NEW ORLEANS – Following Week 13 action in Sun Belt Conference football, here is a snapshot of what people are saying across media outlets and social media:
Sun Belt
The No 23 Mountaineers (9-1) have won back-to-back games over South Carolina and Georgia State to put themselves back in the driver’s seat to win a fourth straight Sun Belt Conference championship. The Mountaineers got some help when Troy upended Georgia Southern, which nullified the Eagles’ head-to-head tiebreaker. - Associated Press (
Thomas Has No. 23 App State Eyeing Sun Belt Title Again)
Appalachian State’s Eliah Drinkwitz on beating two Power 5 teams in 2019 from
The Jim Rome Show on
Vimeo.
South Alabama at Georgia State
Georgia State's football team won a regular season record seventh game and topped South Alabama 28-15 on Saturday afternoon at Georgia State Stadium. Gwinnett Daily Post (Georgia State Football Breaks Mark with Seventh Win)
Not even the heavy rain that pelted Georgia State Stadium to start Saturday’s game could ruin the special Senior Day for Tra Barnett and his mates, who set a regular-season record with their seventh victory in Saturday’s 28-16 win over South Alabama. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Tra Barnett Leads Georgia State to Record-Setting Victory)
Texas State at No. 24 Appalachian State
The numbers are everywhere. They adorn the walls throughout the Appalachian State athletics tower. They hang on banners in the indoor practice facility. And they’re inside Kidd Brewer Stadium, perched on the upper deck of the east side stands. - Winston-Salem Journal (App State Navigated the FBS Transition Better Than Imagined Over the Past Five Years, Five Seniors Certainly Left Their Mark on the Program)
Appalachian State’s defense didn’t need much rebuilding from the 2018 season. - Watauga Democrat (
Jolly Learns from Former All-Sun Belt Cornerback)
Noel Cook thought he messed up. During the first quarter Saturday against Texas State, Bobcats quarterback Tyler Vitt threw to his left on the App State 33. Shemar Jean-Charles, an Appalachian State defensive back, got in front of the pass. It bounced off of him and toward Cook, a senior linebacker. - Winston-Salem Journal (App State's Noel Cook Grabbed an Interception Against Texas State, The Play Changed the Course of the Game and Helped Clinch the Division)
Georgia Southern at Arkansas State
"I couldn't be happier with a group of dudes," Arkansas State head coach Blake Anderson said. "All they've battled through, and another close one. That's about as close as they can get right there at the end, I was holding my breath. But, it was a collective team win. You've got plays in all three phases. We talked about being the most physical and the most disciplined. I would tell you we were the most physical tonight." - Jonesboro Sun (A-State Holds Off GSU 38-33)
Coastal Carolina at ULM
Caleb Evans and Cortez Sisco spent Senior Day trying to top each other in their final game at Malone Stadium. It was a good thing too as Louisiana-Monroe needed every play the duo could make. Evans riddled Coastal Carolina (4-7, 1-6 Sun Belt) for 346 all-purpose yards, Sisco’s 19 tackles at linebacker anchored an opportunistic defense, and ULM (5-6, 4-3 Sun Belt) left JPS Field with a 45-42 win on Saturday night. - Monroe News-Star (Warhawks Rise on Senior Day, Outlast Coastal Carolina in Shootout)
Troy at /RV Louisiana
Moving the ball at will, the bowl-bound Ragin' Cajuns ran up a 28-point halftime lead and did not look back en route to securing a rematch with Appalachian State in the Dec. 7 Sun Belt title game. - Lafayette Daily Advertiser (Cajuns Claim Second Straight Sun Belt West Championship with Rout of Troy)
“That’s as complete as it gets,” said Louisiana head coach Billy Napier. “We talked before the game and challenged the team to have an undeniable level of commitment. Every player, every position group, every unit going about their business the right way. We had a good plan and they executed it.” - Lafayette Daily Advertiser (Cajuns Show 'Undeniable Level of Commitment,' But Can't Slow Down Now, Napier Says)
“I’m proud to be associated with those players and that staff in that locker room,” Louisiana head coach Billy Napier said. “We had a special day today. Military Appreciation Day, I thought that went over well. I thought we got a lot accomplished relative to educating the players about what goes with that – the real heroes. We challenged the players to play with some of those qualities that maybe the military exhibits – sacrifice, bravery, selfishness, respect, service – past, present and future – I hope we got that accomplished today relative to the people that were here and the way we went about our business.” - Acadiana Advocate (In Hindsight, There Were Several Factors Leading to UL's Annihilation of Troy Trojans)