NEW ORLEANS — Coastal Carolina won the lone Sun Belt Conference matchup of Week 4, while James Madison brought home the trophy from the inaugural Battle of the Blue Ridge matchup with in-state foe Liberty to headline the Sun Belt’s non-conference results. 
 
Coastal Carolina scored 17 points off three takeaways—including a 13-yard scoop and score by redshirt junior linebacker Tray Brown on a strip sack by senior defensive lineman Noah Arinze—in a 38-20 victory over South Alabama. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Tad Hudson threw for 112 yards and two touchdowns and tacked on a third score on the ground. Chanticleers junior running back Ja’Vin Simpkins carried the ball nine times for a season-high 84 yards and a touchdown. His counterpart—Jaguars sophomore running back Keenan Phillips—rushed for a season-high 104 yards on 13 carries for South Alabama in defeat.
 
Redshirt junior quarterback Alonza Barnett III accounted for three touchdowns, as James Madison outpaced in-state foe Liberty, 31-13, in the inaugural Battle of the Blue Ridge matchup. Barnett completed 17-of-25 passes for 213 yards and a score and rushed for 45 yards and the final two touchdowns, as the Dukes scored 21 unanswered points over the final 18:32 in the rivalry win. Redshirt junior running back Wayne Knight (89 yards, 1 touchdown) and redshirt senior running back Ayo Adeyi (87 yards) combined for 176 yards in the ground game, while redshirt junior defensive lineman Aiden Gobaira had a coming out party with his first two career sacks for the Dukes.
 
Troy scored 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points in a come-from-behind 21-17 win at Buffalo. The Trojans used a nine-play, 50-yard drive—capped by a 20-yard touchdown run up the middle by junior running back Tae Meadows with 45 seconds to play—to secure the victory. In the decisive fourth quarter, the Trojans defense held the Bulls to just 57 yards over four drives. The unit was led by seniors Devin Lafayette—with a team-high nine tackles—and Jordan Stringer—with eight tackles and two tackles for loss. In his first start of the season, junior quarterback Tucker Kilcrease had a hand in 2-of-3 Troy touchdowns, throwing for 148 yards and a score and rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown. 
 
ULM scored on four of its first five possessions and withstood a fourth-quarter comeback bid in a 31-25 win over UTEP. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Aiden Armenta threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns, while redshirt junior running back Braylon McReynolds led the ground attack with 107 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. An interception by redshirt senior defensive back David Godsey Jr. with 30 seconds remaining halted the Miners comeback bid and cemented the ULM victory. 
 
An extended weather delay could not slow down the Marshall Thundering Herd in a 42-28 victory over Middle Tennessee. Redshirt junior quarterback Carlos Del-Rio Wilson completed 18-of-22 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns and ran for a fifth score. Senior wideout Demarcus Lacey erupted for a season-high 166 all-purpose yards and a touchdown, while redshirt junior tight end Toby Payne secured a pair of touchdown grabs. 
 
Georgia Southern compiled 516 yards of total offense in a 45-17 win over Maine. Senior wide receiver Dalen Cobb ran for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass and nearly threw for a touchdown on a 44-yard completion to senior wide receiver Camden Brown, who was brought down inside the 1-yard line. Brown linked up with senior running back OJ Arnold on a 12-yard touchdown reception to post a career-high 118-yard receiving performance and become the second Eagle to catch a touchdown pass in four-straight games. With five tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, redshirt junior defensive lineman MJ Stroud led the Eagle defensive output. 
 
Texas State ran for all five of its touchdowns in a 35-3 victory over Nicholls, with redshirt freshman quarterback Brad Jackson punching in a pair to go along with a 180-yard passing day. With 31,500 fans on hand—the fifth-largest crowd in UFCU Stadium history—running backs redshirt senior Lincoln Pare, redshirt senior Torrance Burgess Jr. and sophomore Greg Burrell also found the end zone for the Bobcats. 
 
Despite a combined 188 rushing yards and three touchdowns from redshirt junior running back Zylan Perry (110 yards, 2 touchdowns) and redshirt sophomore running back Bill Davis (78 yards, 1 touchdown), Louisiana was edged by Eastern Michigan, 34-31. A 10-yard touchdown run from Perry knotted the game up with 47 seconds to play, but Eastern Michigan needed just 41 seconds to set up the game-winning 42-yard field goal. A 35-yard pick six from redshirt senior defensive back Courtline Flowers highlighted the Ragin’ Cajuns defensive performance. 

After falling behind 21-0, Arkansas State nearly completed the comeback in a 28-21 loss to Kennesaw State. Junior quarterback Jaylen Raynor had a hand in all three Red Wolves scores, throwing for 226 yards and two touchdowns and adding the third in the ground game. His top target was redshirt sophomore wide receiver Hunter Summers, who caught eight passes—including a touchdown snare—for a career-high 114 yards. 
 
Though redshirt senior quarterback Braylon Braxton threw for 392 yards and two touchdowns, Southern Miss was unable to erase a 30-10 halftime deficit in an eventual 30-20 loss to Louisiana Tech. Redshirt senior wide receiver Carl Chester hauled in four receptions for 118 yards, while sophomore linebacker Chris Jones led the defense with a career-best 14 tackles in defeat. 
 
Georgia State could not keep No. 20/23 Vanderbilt’s offense at bay in a 70-21 loss to the Commodores. Redshirt senior quarterback TJ Finley completed 22-of-35 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns and redshirt junior quarterback Cameran Brown connected on 9-of-13 attempts for 82 yards and a score for the Panthers. 
 
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 4 RESULTS
Troy def. Buffalo, 21-17
James Madison def. Liberty, 31-13
Eastern Michigan def. Louisiana, 34-31
Kennesaw State def. Arkansas State, 28-21
Georgia Southern def. Maine, 45-17
Coastal Carolina def. South Alabama, 38-20
Louisiana Tech def. Southern Miss, 30-20
Texas State def. Nicholls, 35-3
No. 20/23 Vanderbilt def. Georgia State, 70-21
ULM def. UTEP, 31-25
Marshall def. Middle Tennessee, 42-28