten their feet super wet, the real ball begins in this offseason in recruiting and practicing for what is to come in 2013. Before they go into the offseason, they will travel to Hawaii for their 13^th game, which they say they are treating as their bowl game. With the performance of Hawaii this season, South Alabama Jaguars may be able to produce a win in Hawaii over a Mountain West Conference team before it’s all over. I want to give credit to QB Ross Metheny the Virginia transfer that came in and took over the starting QB job for the JAGS, he really did a great job this season. Also I give credit to C.J. Bennett for bringing the team to this level of play. I also want to credit to Jake Johnson a NFL prospect and B.J. Scott for a great job they have done for the Jaguars.

Florida Atlantic has done a great job under their new head coach Carl Pelini. The Owls have produced three wins this season. They captured 2 conference wins this season, it shows improvement. The OWLS also took Sun Belt Conference new member South Alabama into overtime, before losing that close game. Next season I think they will be more competitive under Carl Pelini and his staff.

Troy improved their season, but not enough to get back to the top of the Sun Belt and reach that bowl berth.  The Trojans lost a close game to Middle Tennessee on Saturday to get that bowl berth. The Trojans are sitting at 5-7 for the 2012 season.  Troy also played great games against Mississippi State and Tennessee, nearly defeating both. When Navy came to town, the Trojans showed no mercy has they defeated Navy 41-31 to inch closer to a bowl berth.

Let us not forget that the Blue Raiders went to Atlanta and defeated ACC - Georgia Tech with a commanding turndown. WOW!

UL-Lafayette also did it once again. They got that bowl berth and continuing to produce and maintain a winning program. I do expect this team that head coach Mark Hudspeth and staff has put together to rise to the top of the Sun Belt Conference. They turn away South Alabama to get that bowl invitation on last night from R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl scheduled for Dec. 22, 2012. WOW! 

North Texas & Florida International is off to the C-USA now that their era in the Sun Belt Conference is over as of Saturday. Both teams were defeated and were sent away with losing seasons. Florida International was the team to beat in the pre-season with projections nationwide to win the conference title before they depart. Other teams in the Sun Belt Conference showed them otherwise. North Texas also was looking to improve and get to a bowl berth this season before exiting the Sun Belt Conference but those hopes faded quickly.

Here is a quick look at the scores on Saturday:

South Alabama   - 30

@ UL-Lafayette    - 52

North Texas  - 24

@ Western Kentucky - 25

Troy  - 21

@ Middle Tennessee - 24

UL-Monroe – 23

@ FIU – 17 (FINAL OT)

Next Saturday will be the final week of SBC football and the conference title game in Jonesboro, AR. Here is a look at this week schedule as the season comes to a close.

South Alabama

@ Hawaii

UL-Lafayette

@ Florida Atlantic

Middle Tennessee

@ Arkansas State (Conference Title GAME)  2:00pm

UL-Lafayette invited to the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl again

The Ragin Cajuns is on their way once again to the 

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

UL-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns 

With Saturday’s win over South Alabama at Cajun Field, the Ragin’ Cajuns football team locked up a winning mark for the second straight season.

During the postgame celebration, the team picked up its second straight trip to New Orleans for a postseason bowl game.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (7-4, 5-2 Sun Belt) were extended an invitation for a repeat trip to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, by Jay Cicero, the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Commission moments after the final horn sounded in the 52-30 win over South Alabama on Senior Day.

“Coach Hudspeth, Dr. Savoie and members of the Ragin’ Cajuns football team, on behalf of the Greater New Orleans Sports Commission and the New Orleans Bowl committee, I would like to formally invite you to participate in the 2012 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl,” Cicero said.

Louisiana president Dr. Joseph Savoie, Director of Athletics Scott Farmer and head coach Mark Hudspeth accepted the New Orleans Bowl’s invitation, signaling the first ever back-to-back bowl bids in school history.

Louisiana is now officially set to return to the site of the program’s first bowl appearance in the modern era where the Ragin’ Cajuns upended San Diego State 32-30 on a Brett Baer 50-yard field goal as time expired on Dec. 17, 2011 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

“I couldn’t be happier going back to New Orleans,” Hudspeth said. “It is a testament to the young men on this team that they fought through the adversity and injuries this season and put ourselves in a position to get invited back to New Orleans. We’ve fought hard all season, and it’s nice to see all of that work pay off. Our players and fans couldn’t be happier to be going back to the Big Easy - let’s paint the town red, again.”

Louisiana will face an opponent to be named – at the latest by Sunday, Dec. 2 – on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 11 a.m. inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the 12th annual R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

Fans are reminded to purchase R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl tickets only through the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics Department because these purchases help the department continue to establish a history of selling tickets for bowl games. In addition, the athletics department will be allotted the best seats available for the game.

ABOUT THE R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL

The New Orleans Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana since 2001. The game was sponsored by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts from 2002 to 2004 and was officially called the Wyndham New Orleans Bowl. R+L Carriers replaced Wyndham as the sponsor in 2006, and thus it became officially known as the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
The game pits a team from Conference USA versus a team from the Sun Belt Conference. From the beginning of the New Orleans Bowl until recently that automatically went to the Sun Belt champion, but since the conference earned a second bid, to the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in 2010, the bowl is required to take the SBC champion only twice every four years. If Conference USA does not have enough bowl eligible teams the bowl will choose an at-large team, which they did in 2011 when Mountain West Conference member San Diego State was picked to play.

Congratulations to UL-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns for another great season and bowl bid. 

Week 12 Football in the Sun Belt Conference

South Alabama & ULM looking to be spoilers today! 

With football in the Sun Belt Conference winning down, all games count today several teams are already bowl eligible and some are trying to see their bowl changes increase.

Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee the two teams that was left out of the pre-season favorite to win the conference, is battling it out for first place next week.

Who would have expected Arkansas State to be in the running again so soon for the conference title and Middle Tennessee? But it’s real and the two teams along with ULM have proved that they are serious.

Western Kentucky have again improved their team after several senior players left for the pro’s after last season, again looking to reach a 7 win mark for their program and secure a  bowl this time around on today.

South Alabama will be playing its last conference game of the season on today against UL-Lafayette on the road. They have one conference win thus far for the season, which I believe is still great for a new program on the FBS level and in the SBC. South Alabama will travel to Hawaii next weekend for its final 2012 football game of the season.

Florida International and North Texas is about to close their chapters in the Sun Belt Conference. FIU was picked to carry the conference crown with them, but the picture took a turn for the worst for the Miami, FL team. The will leave the conference with a losing record instead. North Texas had hoped they could get a bowl bid this season as well, and as it looks they will fall short as well.

Troy made some comebacks this season to improved their record from last season, however now enough to get them to a bowl game in 2012 either. If they get a win this weekend over Middle Tennessee it would help them in their chances with six wins.  Troy has played well this season, just have not been able to finish the game. This is a rival game as well on this weekend after Thanksgiving.

ULM is my most improved team of the Sun Belt Conference and they too are bowl eligible, today they will be looking to get 8 wins and get back in the race for the conference title if Middle Tennessee lose to Troy. Coach Berry has did a wonderful job in Monroe, LA.

UL-Lafayette is also looking to improve their season record to 7 wins today over South Alabama. They would like to be invited to another bowl game again this season for the second time in a row.

Today’s Games Nov 24^th…….

South Alabama

@ UL-Lafayette

North Texas

@ West Kentucky

Troy

@ Middle Tenessee

UL-Monroe

@ FIU

I hope you all enjoy these games on today and may the best team win. 

Could Conference Expansion Be In The Plans For The Sun Belt Conference? It would help!

With the 2012 college football season almost over, the Sun Belt Conference will be preparing for a new slate of members in 2013. After 2013 will the SBC remain at 10 football members or will it improve its conference to 12 football members and improve it conference for the new playoff system.

North Texas and Florida International will be departing for the C-USA and the Sun Belt Conference will be welcoming in its two newest members Texas State and Georgia State.  Both programs are moving up from the FCS, along with new member South Alabama that made the jump this season in 2012. 

Texas State will keep the Sun Belt Conference in the long star state territory and the conference will expand into the Peach State of Georgia with Georgia State.  However Texas State will not be along in Texas, they will have a new rivalry with UT-Arlington in basketball and all other sports except football. UT-Arlington will be joining the Sun Belt as a non-football member in 2013.

But is expansion still on the table for the Sun Belt to reach that 12 team football conference for a conference championship game.  Maybe so, we will see what’s ahead come the spring of 2013.

If the Sun Belt Conference does decide to expand to 12 teams in football who would it be to join the   new Sun Belt Conference? Let me share my take on possible candidates for membership in the SBC.

It’s no known secret that Georgia Southern wants to move up to FBS. This would be a great addition for the east division in the Sun Belt and a great mileage game for many schools in the Sun Belt Conference that would fall in the new east division, especially for lonely Florida Atlantic and also in-state member Georgia State, it also help the travel of Troy, South Alabama and Middle Tennessee.

Adding Lamar of Texas or McNeese State of Louisiana would be great for a west division, to help the travel of several possible western division members of Texas State, Arkansas State, ULM, ULL, Arkansas-Little Rock and Western Kentucky. But I would think they would have brought back New Mexico State as a established FBS program and can jump in immediately to help set up a western division.

The Sun Belt Conference needs to act quickly on conference expansion, with Florida Atlantic sitting in the Sun Shine state all along now. Commissioner Benson made it known to the WKU Herald, which it is possible that a school with the state of Florida maybe sought.  Just who would that may be? Nobody really knows yet but those on the inside of the conference administrations.

I do believe they should extend conference invitations to several FCS schools at the end of this season, and prepare for 2014. It’s time for us to look at the brighter days now in a big way. Hosting at Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game in 2014 season would be awesome and it would help the conference in so many ways moving forward.  I believe that’s what the player’s want, a division to play in and win and face off in a championship and move on to bowl games. I believe many coaches would desire the same as well as AD’s and Presidents.  A Football Championship Game will also bring in more generated revenue to support teams and the conference overall and more quality players.

Commissioner had this to say to WKU Herald back in May, “The additions of Georgia State and Texas State is part of a plan and a strategy the Sun Belt has in place to bring in quality universities to not only allow the Sun Belt to get bigger, but to get better,” Benson said. “We believe strongly that the additions of Georgia State and now Texas State have made the Sun Belt a better conference for the future.”

The Commissioner did not stop there with his comments and ideas about conference expansion. “If we were to lose two current members replaced by Georgia State and Texas State, that gets us back to 10 football universities,” he said. “Our goal would be to get to 12 members to be able to divide into divisions and to create some geographic efficiency with the membership in the west versus the membership in the east.”

Appalachian State is a known FCS school waiting on an invitation to move up, along with Jacksonville State. It will be surprising to see any action come this may during the spring meeting of the conference on expansion. Will they get it done in 2013 for 2014? We will be watching and waiting to see what comes next for the Sun Belt Conference.

Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Stockstill gets $100,000 bonus for performance

As the 2012 college football season comes to an end with just two weeks left for the regular season and then all the bowl games. Middle Tennessee head football coach Rick Stockstill earned a $100,000 raise and contract extension through June of 2019.

The Blue Raiders win over South Alabama help him secure that raise and extension.

MTSU Head Coach Rick Stockstill

If the Blue Raiders receive a bowl bid to earn another bonus, Stockstill’s projected income for the 2012-13 fiscal year will be about $725,000.

Stockstill receives a $100,000 raise to his base salary and an additional year extension to his contract each season his team meets three academic and athletic benchmarks, including:

(1) An overall winning record or at least five Sun Belt Conference wins, which was secured with Saturday’s victory,

(2) Team Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 940 or better,

and (3) no major NCAA infractions or acts of gross negligence in the current year.

MTSU has a 7-3 overall record and 5-1 Sun Belt mark heading into Saturday’s home finale against Troy. The Blue Raiders are in a virtual tie with Arkansas State (8-3, 6-1) for first place in the Sun Belt standings.

“I consider myself a very very  competitor. I love to win. I hate to lose,” Stockstill said. “I’m proud of our team and our coaches. I never look at my contract to see how many bonuses or years are in there. All I want to do is do everything I can to give these players and this university my best effort every day and try to help them reach their goals, both on and off the field.”

“Nobody thought we could do what we’ve done this year,” Stockstill said. “I think everybody picked us seventh or eighth (in the Sun Belt). With two weeks to go, we are still in first. I’m very proud of this team. I love this team.”

Sun Belt Conference has just two weeks remaining, who will it be?

Sun Belt Conference football season is coming to an end with just two weeks left, who will carry the crown of conference champs back home with them?

New comer South Alabama came in with a bang, surprising many that they too can hang on to the big boys and their conference members.  The Jaguars also have given their conference foes a tough time on the field with no easy wins. They had to earn it.

North Texas and FIU didn't do any better than the last season, in fact FIU panthers did worse to be the pre-season favorite to win the conference after they are schedule to depart the conference along with North Texas to C-USA.  It wasn’t what the Golden Panthers was looking for this season, and the Mean Green of North Texas was looking for a bowl season this year.

Western Kentucky started the season on a positive note and a scared one for other conference foes as if they were the team to beat early on. Now that the Hilltoppers have lost their last two games, their  title hopes have faded and now they have to try and get a bowl bid, something they was overlooked for last season. With another winning season Coach Willie Taggert and his team have nothing to hold their heads down for?  The Hilltoppers defeated (SEC) Kentucky and gave No. 1 (SEC) Alabama some problems on the field.

UL-Monroe falls on my #1 Most Improved Sun Belt Conference team, coming from seasons of losing records to a season of top ten defeats and conference title run. Coach Berry and his staff have really turned some heads with the work in his program. This team is a team to be proud of.  They knocked off No. 6 (SEC) Arkansas in their first game of the season, and then turn around and nearly defeated (SEC) Auburn in overtime. When they came back home to face (BIG 12) Baylor, they nearly defeated them as well in a close game. QB Browning really has showed his ability and talent with the help of his team mates to turn that program around.

FAU has gotten them two conference wins so far this season to put them at (3) wins thus far, and with a new staff and head coach Carl Pelini, the OWLS are making some noise. They may not be bowl eligible or have a winning season, but the OWL S have fought hard this season, and I expect them to improve in the near future and come back to the top and be bowl eligible in the future.

UL-Lafayette is another great program and has come off to a great start in hopes of doing better or repeating the season of last year. They have fallen short of couple games but still have some favor of making it to bowl eligibility. The Ragin Cajuns nearly defeated (SEC) No. 6 Florida a couple weeks ago.

Troy improved their second from last year, they showed their conference new comer South Alabama, which will be their new in-state conference rival that they are strong and some to be deal with. The Trojans went to (SEC) Tennessee and almost upset them, and defeated soon to be (BIG EAST) member Navy.  They too still have a chance to get to six wins to make it to bowl eligibility.

Arkansas State and their new head coach Gus Malzahn have really held on to what they have and be to in the running for the conference title once again for the second straight year. Many thought it would have been tough for Coach Malzahn in his first year as head coach, but he has proven many to be wrong.

Middle Tennessee has stepped back into the title hunt; they have been running the table on their conference foes.  It is my projection that Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and Arkansas State Red Wolves contend for the conference title, if these two teams don’t lose in the two final games. Middle Tennessee also defeated a BCS member Georgia Tech.

This has been an impressive season for the Sun Belt Conference and their members.  Many teams have improved and it has translated on the field with big wins and being tough players.  This is the conference that I envision for the South, a conference that is second to the SEC with tough games and tough players. This season the Sun Belt Conference has really shown that they are moving on up and if you are on their schedule in the near future, then you need to be ready for a tough battle.

Texas State is preparing to enter the Sun Belt Conference they too are a solid program with a great coach. This team with three wins for the season so far has defeated in-state foe Houston, and there goes Georgia Sate in Atlanta. This team has built a great program under the legendary Coach Bill Curry who has retired from the Panthers. Now that the Panthers is searching for a new coach, we all hope that it will be someone to carry on the momentum of this new football program as we welcome them into the Sun Belt Conference.  

Week 11 Scores:

On Friday FIU travel up to FAU and defeated the OWLS to get their second conference win of the season, and stack up on their already poor season that so many had hoped to be a positive one.  Now that the season is over, Florida International have no chance of winning the conference crown before they depart for C-USA.  FIU 34 FAU 24

Middle Tennessee one of the conference crown contenders traveled to Mobile, Alabama to take on the Sun Belt Conference new comer in football South Alabama. The Blue Raiders held off the Jaguars in a close game to remain in the crown hunt.  

Middle Tennessee 20- South Ala 12

Arkansas State is that team that keeps on running. The Red Wolves defeated the Troy Trojans in Troy. Arkansas State is also in the hunt for the conference title for the second time in a row. 

Arkansas State 41 – Troy 34

North Texas just can’t get to games to reach it to a bowl. UL-Monroe improved their record for the season to get to a bowl for the first time. They held on the Mean Green of North Texas. 

North Texas 16 – ULM 42

Western Kentucky let another game go on the road this time to UL-Lafayette. The Ragin Cajuns held here grown at home to defeat the Hilltoppers. West Kentucky 27 – ULL 31

Week 11 Sun Belt Conference Football Action

Action Today is Win or You Out For Some Teams

1. Sun Belt newcomer South Alabama will travel to North Texas to face the Mean Green in their only conference matchup. The Jaguars is looking to overcome their last lost to FIU with a win over North Texas, both teams are scheduled to depart for C-USA next season.

2. UL-Lafayette will travel to No. 6 Florida today to face the gators, the Ragin Cajuns is hoping to pull a upset here after a comeback win over the No.1  team in the Sun Belt UL-Monroe.

3. Western Kentucky will host Florida Atlantic in Bowling Green, KY today at @ 12:00noon. Western Kentucky is already bowl eligible with a 6-3 overall record, they are looking to get their 7^th win of the season for another perfect record today against the Owls.

4. Troy Trojans will host Navy today in Troy, the Trojans nearly defeated SEC Tennessee on last Saturday. This is a game to watch to see if the Trojans can get that 5^th win of the season over Navy and get closer to bowl eligibility before the season is over. This match will be at 2:30 CST on ESPN 3.

On Thursday Night, Arkansas State hosted the No.1 team in the Sun Belt Conference UL-Monroe, and handed them a big loss. Arkansas State won 45-23 over UL-Monroe. Arkansas State is now 7-3 this season and UL-Monroe is 6-4 both teams are bowl eligible. I do believe UL-Monroe will finish the season with 7 wins for the first time in a long time.  

South Alabama Men’s Basketball defeats No.25 Florida State in Season Opener

South Alabama Jaguars upset Florida State Seminoles, 76-71 in their season opener in Tallahassee. Their first win over a major conference team in a while.

South Alabama hands Florida State a upset 

South Alabama lead the game most of the time to go into half time with a lead, after they returned from the locker room South Alabama finished the game with a upset over Florida State. There have been years a speculation that the Jaguars would never beat a team such as the Seminoles but they pull an amazing upset on Friday against a top 25 NCAA Basketball team, a team that who won their conference ACC title last season.

South Alabama lead with three points shooting and Free throws in the game against Florida State.  The start in this game goes to Antoine Allen who shot 21 points in 23 minutes on the floor, Freddie Goldstein and Mychal Ammons were also game players in this upset over the Seminoles.

The entire team pulled together in this game and played well, I give them all credit. This is the team we should see at South, if the Jaguars keep this type of play in action on the court they do have a chance to compete for the conference title and maybe get a NCAA tournament birth.

South Alabama on Wednesday will face William Carey at home in the Mitchell Center.  They face one more top 25 team in New Mexico State on Dec. 4^th.

South Alabama don’t worry about getting the big time media coverage, those mainstream networks is not focus on mid-majors like the Jaguars because it’s not a money maker for them. However you keep playing and keep defeating these over-rated teams that they put there, just because they have an awesome bank roll to fatten the pockets of the mainstream media outlets.

It’s the same way in football, all over-rated teams in the top 25, however it’s only because what that program have to offer in finance not play. Be encouraged Jags you are winners.

 

Troy beat Mississippi State on Friday in Their Season Opener

In a brand new arena in Troy, the Trojans of celebrates a 

Troy 56, Mississippi State 53 win on Friday.

 

Sun Belt Conference Troy Trojans also beat a major conference team on Friday, when Mississippi State came to town to open their first game of the season. Both teams and fans enjoyed the luxury of the brand new $40 Million arena.

 

Trojans celebrate win over  SEC Mississippi State

“You see stuff like that on TV all the time at the big colleges,” senior guard Emil Jones said. “To have it at home was real big.”

It spoiled Mississippi State coach Rick Ray’s debut and G.W. Carver graduate Craig Sword’s first college game.

Tevin Calhoun scored 12 points off the bench to lead Troy, while Jones and Williams added 10 each. Jalen Steele had 16 points, Trivante Bloodman 11 and Gavin Ware 10 for MSU.

On Monday, the Trojans will travel to face Texas A&M Aggies.

Arkansas – Little Rock wins over Tennessee-Martin

ARLR Men's Basketball 

The top player in this game at ARLR was John Gillon who came off the bench to score 22 points in his first collegiate game, leading Arkansas-Little Rock to an 84-68 victory over Tennessee-Martin on Friday in the season opener for both teams.

Arkansas – Little Rock who won the Sun Belt Conference's West Division title last season but lost in the opening round of the conference tournament leads in free throws from the line.

In this season opener James White added 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, also off the bench, and Will Neighbour had 13. The Trojans took control of the game with a 15-3 run, including nine points by Gillon, to close the first half and never led by fewer than five points after halftime.

The Trojans of Little Rock dominated this game and spared no mercy for the Seahawks.

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders holds off Alabama State hornets

Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball

In Murfeesboro, TN the Blue Raiders Jason Jones scored 19 points on 9-of-9 shooting and Middle Tennessee trampled Alabama State 97-53 in each team's season opener Friday night.

Middle Tennessee left no room for a victory from Alabama State Hornets, the Blue celebrated at home with a dominate victory.

James Gallman had 15 points for Middle Tennessee, including 5 of 7 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Blue Raiders were 11 of 27 from 3. The 97 points were the most for Middle Tennessee since dropping 109 points on Houston Baptist on Feb. 13, 2010.