NEW ORLEANS — Georgia Southern and Louisiana Tech earned Week 9 victories in clashes atop the Sun Belt East and West Divisions to position themselves in the catbird seats with four weeks to play, while Troy handed James Madison is second-straight Thursday night overtime loss in a rematch of the 2025 Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship presented by Visit Pensacola. The Bulldogs, who are the last remaining unbeaten team in Sun Belt play, also clinched bowl eligibility for the third-straight season.
Troy rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit and third-year kicker Hayden Wolfe converted on a 27-yard field goal in overtime to stun James Madison, 24-21. The victory avenged a loss in last year’s Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship presented by Visit Pensacola and snapped an 11-game home winning streak for the Dukes. Troy’s defense forced five turnovers—including a program-record-tying three interceptions by fifth-year defensive back Justin Powe, headlined by a 37-yard pick-six. The Trojans defensive unit held James Madison scoreless over the final 38:41, with no stop bigger than fourth-year linebacker Keno Jones’ 4th-and-1 stuff at the 5-yard line in overtime. Jones led the team with 13 tackles and a fumble recovery.
James Madison scored touchdowns on its first three offensive possessions, with fifth-year running back Seth Cromwell finishing with a season-high 23 carries and 136 rushing yards in defeat.
Special teams propelled Marshall past Old Dominion, 36-23, as redshirt freshman kicker Jorge Diaz Nicholas converted on a program-record five field goals and redshirt senior return man Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw registered a 100-yard kick-six touchdown to end the first half. Turner-Bradshaw’s return of a missed field goal attempt was the first in Marshall program history and the fifth 100-yard touchdown all-time scored by the Thundering Herd. The Marshall defensive unit carded four takeaways, with redshirt junior defensive back Charles McCartherens having a hand in a pair of interceptions. Sophomore running back TJ Lester rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns on his first two touches of the game to headline the offensive effort.
Old Dominion redshirt junior quarterback Jaxon Potter threw for 329 yards, redshirt freshman wide receiver Josh Rodriguez amassed a career-high 143 receiving yards, redshirt sophomore running back Maurki James punched in two touchdowns and third-year defensive back Brandon Crutchfield added a pick-six in the losing effort.
Atlanta native sophomore wideout Clayton Coppock Jr. caught six passes for a career-high 100 yards and two touchdowns in a homecoming game, as Coastal Carolina earned a 31-20 road win over Georgia State. Redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey threw for 297 yards and three scores.
Georgia State freshman running back Qwantavius Wiggins accumulated 117 all-purpose yards, including a game-high 96 on the ground in defeat.
Louisiana Tech held South Alabama scoreless in the second half, en route to a 35-20 victory to stay unbeaten in Sun Belt play and extend its winning streak to five games. Fourth-year quarterback Blake Baker completed 10-of-16 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns, with two going to third-year wideout Marcus Calwise Jr. Bulldogs first-year running back Rayshun Hurt added 107 all-purpose yards with a career-long reception (67 yards) and rush (30 yards). Fourth-year defensive back Janard Lockhardt sealed the win with his ifirst interception as a Bulldog with 1:40 to play. Louisiana Tech is off to its first 4-0 conference start since 2019.
Senior wide receiver Anthony Eager caught a pair of touchdown passes and finished with 102 yards for South Alabama in defeat.
Southern Miss carded back-to-back wins for the first time this season, defeating ULM, 35-21. Running backs redshirt junior Steven Robinson (151 yards, 1 touchdown) and redshrt freshman Jamarice Wilder (104 yards, 2 touchdowns) each went over the century mark and found the end zone for a second-straight week–the first time two Golden Eagles recorded 100-yard performances in back-to-back games since 2016.
Fourth-year quarterback Aidan Armenta accounted for all three touchdowns for ULM—two passing and one rushing—on a 202-yard passing day in the loss.
Georgia Southern used four field goals from second-year kicker Tripp Bryant to secure its fourth-straight victory over its rival App State, 19-3, and take control of the Sun Belt East Division. Seventh-year quarterback Max Johnson threw for 318 yards, with third-year wide receiver Alex Taylor (93 receiving yards) and fifth-year wideout Josh Dallas (86 receiving yards) serving as his top targets. Third-year running back Taeo Todd punched in the game’s lone touchdown and the Eagles defense posted three takeaways—highlighted by a fourth-quarter goal-line interception by sixth-year defensive back Chance Gamble.
In a game where Georgia Southern possessed the ball for 43:54, App State fourth-year linebacker Colton Phares amassed 12 tackles—his second-straight double-digit tackle outing.
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 9 RESULTS
Troy def. James Madison, 24-21 (OT)
Marshall def. Old Dominion, 36-23
Coastal Carolina def. Georgia State, 31-20
Louisiana Tech def. South Alabama, 35-20
Southern Miss def. ULM, 35-21
Georgia Southern def. App State, 19-3