WEEK 4 CONFERENCE NOTES
NEW ORLEANS – Two of college football’s 33 remaining undefeated teams will put their unblemished marks on the line in their respective Sun Belt Conference openers this weekend.
Coastal Carolina, which is looking for its third-straight 4-0 start, will visit Georgia State at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, in a game that was elevated to ESPN2. James Madison renews its rivalry with App State at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, on ESPN+.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS – Coastal Carolina, which is off to a 3-0 start for the third-straight season, will look to take down 1-of-3 programs that has blemished its 25-3 mark since the start of the 2020 season when it travels to Georgia State at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, on ESPN2. The Chanticleers are on a six-game winning streak, which is tied for the third-longest in the country after Louisiana’s 15-game stretch was snapped a week ago. On the other sideline, Georgia State will look to become the first team in the series to defend its home turf. The Panthers lead the all-time series, 3-2, with the road team claiming the victory in each of the five prior meetings.
- NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK – Three of the Sun Belt’s four new members—James Madison, Marshall and Old Dominion—will play their first-ever conference games on Saturday, Sept. 24. The Dukes will visit App State at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+, Old Dominion will host Arkansas State at 5 p.m. on ESPN+ and Marshall will travel to Troy at 6 p.m. on NFL Network. James Madison last met App State in 2008, with the Mountaineers owning a 12-4 mark in the overall series. The Thundering Herd last took on Troy in 2004, with Marshall claiming a 3-2 record in the all-time series. The Red Wolves visit to Old Dominion will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
- BATTLE FOR THE BELL – Southern Miss renews its “Battle for the Bell” rivalry series with Tulane when it visits New Orleans at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, on ESPN+. The Golden Eagles claim a 23-9 advantage in the all-time series, including 9-of-12 since the addition of the bell to the game. Southern Miss head coach Will Hall was the offensive coordinator for Tulane in the past two meetings between the programs—both won by the Green Wave.
- BOUNCE BACK – Three Sun Belt programs will close out non-conference competition at home on Saturday, Sept. 24, while looking to bounce back from Week 3 defeats. Georgia Southern will host Ball State at 5 p.m. on ESPN+ in the first-ever meeting between the two programs on homecoming weekend. The Eagles are 30-9 on homecoming in the modern era. South Alabama will welcome Louisiana Tech into Hancock Whitney Stadium at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. A Jaguars victory would match last year’s 3-1 start—a program best since joining the FBS in 2012. Texas State will take on Houston Christian at 6 p.m. on ESPN3 to close out its non-conference slate. A win would give the Bobcats their best start since 2016.
- LOUISIANA SATURDAY NIGHT – In-state rivals Louisiana and ULM will clash at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, on ESPN+, in the conference opener for both programs. The Ragin’ Cajuns are coming off their first-ever outright Sun Belt title and claim a 31-25 lead in the all-time series. Four of the last five meetings have been decided by six points or less, including last year’s 21-16 Louisiana win.
WHERE TO WATCH
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