NEW ORLEANS – All 10 Sun Belt Conference programs play their first conference action this week as the 2026 men’s soccer season charges on. No. 4 South Carolina (6-0-0, 0-0-0 Sun Belt) travels to Norfolk, Virginia, to take on No. 13 Old Dominion (7-0-0, 0-0-0) in the marquee matchup of the weekend.
Conference action officially begins Thursday, Sept. 17, as (RV) West Virginia (3-1-1, 0-0-0) hosts Georgia State (5-1-1, 0-0-0) in Morgantown, West Virginia, at 6 p.m. CT. The remaining four matches are all set for 6 p.m. CT kicks on Friday, Sept. 18. In addition to the top 25 battle, (RV) Marshall (2-1-1, 0-0-0) visits Kentucky (0-3-2, 0-0-0); Georgia Southern (4-1-1, 0-0-0) travels to Coastal Carolina (1-3-1, 0-0-0); and (RV) UCF (4-1-1, 0-0-0) heads to James Madison (2-4-0, 0-0-0).
All five matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
FEELING COCKY
South Carolina put the nation on notice earlier this season after knocking off No. 16 Clemson in the Palmetto Series in front of a record crowd at Stone Stadium. The Gamecocks did not stop there, picking up wins at No. 25 Charlotte and No. 14 High Point to move to 5-0-0 on the year. Now 6-0-0 on the campaign, the Gamecocks are ranked fourth overall in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll. The undefeated and untied start is the program’s best since 2003 and makes the 2026 squad the fifth in program history to start at least 6-0-0. Four weeks in, the Gamecocks look to shatter preseason expectations after being picked to finish sixth in the Sun Belt Conference preseason poll.
JUST KEEP WINNING (OR TYING)
Old Dominion holds the country’s longest unbeaten streak with 10 straight matches without a loss. The Monarchs, currently ranked No. 13 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, are 6-0-4 in their last 10 matches and last lost on Oct. 22, 2025. The Monarchs hold the nation’s best record with a 7-0-0 ledger heading into conference play. Thanks to its undefeated 2026 season, South Carolina is also among the teams with the longest unbeaten streaks in the country at six
games. The two undefeated heavyweights have a chance to snap one another’s streak on Friday, Sept. 17, as South Carolina visits Old Dominion for the Sun Belt Conference opener.
POLLIN’ POLLIN’ POLLIN’
Five Sun Belt Conference programs were listed in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll, the second-most of any Division I conference in the most recent poll. South Carolina and Old Dominion check in inside the top 25 with No. 4 and No. 13 rankings, respectively. A trio of Sun Belt teams are vying for representation in the Top 25 after receiving votes with Marshall, UCF and West Virginia all just outside the Top 25 grouping.
THE BEST IS IN THE BELT
The Sun Belt is well-represented among the NCAA statistical top 10s this season across multiple categories. Old Dominion leads the country in scoring offense (3.86 goals/game) and is tops in Division I with a +20 goal differential. UCF, thanks to star keeper Matisse Hébert, leads the country with a .833 shutout percentage as a team. And of course, South Carolina and Old
Dominion are tied for the best winning percentage (1.000). Other top 10 marks include ODU’s second-most total goals (27) and total points (77). The Monarchs are also third in points per game (11.0) and shots on goal per game (8.86); fourth in total assists (23) and fifth in shot accuracy (.590). West Virginia is sixth in corner kicks per game (8.40), Old Dominion sixth in assists per game (3.29), South Carolina seventh in goal differential (+12) and Georgia State seventh in save percentage (.878) and saves per game (6.14).
RPI SUPERSTARS
Six Sun Belt teams ranked inside the top 100 in the first RPI report of the 2026 season. South Carolina led the country with a No. 1 rating while Old Dominion ranked 10th. Georgia Southern (46th), Marshall (47th), West Virginia (54th) and UCF (57th) all were inside the top 60. Georgia State (102nd) and James Madison (113th) were just outside the top 100.
NATIONAL NOTICE
West Virginia forward Pablo Pozos is in the national spotlight after earning a spot on the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List earlier this year. He also notched in on the United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch listing and was ranked 53rd in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Preseason Top 100. UCF’s Takahiro Fujita also made the United Soccer Coaches listing and ranked 50th in TDS’s Top 100.
TITLE DEFENSE
Reigning Sun Belt regular season champion Kentucky is looking to turn things around after a 0-3-2 start to 2026. The Wildcats host (RV) Marshall in their first opportunity for a win this season. 2025 Sun Belt Tournament Champion UCF look to continue building on their 2025 momentum and 4-1-1 start to 2026 in a trip to James Madison.