2019 Sun Belt Football News and Notes:
Week 14 Release (PDF) | Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats | Championship Game | Media Guide

AROUND #SUNBELTFB
• Sun Belt Conference football hits the final week of the regular season with a lot on the line across the league. All five Week 14 matchups are set for live coverage on the ESPN family of networks.

• With wins on Nov. 23, Appalachian State and Louisiana secured the East and West Division titles, respectively, and spots in the 2019 Sun Belt Football Championship Game. The Mountaineers can earn the right to host for the second-straight year with a win in their regular-season finale, while the Ragin' Cajuns need a win combined with an Appalachian State loss to host the title game.

• ESPN has been designated as the broadcast network for the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 7. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET immediately following college football's premier pregame show, ESPN College GameDay.

• The Sun Belt boasts five bowl-eligible teams in Appalachian State (10-1, 6-1 Sun Belt), Louisiana (9-2, 6-1), Arkansas State (7-4, 5-2), Georgia State (7-4, 4-3) and Georgia Southern (6-5, 4-3) with ULM (5-6, 4-3) and Troy (5-6, 3-4) just one win away. The Red Wolves are bowl eligible for the ninth-straight season while the Mountaineers are bowl eligible for the fifth-straight season. The Eagles and Ragin' Cajuns are bowl eligible for the second-straight season and the Panthers are bowl eligible for the third time in five seasons.

• Appalachian State is in the midst of a historic season, becoming the first Sun Belt program to earn a College Football Playoff Top 25 in-season ranking (25th in the Nov. 26 release) and also be ranked in both national polls (22nd in both the Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches powered by USA Today Sports Top 25 polls in the Nov. 24 release) at the same time. The Mountaineers are ranked in the CFP rankings for the third-straight week (25th on Nov. 12, 24th on Nov. 19 and 25th on Nov. 26). Appalachian State earned the highest NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision rankings in the national polls in school and conference history – 20th in both the Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls on Oct. 27. The Mountaineers were also ranked in the Oct. 13 (24th in the AP and Coaches), Oct. 20 (21st in the AP and 22nd in the Coaches), Nov. 10 (24th in the Coaches) and Nov. 17 (23rd in the AP and 22nd in the Coaches) polls. The Mountaineers have received votes in 17 straight weeks of the AP Top 25 dating back to last year.

• Appalachian State, as an FBS program, is the:

- First team to win a bowl game in each of its first two years of FBS bowl eligibility (2015-16)
- First team to win a bowl game in each of its first three years of FBS bowl eligibility (2015-17)
- First team to win a bowl game in each of its first four years of FBS bowl eligibility (2015-18)
- First team to host and win a Sun Belt Championship Game (2018)
- First Sun Belt team to be ranked in the Top 25 on in two different seasons (2018, 2019)
- First Sun Belt team to win as a Top 25 team in the College Football Playoff rankings (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to win as a Top 25 team in the national polls (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to be ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25 in consecutive weeks (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to be ranked in the national polls in consecutive weeks (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to be ranked in the Top 20 in the AP Poll (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to start a season 7-0 (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to defeat two Autonomy Five conference teams in one season (2019)
- First Sun Belt team to receive a College Football Playoff in-season ranking (2019)

• Louisiana received points in both national polls this week with one point in the AP and 18 points in the Coaches polls. The Ragin' Cajuns received points in the Coaches Poll for the third-straight week. Louisiana has achieved its first nine-win season since 1976 and is seeking its first 10-win season in school history. Louisiana is one of only five FBS teams in the top 15 in scoring offense and scoring defense, joining Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama and Oregon. The Cajuns have the best national average in key core statistics in comparison to other top Group of Five conference teams, according to SportSource Analytics.

• Arkansas State has matched its best record through 11 games for the fourth time under head coach Blake Anderson (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019). The Red Wolves have won nine-straight games in November.

• Georgia State has seven regular-season wins for the first time in the program's 10-year history and boasts a program-best 5-1 record at Georgia State Stadium.

• The Sun Belt is building on its non-conference success from a year ago with 22 wins and the third-best winning percentage among the Group of Five conferences.

1. American - 33-14 (.702)
2. Mountain West - 29-18 (.617)
3. Sun Belt - 22-18 (.550)
4. Conference USA - 24-32 (.429)
5. Mid-American - 18-30 (.375)

• Among the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision statistical leaders entering the week:

- Arkansas State redshirt senior wide receiver Omar Bayless leads the nation in, receiving yards (1,375) and receiving touchdowns (15) and ranks second in receiving yards per game (125.0), tied for eighth in receptions per game (7.3) and tied for 14th in total touchdowns (15). 

- The Sun Belt boasts five of the top 40 rushers in the nation in rushing yards per carry – ULM redshirt junior running back Josh Johnson (17th, 6.32), Georgia State senior running back Tra Barnett (23rd, 6.13), Louisiana junior running back Elijah Mitchell (25th, 6.03), Troy sophomore running back DK Billingsley (32nd, 5.91) and Appalachian State junior running back Darrynton Evans (40th, 5.73).

- The Sun Belt is home to six of the top 40 rushing offenses – Louisiana (5th, 276.2), Georgia Southern (9th, 259.9), Georgia State (11th, 257.6), Appalachian State (18th, 228.9), ULM (31st, 204.5) and Coastal Carolina (38th, 193.).

• So far this season, the Sun Belt has received numerous in-season honors, including:

- Appalachian State head coach Eliah Drinkwitz is one of 22 semifinalists for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club.

- Troy senior quarterback Kaleb Barker was named the Allstate Sugar Bowl Manning Award Quarterback of the Week and earned a helmet sticker from the ESPN College Football Final crew for his Week 12 performance against Texas State. 

- The Sun Belt boasts 12 football student-athletes on the 2019 Academic All-District® Football Teams, as selected by CoSIDA, and now on the ballot for Academic All-America honors – three on the District 3 first team (Appalachian State senior trio of linebacker Jordan Fehr, offensive lineman Cole Garrison and defensive back Kaiden Smith) and nine on the District 4 first team (Coastal Carolina junior defensive backs Kameron Burton and Alex Spillum, senior offensive lineman Trey Carter, senior defensive lineman Jonathan Clayton, junior linebacker Teddy Gallagher, junior tight end Michael McFarlane, Georgia State senior defensive lineman Terry Thomas and South Alabama graduate offensive lineman Brian Ankerson and junior linebacker Nick Mobley). 

• The 2019 Sun Belt Football Championship Game pits the East and West Division champions with the best conference winning percentages on Saturday, Dec. 7. The second edition of the league’s football title game is slated for live coverage on ESPN or ESPN2 at 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Caleb Evans, ULM (Sr., QB, Mansfield, Texas)
ULM senior quarterback Caleb Evans accounted for a season-high 415 yards of total offense and three scores to lead the Warhawks to a 45-42 win over Coastal Carolina. Evans completed 20-of-34 throws for a season-best 349 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed nine times for 69 yards, including a 32-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cortez Sisco Jr., ULM (Sr., LB, Memphis, Tenn.)
ULM senior linebacker Cortez Sisco Jr. recorded a career-high 19 tackles and an interception in the Warhawks' victory. Sisco reached double figures in tackles for the fourth time this season and fifth time in his career. His first interception of the season and third of his career cam in the second quarter.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Stevie Artigue, Louisiana (Senior, PK, Lafayette, La.)
Louisiana senior placekicker Stevie Artigue tied a career high with 15 points in the Ragin' Cajuns' 53-3 win over Troy. Artigue accomplished his total on three field goals (49, 45, 31) and a perfect 6-for-6 effort on PATs. He has made 12-straight field goals and is six field goals away from tying the school record for consecutive field goals made.
 
2019 Weekly Award Winners
Offensive Player
September 2: Dan Ellington, Georgia State
September 9: Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State
September 16: Kaleb Barker, Troy
September 23: Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana
September 30: Omar Bayless, Arkansas State
October 7: Dan Ellington, Georgia State
October 14: Zac Thomas, Appalachian State
October 21: Raymond Calais, Louisiana
October 28: Tra Barnett, Georgia State
November 4: Wesley Kennedy III, Georgia Southern
November 11: Caleb Evans, ULM
November 18: Kaleb Barker, Troy
November 25: Caleb Evans, ULM
 
Defensive Player
September 2: Carlton Martial, Troy
September 9: Chandler Kryst, Coastal Carolina
September 16: Rashad Byrd, Georgia Southern
September 23: Demetrius Taylor, Appalachian State
September 30: Jacques Boudreaux, Louisiana
October 7: Raymond Johnson III, Georgia Southern
October 14: Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State
October 21: Trajan Stephens-McQueen, Georgia State
October 28: Nathan Page, Arkansas State
November 4: Darreon Jackson, Arkansas State
November 11: Marcus Webb, Troy
November 18: Shaun Jolly, Appalachian State
November 25: Cortez Sisco Jr., ULM
 
Special Teams Player
September 2: Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina
September 9: Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern
September 16: Monquavion Brinson, Georgia Southern
September 23: Joshua Rowland, Texas State
September 30: Cody Grace, Arkansas State
October 7: Cody Grace, Arkansas State
October 14: Rhys Byrns, Louisiana
October 21: Tyler Sumpter, Troy
October 28: Wesley Kennedy III, Georgia Southern
November 4: Blake Grupe, Arkansas State
November 11: Hutch White, Texas State
November 18: Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern
November 25: Stevie Artigue, Louisiana

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, November 29    
*Arkansas State at South Alabama (ESPN+), 4 p.m.
*No. 24 Appalachian State at Troy (ESPN+), 5 p.m.

Saturday, November 30    
*Texas State at Coastal Carolina (ESPN+), 11 a.m.
*Georgia State at Georgia Southern (ESPN+), 5 p.m.
*ULM at RV/RV Louisiana (ESPNU), 6:30 p.m.

*Sun Belt Conference contest
All Times Central and Subject to Change