BOWL SEASON CONFERENCE NOTES

NEW ORLEANS – Eight Sun Belt programs will participate in Bowl Season in 2024, marking the third-straight year that it paces all non-autonomy conferences in bowl representation. The Sun Belt produced seven Bowl Season participants in 2022 and a conference-record and national-best 12 in 2023. 
 
With Marshall’s 31-3 win over Louisiana in the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game, the conference boasts multiple 10-win teams for the seventh-straight season and for the fourth-straight year had multiple teams reach the mark prior to Bowl Season. 
 
The Sun Belt owns a .571 Bowl Season winning percentage during the College Football Playoff era, trailing only the SEC (.584). 
 
South Alabama (6-6, 5-3 SBC) is bound for the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl, where it will make its third-consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in program history. The Jaguars—who will be competing in their fifth all-time bowl game—will face Western Michigan (6-6, 5-3 MAC) at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. 
     
James Madison (8-4, 4-4 SBC) will make its second-straight and second all-time bowl appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Dukes will take on Conference USA runner-up Western Kentucky (8-5, 6-2 CUSA) at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. 
 
Georgia Southern (8-4, 6-2 SBC) is headed to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, where it will make its sixth bowl appearance over the past seven seasons. The Eagles—who will be competing in their seventh all-time bowl game—will square off against Sam Houston (9-3, 6-2 CUSA) at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. 

Coastal Carolina (6-6, 3-5 SBC) will make its fifth-straight and fifth all-time bowl appearance in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Chanticleers will face UTSA (6-6, 4-4 AAC) at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT on Monday, Dec. 23 at Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. 
 
Arkansas State (7-5, 5-3 SBC) is bound for the 68 Ventures Bowl, where it will make its second-straight bowl appearance. The Red Wolves—who will be competing in their 12th FBS bowl game—will take on Bowling Green (7-5, 6-2 MAC) at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 26, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala.  
 
Sun Belt West Division champion Louisiana (10-3, 7-1 SBC) is headed to the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, where it will make its seventh-straight and 12th all-time bowl appearance. The Ragin’ Cajuns will square off against TCU (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) at 2:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 28, at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M. The matchup will be the Sun Belt’s second all-time against an autonomy conference foe in Bowl Season, after 2023 Sun Belt champion Troy dropped a 17-10 game to Duke in last year’s 76 Birmingham Bowl. 

Sun Belt champion Marshall (10-3, 7-1 SBC) will make its eighth-straight and 20th all-time bowl appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. The Thundering Herd will face American Athletic Conference champion Army (11-1, 8-0 AAC) at 9:15 p.m. ET/8:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 28, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La. 
 
Texas State (7-5, 5-3 SBC) will round out the Sun Belt’s Bowl Season with its second-ever and second-straight bowl appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The Bobcats will take on North Texas (6-6, 3-5 AAC) at 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 3, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. 
 
Seven of the Sun Belt’s eight bowl games will be televised nationally on ESPN, with the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl airing on ESPN2. 
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• IS4S SALUTE TO SERVICE BOWL – For the third-straight season and fifth time since the program began in 2009, South Alabama is bowl bound. The Jaguars, who are 1-3 all-time in bowl games, will face Western Michigan in the IS4S Salute to Service Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The matchup, which will kick off the 2024-25 Bowl Season, will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite has now taken his team to Bowl Season in each of his three years as a head coach (Houston in 2017 & 2018, South Alabama in 2024). The Sun Belt paces all conferences with 10 IS4S Salute to Service Bowl appearances and five all-time victories. 
• BOCA RATON BOWL – James Madison will make its second-straight and second-all-time bowl appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl in just its third season as an FBS program. The Dukes—who are in search of their first-ever bowl win—will take on Conference USA runner-up Western Kentucky on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first-ever between the Dukes and Hilltoppers. This is the Sun Belt’s second appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl, where it is searching for its first victory in the contest. 
• R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL – For the seventh time in 10 years of eligibility and the sixth time over the past seven seasons, Georgia Southern is bowl bound. The Eagles, who are 3-3 all-time in bowl games, will square off against Sam Houston in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Georgia Southern is searching for its first bowl win under head coach Clay Helton in its first-ever meeting with the Bearkats. The Sun Belt leads all conferences with 24 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl appearances and 12 all-time bowl titles. 
• MYRTLE BEACH BOWL – Coastal Carolina will participate in Bowl Season for the fifth-straight year and the fifth time in program history in 2024. The Chanticleers, who are 2-2 all-time in bowl games, will face UTSA in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Monday, Dec. 23, at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first-ever clash between the Chanticleers and Roadrunners. The Sun Belt paces all conferences with four Myrtle Beach Bowl appearances and two all-time wins. 
• 68 VENTURES BOWL – Arkansas State will make back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since a string of nine-straight from 2011-19. The Red Wolves, who are 4-7 all-time in FBS bowl games, will take on Bowling Green in the 68 Ventures Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 26, at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Falcons won the lone prior matchup with the Red Wolves, 17-0 in 1974. The Sun Belt will be making its 15 appearance in the 68 Ventures Bowl, where it leads all conferences with 10 all-time bowl titles. 
• ISLETA NEW MEXICO BOWL – Sun Belt West Division champion Louisiana is bowl bound for the seventh-straight and 12th all-time season. The Ragin’ Cajuns, who own an official record of 5-4 in 11 prior bowl games, will square off against TCU in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 2:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first-ever between the Ragin’ Cajuns and the Horned Frogs and the Sun Belt’s second-ever against an autonomy conference foe in Bowl Season. This is the Sun Belt’s first-ever appearance in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl.  
• RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL – Sun Belt champion Marshall is bowl bound for the eighth-straight—second only to Memphis among non-autonomy conference programs—and 20th all-time season. The Thundering Herd, which is 13-6 all-time in bowl games, will face American Athletic Conference champion No. 22 Army in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 9:15 p.m. ET/8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. The matchup is the first between two conference champions in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl since the inaugural game in 1976 and is the first between the Thundering Herd and Black Knights since 1997. The teams have split two prior head-to-head clashes. This is the Sun Belt’s third all-time appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, where it is searching for its first win in the contest. 
• SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL – After making its first-ever bowl appearance a year ago, Texas State is bowl bound for a second-consecutive season. The Bobcats, who are 1-0 all-time in bowl games, will take on North Texas in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Friday, Jan. 3, at 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first meeting between the in-state rival Bobcats and Mean Green at the FBS level. North Texas leads the all-time series 7-29-3. This is the Sun Belt’s third all-time appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, where it is looking to maintain an unblemished record. 

 
WHERE TO WATCH
 

Date	Game	Time	Broadcast
Saturday, Dec. 14	South Alabama vs. Western Michigan	8:00 p.m.	ESPN
Wednesday, Dec. 18	James Madison vs. Western Kentucky	4:30 p.m.	ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 19	Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston	6:00 p.m.	ESPN2
Monday, Dec. 23	Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA	10:00 a.m.	ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 26	Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green	8:00 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 28	Louisiana vs. TCU	1:15 p.m.	ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 28	Marshall vs. No. 22 Army	8:15 p.m.	ESPN
Friday, Jan. 3	Texas State vs. North Texas	3:00 p.m.	ESPN

 
All Times CT