Sun Belt Conference Previews/Predictions

The Sun Belt Conference is underrated by many college football fans. This conference has produced a bunch of really good teams in the past decade. There aren’t as many cellar dwellers in the Sun Belt as there are in many of the other smaller conferences either. James Madison made the playoff last year from the Sun Belt. They didn’t fare very well when they got to the playoff, but they showed that reaching the playoff from this conference is absolutely possible.

Sun Belt Conference Favorites-

James Madison is +300 to win the Sun Belt this season. They have a completely overhauled roster and a new coach in former Florida coach Billy Napier. Napier did a great job at Louisiana, and I expect him to have a good tenure at James Madison as well.

Old Dominion is the second favorite at +500. The Monarchs have what I believe is the best defense in the Sun Belt. Ricky Rahne is a top notch head coach too. Now, can Old Dominion get an offensive line to block a little bit?

The four teams I would throw out as far as having a chance to win the league-

Georgia State- They have absolutely no defense. They were looking for more players after spring ball.

UL Monroe- Trying to put in a new pass heavy system, but they don’t have a good QB or wide receivers.

Southern Miss- Blake Anderson is a good coach, but he is at a massive talent disadvantage in Hattiesburg.

Coastal Carolina- I like this coaching staff as well, but they have big question marks at quarterback and on the offensive line. They should struggle this year.

Marshall Thundering Herd- 10/1- Marshall is led by star quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson. He had a 17/5 ratio last year, and he is now a senior leader in the second year of this offensive system. Brad Lambert is a solid defensive coordinator, and I expect the Thundering Herd defense to show a lot of improvement this season. Marshall does have to play at Old Dominion and James Madison, so the schedule here is tough. I might just look for individual games to bet this team.

Troy Trojans- 5/1- Goose Crowder isn’t just a fantastic name for a quarterback, he is also a really good player. Crowder missed a bunch of time last season, but he should be ready for this season and when he is healthy he is as good as any quarterback in the Sun Belt. Troy is very good in the secondary on defense. Troy is also good on special teams. They draw Southern Miss, ULM, LA Tech, and GA Southern at home this season. They also have very winnable road games at South Alabama and Arkansas State. If Crowder stays healthy, they could be in the Sun Belt title game.