NEW ORLEANS – Following the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Football Championship Game and the announcement of the league’s bowl matchups, here is a snapshot of what people are saying across media outlets and social media:
Bowls
A look at the postseason for the Appalachian State football team, ranked No. 20 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. - Winston-Salem Journal (Where and Who Will No. 20 App State Play in a Bowl Game?)
“I’m excited because we get another chance to play football, especially being a senior, I get one more chance to go out the right way,” senior receiver Jarrod Jackson said. - Acadiana Advocate (UL's Ragin' Cajuns Will Take Their 10 Wins to the LendingTree Bowl to Meet Miami of Ohio)
Arkansas State keeps running into former conference opponents in bowl games. - Jonesboro Sun (A-State, FIU Set to Meet in Camellia Bowl)
“This is an awesome opportunity for us,” Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford said. “We talk a lot about leaving a legacy. For our seniors, we talk about how they want to leave this team. Being the first senior class to win back-to-back bowl games would be a great way to do it.” - Statesboro Herald (Eagles to Take on Liberty in Cure Bowl)
“Most of all, we are excited about playing another game with this team. We have a great group of young men who have overcome a lot to put together a very successful season. We've accomplished a lot of firsts and records this season, and this is not only a reward, but an opportunity to do even more,” Georgia State head coach Shawn Elliott said. - Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia State Will Play in Arizona Bowl)
Twelve of the 26 first-year coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision are taking their teams to bowls. - Associated Press (12 of 26 First-Year Coaches Are Taking Their Teams to Bowls)
Football Championship Game
“I felt like we won it as soon as we stepped out on that field,” Hunter said, finally making his way from the crowd. “You could just feel a difference in the team. The morale was at an all-time high. - Winston-Salem Journal ('This feels like my championship': App State's second straight Sun Belt title game win has added meaning to Baer Hunter)
Whatever the inspiration, the Mountaineers scored touchdowns on their first five possessions, then 10 more points in the second half — and played just well enough on defense to emerge the victor. For the second year in a row App State carved out a spot in Sun Belt football history. - Blowing Rock News (Mountaineers Earn Sun Belt Title with 45-38 Win over Louisiana)
“Our success is a result of a lot of people doing it the right way,” Louisiana head coach Billy Napier said. “We’ve got a tremendous staff, we’ve got a great chemistry among our players and we’ve got tremendous support from our administration. We live in one of the best places in the world to live in Lafayette, Louisiana.” - Acadiana Advocate (Still Work To Do, But Napier and UL's Program Heading in Right Direction)
The hike toward new heights continues. A few weeks ago, they became the first Sun Belt team to win a game as a ranked team. The Group of 5 spot for a New Year’s Six bowl game is in their sights. This hike ends not at the summit, but a gate closing off the rest of the park. High-fives all around for another climb. - The Athletic (Appalachian State Has Already Climbed a Mountain, But It’s Focused on Greater Heights)
“The most important characteristic for a quarterback is toughness and you see that in Zac — both mental and physical,” said Mountaineers coach Eliah Drinkwitz. “He runs physical when we ask him to do so and he isn’t afraid to get the first down with his feet. And he’s mentally tough and bounces back when things aren’t going his way. He doesn’t hang his head.” - Associated Press (Thomas, No. 20 Appalachian State Seeking Another Sun Belt Title)
Sun Belt
“We’re going to go out, we’re going to play the games that we have,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said before the latest rankings were released. “We’re not going to do a bunch of talking. We’re not going to disparage other conferences and other opponents. We’re not going to try to argue that we’ve got the best 3-8 team in the nation. We’re going to just go out and play football and see where it falls. If you look at the CFP rankings and polls, you can see people respect the level of play in the Sun Belt. We’re going to fight and claw and hope our champion represents the Group of 5 in the Cotton Bowl.” - The Athletic (G5 Drive: Inside the Race for the Group of 5’s New Year’s Six Bid)
“At the end of the day we want to put our teams in the best positions,” Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said. “But we want to respect our bowl partners. We want to make sure we respect the contracts we have, so that’s kind of where are.” - Lafayette Daily Advertiser (Sun Belt Commish Addresses Bowl Options for UL, App State)
App State needed a touchdown with 1:56 left to clinch 17-7 October win. Act II marks the first time two Sun Belt teams with double-digit victories have ever met. - Tampa Bay Tribune (11 Lists and Thoughts for College Football Championship Weekend)
This is a rematch of one of the odder and more compelling games of the year...We should get the best version of these teams on Saturday; can Louisiana close the deal this time? - ESPN.com (The Most Important Question for Each College Football Conference Championship Game)
Appalachian State’s 11-1 record is the best 12-game mark in Sun Belt Conference history. Louisiana (10-2), which won the West Division, has secured a school-record win total. “Both teams have improved since that (first) game),” said second-year Louisiana coach Billy Napier. “At that time of the year, it just turned out to be that type of game. Both defenses played really well.” This is the first matchup of teams with 10 or more victories in Sun Belt Conference history. “A pretty neat opportunity for us as a conference,” Appalachian State coach Eliah Drinkwitz said. - Lindy’s Sports (No. 21 Appalachian State Seeks Sun Belt Title vs. Louisiana)