NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference drew multiple record-setting crowds, while picking up eight wins against non-conference foes in Week 1 action.
In front of a sellout crowd of 21,944 at S.B. Ballard Stadium, Old Dominion opened the 2022 Sun Belt football season with a signature 20-17 victory over Virginia Tech.
The Monarchs tied a program record with four interceptions in the season-opener, the last of which spurred the 74-yard game-winning touchdown drive—capped by a 1-yard run by senior running back Blake Watson.
The victory was Old Dominion’s second over the in-state ACC foe, coming four years after the Monarchs upended the No. 13-ranked Hokies, 49-35, in the biggest win in program history.
App State used a 40-point fourth quarter to nearly make it two Week 1 victories over in-state ACC foes. The Mountaineers jumped out to a 21-7 lead over North Carolina, but had to fight back from a 41-21 deficit in the fourth quarter after conceding 34 unanswered points to the Tar Heels.
The UNC defense stopped a pair of two-point attempts—a go-ahead try with 31 seconds to play and a game-tying attempt with nine seconds remaining—to halt the App State comeback and escape with a 63-61 victory in front of a Kidd Brewer Stadium record crowd of 40,168.
Redshirt senior quarterback Chase Brice threw a program-record six touchdown passes—including four in the final 10:37—as part of a 361-yard effort through the air.
James Madison left no doubt in its first game at the FBS level, upending Middle Tennessee, 44-7. Graduate student quarterback Todd Centeio tied a program record with six touchdown passes, including three connections with redshirt senior wide receiver Kris Thornton.
Coastal Carolina took down Army, 38-28, in the first-ever meeting between the two programs in front of a Brooks Stadium record crowd of 21,165.
Marshall, South Alabama, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State and Louisiana dispatched with FCS opposition. Marshall defeated Norfolk State, 55-3; South Alabama upended Nicholls, 48-7; Georgia Southern bested Morgan State, 59-7; Arkansas State topped Grambling State, 58-3; and Louisiana took down Southeastern Louisiana, 24-7.
Georgia Southern sixth-year quarterback Kyle Vantrease became the first Eagle to throw for 300-or-more yards since 2008 and tied the program record with four touchdown passes to secure the first victory of the Clay Helton era. His 367 passing yards were the fourth-most in a game in program history and the most-ever in a season-opener.
With its victory, reigning Sun Belt champion Louisiana extended its national-best winning streak to 14 games. The Ragin’ Cajuns have not lost since last year’s season-opener at Texas.
Three of the Sun Belt’s losses came to nationally-noted opponents on the road. Troy fell to No. 21/23 Ole Miss, 28-10, despite junior quarterback Gunnar Watson becoming the ninth Trojan to amass 4,000 career passing yards, completing 34-of-47 attempts for 275 yards. ULM lost to No. 18 Texas, 52-10, and Georgia State was outlasted by receiving votes South Carolina, 35-14.
Southern Miss fell to Liberty, 29-27, in four overtimes. Texas State also dropped its opener at Nevada, 38-14.
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 1 RESULTS
Old Dominion def. Virginia Tech, 20-17
UNC def. App State, 63-61
Marshall def. Norfolk State, 55-3
No. 21/24 Ole Miss def. Troy, 28-10
South Alabama def. Nicholls, 48-7
Nevada def. Texas State, 38-14
Georgia Southern def. Morgan State, 59-7
James Madison def. Middle Tennessee, 44-7
Arkansas State def. Grambling State, 58-3
Coastal Carolina def. Army, 38-28
Louisiana def. Southeastern Louisiana, 24-7
Liberty def. Southern Miss, 29-27 (4OT)
South Carolina def. Georgia State, 35-14
No. 18 Texas def. ULM, 52-10