NEW ORLEANS — Four Sun Belt programs got off to 2-0 starts—App State for the second-straight year; Georgia State for the third time in program history; James Madison for the fourth time in five Sun Belt seasons; and Troy for the first time since 2013—and Coastal Carolina claimed the first win of the Ryan Beard era in Week 2 of the 2026 season.
App State remained unbeaten in FBS matchups with in-state foe East Carolina via a 27-24 victory over the Pirates—the Mountaineers fourth-straight in the series. Senior quarterback Malachi Singleton completed 20-of-28 passes for 267 yards and rushed for 1-of-3 App State touchdowns in the win. Two takeaways by the Mountaineer defense—a strip sack from senior Caleb Sandstrom, 1-of-2 sacks on the day for the defensive lineman, and a toe-tapping interception along the sideline from senior defensive back Dre Walker—proved pivotal.
Georgia State remained unbeaten against in-state rival Kennesaw State with a 31-17 victory, highlighted by a 101-yard rushing day from senior running back Lanear McCrary Jr. Fifth-year quarterback Cameran Brown joined McCrary in scoring a rushing touchdown, while amassing 62 rushing yards and 253 passing yards in the win. Panthers senior defensive back Deuce Lee recorded an interception to go along with a team-high five tackles.
Marshall used a 14-point fourth quarter to earn a come-from-behind 28-26 win over Middle Tennessee to stay undefeated against the Blue Raiders since joining the Sun Belt. The Thundering Herd stopped a two-point conversion attempt before an errant onside kick attempt bounced out of bounds in the final minute to seal the victory. Redshirt senior wideout Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw scored two touchdowns, while leading the Thundering Herd with 79 receiving yards. Redshirt senior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson completed 7-of-8 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a team-best 43 yards and a score. Defensively, redshirt sophomore linebacker Cannon Lewis amassed a career-high 14 tackles.
After carding eight wins over FCS opposition in Week 1, the Sun Belt added four more to its tally on Saturday, running its record to 12-0 against the subdivision and outscoring those opponents 600-87.
In front of a sold-out crowd of 25,028, James Madison accumulated 588 yards of total offense in a program record-setting 87-3 win over Wagner. Second-year wide receiver and return man Michael Scott stole the headline with 303 all-purpose yards, the fourth-most in a program history. He posted a 92-yard kickoff return, before adding 76 and 69-yard punt return touchdowns. Second-year running back Nick Herman rushed for a game-high 132 yards and two scores, while fifth-year running back George Pettaway punched in three touchdowns on a 52-yard day. Second-year wide receiver Miles Halbert also scored twice, blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown to open the Dukes scoring and adding a 44-yard fourth-quarter touchdown reception. With a team-high seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, fifth-year defensive back Ken Willis led the James Madison defensive unit that held Wagner to just 204 yards of total offense.
Behind a 127-yard, three-touchdown outing from third-year running back Jaheim Merriweather, Troy outpaced in-state FCS opponent Alabama State, 34-17. The Trojans are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2013. Third-year wideout TK Keyes caught five passes for 119 yards and a score. Four-year linebacker Keno Jones headlined a Troy defensive unit that held the Hornets to 221 yards of total offense, carding a team-high six tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Four defensive takeaways, including two returned for touchdowns, helped propel Arkansas State to a 52-7 win over West Georgia. Fourth-year defensive back Noah Flores returned a fumble 68 yards for a touchdown, while fellow four-year defensive back Five Hamilton carded a 91-yard pick six. Third-year quarterback Trey Owens completed 13-of-17 passes for 135 yards and two scores in the Red Wolves victory.
Coastal Carolina secured the first win of the Ryan Beard era with a 45-7 victory over Fordham. Chanticleers redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns—to three different pass-catchers. Senior Colton Hinton led all receivers with 101 receiving yards and a touchdown, as sophomore Dominic Lee-Knicely headlined the running backs with 45 rushing yards and two scores. The Chanticleers defense carded four takeaways—three interceptions and a fumble recovery—and senior kicker Nico Cavanillas Alti kicked a program-record 56-yard field goal in the win.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Quinn Henicle accounted for both Old Dominion touchdowns in a 44-21 loss to in-state opponent Virginia Tech that snapped the Monarchs seven-game winning streak dating back to Oct. 25, 2025. Henicle threw for a career-high 187 yards and rushed for a team-high 83, highlighted by a 76-yard fourth-quarter touchdown scamper. Redshirt junior linebacker Mario Thompson paced the defense with 11 tackles, while third-year defensive back Brandon Crutchfield and second-year linebacker Jackson Forrest each added eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack in defeat.
After holding the lead for three quarters, ULM was outscored 13-0 in the final stanza in a 26-20 loss to UAB. In his first career start, second-year quarterback Austin Carlisle rushed for a team-high 93 yards and a touchdown and threw for 56 yards. Fourth-year defensive back Jabari Tiller and four-year linebacker Noah Flemmings co-led the Warhawks with 11 tackles apiece, while fourth-year defensive back Carl Fauntroy posted eight tackles, a sack and an interception.
South Alabama jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead, but ultimately fell, 28-24, in a back-and-forth battle with Tulane. Senior wide receiver Brendan Jenkins caught a team-high nine passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, as the top target for fifth-year quarterback Bishop Davenport. Davenport completed 22-of-32 passes for 296 yards and two scores. Senior running back PJ Martin eclipsed the century mark for all-purpose yardage, while leading the Jaguars with 73 yards and a touchdown in the ground game.
Seventh-year quarterback Max Johnson connected with fifth-year wide receiver Ashton Hollins for a 42-yard touchdown in Georgia Southern’s 22-7 loss to Clemson. Johnson threw for 244 yards and Hollins caught five passes for a team-high 97 yards. With 13 tackles and a tackle for loss, fifth-year linebacker Rashon Myles Jr. paced the Eagles defense in defeat. Fourth-year defensive back Jakyri Jones added seven tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception.
Louisiana Tech’s defense forced four first-half turnovers, headlined by a 100-yard pick six from third-year defensive back Jordan McRae that allowed the Bulldogs to head to halftime trailing No. 8/8 LSU by just three points, 10-7. McRae’s 100-yard return was the longest interception or fumble return in Bulldogs program history. The Tigers pulled away after the break in an eventual 45-14 in-state win, but Louisiana Tech added another highlight when fourth-year quarterback Blake Baker found second-year wideout Jalen Mickens for a 67-yard touchdown shot in the fourth quarter. Mickens reached the 100-yard receiving plateau (101) for the second-straight week and McRae accumulated 11 tackles, a forced fumble and the highlight-reel interception. Third-year linebacker Alonzo Jackson Jr. registered a team-high 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in the losing effort.
Redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Hampton found redshirt junior running back Steven Robinson for the Golden Eagles lone touchdown just before halftime in a 43-8 loss to Auburn. Hampton threw for 146 yards and Robinson paced the Golden Eagles with 51 rushing yards to go along with his touchdown reception. On the defensive side of the ball, redshirt senior defensive back Laquan Robinson tallied a team-high 10 tackles in defeat.
A 21-point second quarter proved too much for Louisiana to overcome in a 49-30 loss to No. 14/14 USC. Redshirt junior quarterback Lunch Winfield accounted for three Ragin’ Cajuns touchdowns, throwing for 212 yards and a score and rushing for a team-high 91 yards and two touchdowns in defeat. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Russell Babineaux had a coming out party, catching a career-high six passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. With 13 tackles, redshirt senior defensive back Collin Jacob anchored the Ragin’ Cajuns defensive unit.
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 2 RESULTS
App State def. East Carolina, 27-24
James Madison def. Wagner, 87-3
Virginia Tech def. Old Dominion, 44-21
UAB def. ULM, 26-20
Troy def. Alabama State, 34-17
Arkansas State def. West Georgia, 52-7
Georgia State def. Kennesaw State, 31-17
Marshall def. Middle Tennessee, 28-26
Tulane def. South Alabama, 28-24
Coastal Carolina def. Fordham, 45-7
Clemson def. Georgia Southern, 22-7
No. 8/8 LSU def. Louisiana Tech, 45-14
Auburn def. Southern Miss, 43-8
No. 14/14 USC def. Louisiana, 49-30