NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana overcame a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to win the rematch of the 2024 Sun Belt Football Championship Game in double overtime, ULM snapped a 15-game losing streak to Arkansas State and James Madison ran for a program-record 331 yards against an FBS opponent to prevail in their respective conference openers. Behind standout quarterback play, Old Dominion and Southern Miss defended their home turf in their non-conference finales.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Lunch Winfield had a coming out party, as Louisiana avenged its loss in the rematch of the 2024 Sun Belt Football Championship Game with a 54-51 double-overtime victory over Marshall. Winfield accounted for five touchdowns—with four coming in the fourth quarter and overtime—while rushing for 129 yards and throwing for 125.
After Winfield hit redshirt junior wide receiver Charles Robertson for a 45-yard game-tying touchdown with 4:27 to play, Marshall manufactured a seven-play, 71-yard scoring drive capped by a 27-yard touchdown connection from redshirt junior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson to senior wide receiver Demarcus Lacey to retake the lead, 41-34. With 1:01 on the clock, Winfield manufactured a seven-play, 75-yard drive of his own in response, forcing overtime with a 24-yard touchdown strike to redshirt senior wide receiver Dale Martin with 16 seconds to spare.
Redshirt junior running back Zylan Perry—who rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns—needed just one play to score for the Ragin’ Cajuns in the first overtime, while a fourth-and-three conversion on a pass from Del Rio-Wilson to junior wideout Adrian Norton thwarted a potential Louisiana goal-line stand. Once Marshall was held to a field goal in the second overtime period, Winfield called his own number on four-straight plays, capped by the 10-yard game-winning touchdown run. Del Rio-Wilson completed 24-of-31 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, Lacey caught 10 passes for 146 yards and two scores and redshirt junior running back Michael Allen rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns for the Thundering Herd in defeat.
ULM overcame an early 10-0 deficit to snap a 15-game losing streak to Arkansas State with a 28-16 win, its first over the Red Wolves since 2009. The Warhawks scored on three-straight drives—the final two of the first half and the first of the second half—to take a 21-10 lead they would never relinquish. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Aidan Armenta threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns, while running backs senior Zach Palmer-Smith (84 yards, 1 touchdown) and redshirt junior Braylon McReynolds (73 yards, 1 touchdown) combined for 157 rushing yards and two scores. The Warhawks defensive unit tallied 11 tackles for loss, six sacks and two takeaways, holding the Red Wolves to just 17 rushing yards. An opening-drive, 32-yard pick six by junior defensive back Brandon Greil provided the initial spark for the Red Wolves, who also got 100-yard receiving days from wide receivers redshirt sophomore Chauncy Cobb (126 yards) and redshirt senior Corey Rucker (120 yards).
James Madison rushed for 331 yards—behind 100-yard performances from redshirt junior running back Wayne Knight (career-high 151 yards, 1 touchdown) and redshirt senior running back Jordan Fuller (137 yards, 1 touchdown)—in a 35-10 victory over Georgia Southern. The Dukes rushing total was the program record against an FBS opponent, while Knight and Fuller were the team’s first 100-yard rushing duo at the FBS level. James Madison got an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown from redshirt senior Curtis Harris-Lopez late in the first half and scored on its first two drives of the third quarter to put the game away. The Dukes defense accumulated 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks, while holding the Eagles to just 27 rushing yards. Senior linebacker Trent Hendrick paced the unit with 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. A second-straight 100-yard receiving day from senior wideout Cameron Brown (111 yards) headlined the Eagles efforts in defeat.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph completed 18-of-26 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns to lift Old Dominion to a 21-7 win over in-state foe Liberty. His top target—junior Ja’Cory Thomas—caught five passes for 114 yards, with two being explosive touchdown receptions. Joseph’s connections from distance, and the Old Dominion defense’s three takeaways, helped the Monarchs to withstand five empty trips into the red zone, including three first-half fumbles inside the Liberty 10-yard line in rain-soaked conditions.
Southern Miss never trailed in a 42-25 win over Jacksonville State. Redshirt junior running back Jeffery Pittman punched in the first two Golden Eagles touchdowns, as part of an 80-yard outing. Redshirt senior quarterback Braylon Braxton had a hand in the next three, rushing for the first just before halftime and throwing for a pair in the third quarter, on a day when he threw for 152 yards and added 41 more in the ground game. The second takeaway of the day by redshirt sophomore defensive back Ian Foster—a 49-yard pick six—provide the final Southern Miss touchdown. Foster also posted five tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in the Golden Eagles victory.
South Alabama opened with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive, but then conceded 21-straight points to allow North Texas to build a lead in an eventual 36-22 loss. Redshirt junior quarterback Bishop Davenport punched in the opening-drive touchdown on fourth-and-goal, as he accounted for two scores—one on the ground and one through the air, threw for 195 yards and rushed for 59 yards in defeat. Senior defensive back Christopher Wallace Jr. delivered a big hit to force a fumble, which the Jaguars recovered, and tallied a team-best and career-high 13 tackles.
On a day that the App State offense was held to just 65 passing yards after averaging 355.7 through its first three games, senior running back Rashod Dubinion rushed for 113 to headline the Mountaineer performances in a 47-14 loss to Boise State. Redshirt senior wide receiver Dalton Stroman and freshman running back Jaquari Lewis crossed the goal line for the Mountaineers, with Lewis’ touchdown being set up by a 45-yard punt return by freshman return man Juan Berchal.
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 5 RESULTS
North Texas def. South Alabama, 36-22
James Madison def. Georgia Southern, 35-10
ULM def. Arkansas State, 28-16
Old Dominion def. Liberty, 21-7
Southern Miss def. Jacksonville State, 42-25
Boise State def. App State, 47-14
Louisiana def. Marshall, 54-51 (2OT)