NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt authored arguably the greatest day in the conference’s 22-year football history Saturday, becoming the first non-autonomy conference to knock off multiple Top 10-ranked opponents in nearly two decades (Sept. 20, 2003).
Sun Belt programs posted 10 wins over non-conference foes in Week 2 play, including statement victories over No. 8/9 Notre Dame, No. 6/6 Texas A&M and Nebraska.
In front of a sellout crowd of 77,622 in South Bend, Marshall picked up a signature 26-21 victory over No. 8/9 Notre Dame.
An 11-play, 94-yard touchdown drive—which culminated with a 3-yard touchdown connection from redshirt senior quarterback Henry Colombi to sixth-year tight end Devin Miller on 3rd-and-3—gave the Thundering Herd a 19-15 lead with 5:16 to play. Senior defensive back Steven Gilmore’s pick six on the ensuing Notre Dame possession provided Marshall with a 26-15 advantage it would not relinquish.
Sixth-year running back Khalan Laborn tallied 163 yards in the win—the most rushing yards that a player has recorded against the Fighting Irish since 2016—as the centerpiece of a Herd offense that scored on all four of its red zone attempts.
The victory was Marshall’s second over a Top 10-ranked opponent, joining its 27-20 win over No. 6-ranked Kansas State in 2003.
App State—which scored 40 points in the fourth quarter to nearly knock off in-state ACC foe North Carolina in Week 1—did one better in Week 2, marching into Kyle Field and taking down No. 6/6 Texas A&M, 17-14, in front of a crowd of 92,664.
Running back Camerun Peoples delivered in the clutch for the Mountaineers—converting a 3rd-and-1 opportunity to extend App State’s final drive and then scampering for 48 yards on the ensuing play, which allowed the Mountaineers to run out the clock. The redshirt junior finished with a game-high 112 rushing yards in the contest, while redshirt senior Chase Brice threw for a game-high 134 yards and a touchdown.
The Mountaineer defense, led by a seven-tackle effort from junior defensive back Nick Ross, held the Aggies to just 186 total yards.
The win was App State’s second over a Top 10-ranked foe, following the infamous 34-32 victory over No. 5-ranked Michigan in 2007. The Mountaineers also took No. 9 Tennessee (2016) and No. 9 Penn State (2018) to overtime in recent memory.
Following Saturday’s victory, it was announced that College GameDay will head to Boone, N.C., on Saturday, Sept. 17, when Troy comes to town for the first Sun Belt conference game of the season.
Georgia Southern showcased its new-look offense on a national stage, spoiling the 384th-straight sellout (86,862) at Memorial Stadium with a 45-42 victory over Nebraska.
Sixth-year quarterback Kyle Vantrease threw for 409 yards, becoming the first Eagle to post back-to-back 300-yard passing performances. Sophomore wide receiver Derwin Burgess Jr. caught a Georgia Southern single-game record 12 passes for 119 yards, while running backs redshirt junior Gerald Green (132 yards, 2 touchdowns) and junior Jalen White (85 yards, 2 touchdowns) each found the end zone on two occasions for the Eagles.
The victory was Georgia Southern’s second over an autonomy five opponent, joining its 26-20 win over Florida in 2013.
Georgia State scored 25-straight points in the second and third quarters to take a 28-21 lead over North Carolina, but the Tar Heels rallied for their second-straight one-possession win over a Sun Belt foe, 35-28. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Robert Lewis tallied a career-high 10 receptions for 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while redshirt senior quarterback Darren Grainger registered 261 yards (186 passing, 75 rushing) and threw for three touchdowns.
South Alabama and Louisiana downed a pair of MAC opponents in dominant fashion. Senior quarterback Carter Bradley threw for 354 yards—the fourth-most in program history—and three touchdowns, including 98 yards to senior wide receiver Jalen Wayne and 97 to sophomore wide receiver Caullin Lacy. The Jaguar defense held last year’s national rushing leader—Lew Nicholls III (1,848 yard in 2021)—to just 20 yards on 15 attempts in a 38-24 win over Central Michigan. Louisiana topped Eastern Michigan, 49-14, to extend its national-best winning streak to 15 games.
Texas State never trailed in a 41-12 blowout of FIU. Redshirt sophomore running back Calvin Hill rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries for the Bobcats, while redshirt junior quarterback Layne Hatcher connected with three different wide receivers for touchdowns in a 226-yard performance through the air.
James Madison, Coastal Carolina, Troy and ULM dispatched with FCS opposition. James Madison upended Norfolk State, 63-7; Coastal Carolina defeated Gardner-Webb, 31-27; Troy bested Alabama A&M, 38-17; and ULM topped Nicholls, 35-7.
Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman James Carpenter had a game-high eight tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks for James Madison. Redshirt senior defensive back Lance Boykin registered a pair of interceptions for Coastal Carolina, including the game-sealing takeaway with 55 seconds to play. Buoyed by a career-high 351-yard, four-touchdown performance from junior quarterback Gunnar Watson, Troy picked up the first win of the Jon Sumrall era.
Two of the Sun Belt’s losses came to Top 15-ranked teams on the road. Southern Miss fell to No. 15/16 Miami, 30-7, despite senior wide receiver Jason Brownlee’s 102-yard outburst. Arkansas State lost to No. 3/3 Ohio State, 45-12. Redshirt senior wide receiver Champ Flemings posted his second-straight 100-yard outing, gaining a career-high 105 yards. Red Wolves freshman kicker Dominic Zvada went a perfect 4-for-4 from field-goal range, including a career-long 45-yarder.
Old Dominion also fell to East Carolina, 39-21, with junior wide receiver Ali Jennings III accumulating 196 yards and a career-high three touchdown receptions in defeat.
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 2 RESULTS
UNC def. Georgia State, 35-28
No. 15/16 Miami def. Southern Miss, 30-7
No. 3/3 Ohio State def. Arkansas State, 45-12
South Alabama def. Central Michigan, 38-24
Marshall def. No. 8/9 Notre Dame, 26-21
App State def. No. 6/6 Texas A&M, 17-14
James Madison def. Norfolk State, 63-7
Coastal Carolina def. Gardner-Webb, 31-27
East Carolina def. Old Dominion, 39-21
Louisiana def. Eastern Michigan, 49-21
Texas State def. FIU, 41-12
Troy def. Alabama A&M, 38-17
Georgia Southern def. Nebraska, 45-42
ULM def. Nicholls, 35-7