WEEK 7 CONFERENCE NOTES
NEW ORLEANS – For the second-straight week, three Sun Belt Conference games will be nationally televised in Week 7.
Georgia Southern at Old Dominion will air on ESPN2 on Thursday night, followed by a Friday night clash between App State and Coastal Carolina on ESPN2.
The top two teams in the Sun Belt East Division—James Madison and Georgia State—will square off on Saturday on ESPNU, with the Panthers looking for their first-ever win over the currently undefeated Dukes.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- IN THE COMMONWEALTH – Old Dominion will aim to extend its winning streak against Georgia Southern to four games when it hosts the Eagles at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, on ESPN2. The teams have split the all-time series, 3-3, though the Monarchs have won 3-of-4 as Sun Belt Conference opponents. The Eagles have been historically dominant against teams from the state of Virginia, owning a 26-9 all-time record, but have lost four-straight to Sun Belt opponents from the Commonwealth—James Madison and Old Dominion. Georgia Southern is 2-1 in three prior trips to S.B. Ballard Stadium.
- CROSSING THE BORDER — After opening its season with five games in the state of North Carolina, App State will cross the border for the first time when it visits Coastal Carolina for a 7:00 p.m. matchup on Friday, Oct. 16, on ESPN2. While the Chanticleers will be throwing it back to the ‘90s during their annual “Wait ‘Til You See This” game, they’ll look to build upon more recent success against the Mountaineers. App State leads the all-time series 7-5, but Coastal Carolina has proven victorious in five of the last six meetings since 2020, including four-straight.
- TUSSLE AT THE TOP – Despite being picked to finish at opposite ends of the Sun Belt East Division in the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Football Preseason Poll, Georgia State and James Madison enter Saturday’s nationally-televised matchup as the top two teams in the East Division standings. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. on ESPNU. The Dukes and Panthers boast the top two scoring offenses—41.8 points scored per game for James Madison and 39.4 for Georgia State—and scoring defenses—15.0 points allowed per game for James Madison and 19.0 for Georgia State—in the Sun Belt. The Dukes are 1-of-9 remaining undefeated teams in the country and the only one to hail from a non-autonomy conference. The Panthers lead the Sun Belt in both total offense, averaging 468.6 yards per game, and total defense, conceding just 301.0 yards per game. Both figures rank among the Top 30 in the nation. James Madison is 5-0 in the all-time series, but three of the games have been decided by just one possession.
- OUT WEST – Over the eight-year history of the Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship Game presented by Visit Pensacola, just two teams have earned the right to represent the Sun Belt West Division—Louisiana (5 times) and Troy (3 times). Those West Division juggernauts will meet for a 4:00 p.m. clash on Saturday, Oct. 17, on ESPN+. Louisiana leads the all-time series, 14-12. The possession battle will be key in a matchup that features 2-of-4 Sun Belt programs that rank among the Top 20 in the country in time of possession—Troy (4th, 34:37) and Louisiana (20th, 32:55). Arkansas State will also travel to West Division foe Southern Miss for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 17, on ESPN+. The Red Wolves and Golden Eagles will each attempt to snap recent losing streaks by securing their first conference victory of the season. Southern Miss leads the all-time series 11-4, but two of Arkansas State’s four victories have come over the past three seasons as Sun Belt Conference opponents.
- RIVALRIES RENEWED – A week after defeating in-state rival Louisiana for its first-ever Sun Belt Conference victory, Louisiana Tech will make the 35-mile trip to Monroe for the Radiance Technologies I-20 Showdown matchup with ULM at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, on ESPN+. With a victory, Louisiana Tech can also secure the first-ever Governor’s Cup, which will be awarded annually to the school with the best record in the regular-season series amongst Louisiana, ULM and Louisiana Tech. The Governor’s Cup was initiated by Louisiana governor Jeff Landry in 2026. Louisiana Tech claims a 30-13 lead in the all-time series with ULM, though the Bulldogs and Warhawks have not met on the gridiron since 2000.
WHERE TO WATCH
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