WEEK 1 CONFERENCE NOTES

NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference—the lone Group of Five league with a pair of preseason ranked teams—will kick off its 2021 season on Thursday night when No. 22/24 Coastal Carolina hosts The Citadel at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+ and App State squares off against East Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Classic at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. 
 
A Top 25 matchup between No. 23/23 Louisiana and No. 21/19 Texas headlines Week 1 action at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on FOX. 
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• MAKING HISTORY — For the first time since it began sponsoring football in 2001, the Sun Belt Conference boasts a pair of ranked teams in the preseason editions of both the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 Poll. Coastal Carolina earned a No. 24 ranking in the Coaches Poll and the No. 22 spot in the AP Poll. Louisiana was listed at No. 23 in both polls. App State also received votes in the Coaches Poll. The Sun Belt is the lone Group of Five conference with multiple teams ranked in the preseason. 
• BESTING THE BIG 12 — The Sun Belt posted a 3-0 mark against the Big 12 in 2020, with Arkansas State outlasting Kansas State, 35-31; Coastal Carolina downing Kansas, 38-23; and Louisiana defeating No. 23 Iowa State, 31-14, all on Sept. 12. The Sun Belt will look to maintain this streak during Week 1 action, as No. 23/23 Louisiana visits No. 21/19 Texas at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on FOX and Texas State hosts Baylor at 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+. 
• TOP 25 CLASH — No. 23/23 Louisiana’s clash with No. 21/19 Texas is 1-of-5 Top 25 meetings in Week 1 action across the FBS. The game is the first time in program history that the Ragin’ Cajuns will appear in a matchup of Top 25 teams. Louisiana has won six-straight road games and owns a 2-1 mark in season openers during the Billy Napier era—including last year’s 31-14 rout of No. 23 Iowa State. The other Top 25 matchups are No. 19/20 Penn State at No. 12/15 Wisconsin, No. 1/1 Alabama vs. No. 14/16 Miami, No. 17/17 Indiana at No. 18/18 Iowa and No. 5/5 Georgia vs. No. 3/2 Clemson.
• NEW BLOOD — The Sun Belt’s three new head coaches will look to start 1-0 at the helm of their respective programs during Week 1 play. Terry Bowden, who owns a 175-114-2 mark in 25 seasons as a collegiate head coach, will take ULM into Kroger Field to square off against Kentucky at 11 a.m. Saturday on SEC Network. The Butch Jones-led Arkansas State Red Wolves will host Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN3. Jones is 84-54 over 11 seasons as a head coach, including stints at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee. Kane Wommack—the youngest head coach at the FBS level and just the third head coach in South Alabama history—will lead the Jaguars in their home opener against his alma mater Southern Miss at 7 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+. 
• DEFEND YOUR TURF — Georgia Southern has won 27-straight home games against non-conference opposition, dating back to a Nov. 18, 2006 overtime loss to Central Arkansas. The Eagles will look to continue that streak Saturday when they host Gardner-Webb at 5 p.m. on ESPN3. Georgia Southern is 124-16 all-time in non-conference contests at Paulson Stadium and 30-7-1 all-time in home openers (30-6 at Paulson Stadium). 

WHERE TO WATCH
 

Date	Game	Time	Broadcast
Thursday, Sept. 2	The Citadel at No. 22/24 Coastal Carolina | Game Notes	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Thursday, Sept. 2	App State vs. East Carolina | Game Notes	6:30 p.m.	ESPNU
Saturday, Sept. 4	ULM at Kentucky | Game Notes	11 a.m.	SEC Network
Saturday, Sept. 4	Army at Georgia State | Game Notes	11 a.m.	ESPNU
Saturday, Sept. 4	No. 23/23 Louisiana at No. 21/19 Texas | Game Notes	3:30 p.m.	FOX
Saturday, Sept. 4	Gardner-Webb at Georgia Southern | Game Notes	5 p.m.	ESPN3
Saturday, Sept. 4	Southern at Troy | Game Notes	6 p.m.	ESPN3
Saturday, Sept. 4	Central Arkansas at Arkansas State | Game Notes	6 p.m.	ESPN3
Saturday, Sept. 4	Baylor at Texas State | Game Notes	6 p.m.	ESPN+
Saturday, Sept. 4	Southern Miss at South Alabama | Game Notes	7 p.m.	ESPN+

ALL TIMES CT