NEW ORLEANS — For the fourth time in five FBS seasons, James Madison started 4-0 after securing a fifth-straight Royal Rivalry win over in-state foe Old Dominion in the standalone Sun Belt conference opener in Week 4. 
 
App State, Georgia State, Louisiana and Marshall carry 3-1 records into conference play. 
 
A momentum-building, 100-yard kickoff return touchdown from junior return specialist Isaiah Stone propelled Georgia State to a 35-14 victory over Northern Illinois. The program-record return came one play after the Huskies’ game-tying touchdown early in the second quarter—Northern Illinois would not score again. Offensively, senior wide receiver Rodshaun Dorsey accumulated a career-best 114 receiving yards in his second-straight two-touchdown outing. Senior running back Lanear McCrary Jr. also went over the century mark with 111 rushing yards and found the end zone. The Panthers defense—paced by a two-sack performance from senior linebacker Xavier Esqillion—amassed 10 tackles for loss and six sacks.  
 
James Madison scored early and often in a conference-opening 46-20 win over in-state foe Old Dominion to remain unbeaten in Royal Rivalry bouts in Sun Belt play. Fourth-year quarterback Camden Coleman threw for 243 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers, while fifth-year running back George Pettaway led the ground attack with 110 yards on 16 carries. Defensively, the Dukes registered nine sacks to match the program’s FBS single-game record. Dukes seventh-year kicker Morgan Suarez made a career-high four field goals in the win and is 9-for-9 to open the 2026 campaign. A 105-yard receiving day from fourth-year wide receiver TJ Johnson headlined the Monarch performances in defeat. 
 
Behind a defensive stone wall that allowed just 137 yards of total offense, Louisiana outpaced Charlotte, 34-7, including scoring 24 unanswered second-half points. Sophomore defensive back Brent Gordon Jr. set the tone with seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, as the Ragin’ Cajuns conceded their lowest yardage total since Sept. 1, 2001, against Nicholls. Redshirt junior quarterback Lunch Winfield threw for 149 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 28 yards and another score. 
 
Third-year quarterback Trey Owens accounted for both Red Wolves touchdowns and fourth-year kicker Clune Van Andel kicked a 33-yard game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter as Arkansas State outlasted Kennesaw State, 17-14. Owens completed 24-of-31 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown and added 26 yards and a score in the ground game. Two Red Wolves—fifth-year linebacker Kam Moore with 13 tackles and second-year linebacker Joe Drew with 11 tackles—carded 10-or-more stops in the victory. 
 
Redshirt freshman kicker Jorge Diaz Nicholas drilled a 32-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to lift Marshall to a 36-35 win over FCS foe Gardner-Webb—the third-straight one-score victory for the Thundering Herd. A career-high 386 passing yards and three touchdowns from redshirt senior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson buoyed the Marshall offense in front of a homecoming crowd of 25,710 at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Familiar target redshirt senior wide receiver Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw caught seven passes for a career-high 131 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt senior running back Jo’Shon Barbie also found the end zone twice—once rushing and once receiving—in the victory. 
 
Coastal Carolina scored touchdowns on its final two drives of the first half to carry a 17-10 lead into the break of a standalone nationally-televised Thursday night contest against Liberty. The Chanticleers then conceded 24 unanswered second-half points to the Flames in a 34-17 loss. Redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a team-high 31 yards in defeat, while sophomore wideout Tristian Gardner led all receivers with four catches for 86 yards and a score. Defensively, redshirt senior defensive lineman Ibrahim Diawara carded two sacks and a forced fumble, while junior linebacker Se’Von McDowell recovered two fumbles. 
 
South Alabama scored three second-quarter touchdowns, but conceded 31 unanswered points to Kentucky in a 45-21 loss. Junior quarterback Jared Hollins threw for 266 yards and a career-best two touchdowns to leading receivers sophomore Jeremiah Thomas-Jones—who tallied six catches for a career-high 91 yards and a score—and senior Anthony Eager—who registered four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars defense recovered a pair of fumbles in the losing effort, with senior defensive back Cole Blaylock leading the unit with a career-high 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. 
 
Georgia Southern battled No. 25 Houston—the first autonomy conference opponent to play inside Paulson Stadium—but ultimately fell, 42-28. The Eagles scored 14 second-quarter points, with touchdown drives bookending a surprise onside kick that was recovered by fifth-year wide receiver Josh Dallas. Seventh-year quarterback Max Johnson completed 26-of-38 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns, including six connections with Alex Taylor for a season-high 119 yards and two scores. 
 
Southern Miss had a potential game-tying field goal blocked with 1:45 to play in a 24-21 loss to Tulane. Redshirt senior quarterback Landry Lyddy threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns, headlined by a pair of touchdown connections with redshirt senior wide receiver Mario Sanders. A fourth-quarter interception in the end zone by junior defensive back Landon Sylvie headlined the Golden Eagles defensive performance, before the Green Wave scored on the next two drives to accumulate 10 unanswered fourth quarter points in the come-from-behind victory. 
 
App State scored two touchdowns in just 1:47 of fourth-quarter game time—thanks to a surprise onside kick—to draw even with in-state foe NC State with 9:41 to play, before the Wolfpack salted away a 41-31 victory. The Mountaineers were led by senior quarterback Malachi Singleton, who threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore wideout Sam Pickett III led the receiving corps with 97 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while junior linebacker Carson Sloan paced the defense with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups.  
 
Troy led 10-7 at the break, but allowed 14 unanswered third-quarter points to fall, 21-10, to Utah State. Third-year defensive back Jamarion Keyes registered his first career interception and led the Trojans defense with a career-high nine tackles. Trojans sixth-year quarterback Goose Crowder connected with fourth-year wide receiver Howard Kinchen for the lone Troy touchdown on the day. Crowder threw for 226 yards and the touchdown, but also had three passes intercepted in defeat. 
 
A 28-point second quarter proved insurmountable, as ULM fell, 45-17, to Florida Atlantic. Fourth-year quarterback Aidan Armenta completed 23-of-29 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns—headlined by a 75-yard touchdown strike to third-year wideout LT Robinson, who finished with a team-high 79 yards in the Warhawks losing effort. 
 
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SUN BELT FOOTBALL – WEEK 4 RESULTS
Liberty def. Coastal Carolina, 34-17
Kentucky def. South Alabama, 45-21
Georgia State def. Northern Illinois, 35-14
Marshall def. Gardner-Webb, 36-35
No. 25 Houston def. Georgia Southern, 42-28
James Madison def. Old Dominion, 46-20
Louisiana def. Charlotte, 34-7
Arkansas State def. Kennesaw State, 17-14 
Tulane def. Southern Miss, 24-21
NC State def. App State, 41-31
Utah State def. Troy, 21-10
Florida Atlantic def. ULM, 45-17