Bringing you news, notes, stats from both the playing field and classroom from the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt's South Alabama Jaguars Wins IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
The South Alabama Jaguars defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 30-23. It is the first of eight games the Sun Belt Conference teams will play in this bowl season.
The win improves South Alabama overall record to 7-6 on the season, while improving their bowl record to 2-3.
South Alabama's Bishop Davenport completed 15-of-24 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, add 85 yards on the ground on 11 carries and reach the end zone once. Redshirt Senior Jeremiah Webb totaled 200 all-purpose yards, 182 game through the air which established a new IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl record 182 receiving yards, while hauling in six passes, two of the passes went for scores. Crushed for a team high 130 yards, while running the rock 17 times and hit paydirt once.
On the defensive side of the ball Redshirt senior defensive back Jaden Voisin and redshirt sophomore linebacker Blayne Myrick co-led the Jaguar defensive unit with nine tackles and a tackle for loss each.
With only 1:11 left on the game clocy, South Alabama redshirt senior wide receiver Devin Voisin recovered an onside kick attempt which clinched the game for the Jaquars.
With the win, South Alabama improves to 7-6 on the season.
Eight Sun Belt programs will participate in Bowl Season in 2024, marking the third-straight year that it paces all non-autonomy conferences in bowl representation. The Sun Belt produced seven Bowl Season participants in 2022 and a conference-record and national-best 12 in 2023.
With Marshall’s 31-3 win over Louisiana in the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game, the conference boasts multiple 10-win teams for the seventh-straight season and for the fourth-straight year had multiple teams reach the mark prior to Bowl Season.
The Sun Belt owns a .571 Bowl Season winning percentage during the College Football Playoff era, trailing only the SEC (.584).
South Alabama (6-6, 5-3 SBC) is bound for the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl, where it will make its third-consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in program history. The Jaguars—who will be competing in their fifth all-time bowl game—will face Western Michigan (6-6, 5-3 MAC) at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.
James Madison (8-4, 4-4 SBC) will make its second-straight and second all-time bowl appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl. The Dukes will take on Conference USA runner-up Western Kentucky (8-5, 6-2 CUSA) at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla.
Georgia Southern (8-4, 6-2 SBC) is headed to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, where it will make its sixth bowl appearance over the past seven seasons. The Eagles—who will be competing in their seventh all-time bowl game—will square off against Sam Houston (9-3, 6-2 CUSA) at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La.
Coastal Carolina (6-6, 3-5 SBC) will make its fifth-straight and fifth all-time bowl appearance in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Chanticleers will face UTSA (6-6, 4-4 AAC) at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT on Monday, Dec. 23 at Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
Arkansas State (7-5, 5-3 SBC) is bound for the 68 Ventures Bowl, where it will make its second-straight bowl appearance. The Red Wolves—who will be competing in their 12th FBS bowl game—will take on Bowling Green (7-5, 6-2 MAC) at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 26, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
Sun Belt West Division champion Louisiana (10-3, 7-1 SBC) is headed to the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, where it will make its seventh-straight and 12th all-time bowl appearance. The Ragin’ Cajuns will square off against TCU (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) at 2:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 28, at University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M. The matchup will be the Sun Belt’s second all-time against an autonomy conference foe in Bowl Season, after 2023 Sun Belt champion Troy dropped a 17-10 game to Duke in last year’s 76 Birmingham Bowl.
Sun Belt champion Marshall (10-3, 7-1 SBC) will make its eighth-straight and 20th all-time bowl appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. The Thundering Herd will face American Athletic Conference champion Army (11-1, 8-0 AAC) at 9:15 p.m. ET/8:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 28, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La.
Texas State (7-5, 5-3 SBC) will round out the Sun Belt’s Bowl Season with its second-ever and second-straight bowl appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The Bobcats will take on North Texas (6-6, 3-5 AAC) at 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Jan. 3, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Seven of the Sun Belt’s eight bowl games will be televised nationally on ESPN, with the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl airing on ESPN2.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
IS4S SALUTE TO SERVICE BOWL – For the third-straight season and fifth time since the program began in 2009, South Alabama is bowl bound. The Jaguars, who are 1-3 all-time in bowl games, will face Western Michigan in the IS4S Salute to Service Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The matchup, which will kick off the 2024-25 Bowl Season, will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite has now taken his team to Bowl Season in each of his three years as a head coach (Houston in 2017 & 2018, South Alabama in 2024). The Sun Belt paces all conferences with 10 IS4S Salute to Service Bowl appearances and five all-time victories.
BOCA RATON BOWL – James Madison will make its second-straight and second-all-time bowl appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl in just its third season as an FBS program. The Dukes—who are in search of their first-ever bowl win—will take on Conference USA runner-up Western Kentucky on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first-ever between the Dukes and Hilltoppers. This is the Sun Belt’s second appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl, where it is searching for its first victory in the contest.
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL – For the seventh time in 10 years of eligibility and the sixth time over the past seven seasons, Georgia Southern is bowl bound. The Eagles, who are 3-3 all-time in bowl games, will square off against Sam Houston in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Georgia Southern is searching for its first bowl win under head coach Clay Helton in its first-ever meeting with the Bearkats. The Sun Belt leads all conferences with 24 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl appearances and 12 all-time bowl titles.
MYRTLE BEACH BOWL – Coastal Carolina will participate in Bowl Season for the fifth-straight year and the fifth time in program history in 2024. The Chanticleers, who are 2-2 all-time in bowl games, will face UTSA in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Monday, Dec. 23, at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first-ever clash between the Chanticleers and Roadrunners. The Sun Belt paces all conferences with four Myrtle Beach Bowl appearances and two all-time wins.
68 VENTURES BOWL – Arkansas State will make back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since a string of nine-straight from 2011-19. The Red Wolves, who are 4-7 all-time in FBS bowl games, will take on Bowling Green in the 68 Ventures Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 26, at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Falcons won the lone prior matchup with the Red Wolves, 17-0 in 1974. The Sun Belt will be making its 15 appearance in the 68 Ventures Bowl, where it leads all conferences with 10 all-time bowl titles.
ISLETA NEW MEXICO BOWL – Sun Belt West Division champion Louisiana is bowl bound for the seventh-straight and 12th all-time season. The Ragin’ Cajuns, who own an official record of 5-4 in 11 prior bowl games, will square off against TCU in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 2:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first-ever between the Ragin’ Cajuns and the Horned Frogs and the Sun Belt’s second-ever against an autonomy conference foe in Bowl Season. This is the Sun Belt’s first-ever appearance in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl.
RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL – Sun Belt champion Marshall is bowl bound for the eighth-straight—second only to Memphis among non-autonomy conference programs—and 20th all-time season. The Thundering Herd, which is 13-6 all-time in bowl games, will face American Athletic Conference champion No. 22 Army in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28, at 9:15 p.m. ET/8:15 p.m. CT on ESPN. The matchup is the first between two conference champions in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl since the inaugural game in 1976 and is the first between the Thundering Herd and Black Knights since 1997. The teams have split two prior head-to-head clashes. This is the Sun Belt’s third all-time appearance in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, where it is searching for its first win in the contest.
SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL – After making its first-ever bowl appearance a year ago, Texas State is bowl bound for a second-consecutive season. The Bobcats, who are 1-0 all-time in bowl games, will take on North Texas in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Friday, Jan. 3, at 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT on ESPN. The bowl matchup will be the first meeting between the in-state rival Bobcats and Mean Green at the FBS level. North Texas leads the all-time series 7-29-3. This is the Sun Belt’s third all-time appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, where it is looking to maintain an unblemished record.
WHERE TO WATCH
Date Game Time Broadcast
Saturday, Dec. 14 South Alabama vs. Western Michigan 8:00 p.m. ESPN
Wednesday, Dec. 18 James Madison vs. Western Kentucky 4:30 p.m. ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 19 Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston 6:00 p.m. ESPN2
Monday, Dec. 23 Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA 10:00 a.m. ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 26 Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green 8:00 p.m. ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 28 Louisiana vs. TCU 1:15 p.m. ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 28 Marshall vs. No. 22 Army 8:15 p.m. ESPN
Friday, Jan. 3 Texas State vs. North Texas 3:00 p.m. ESPN
All Times CT
South Alabama (6-6, 5-3 SBC) is bound for the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl, where it will make its third-consecutive bowl appearance for the first time in program history.
The Jaguars—who will be competing in their fifth all-time bowl game—will face Western Michigan (6-6, 5-3 MAC) at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. The game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN.
South Alabama was 1-of-4 Sun Belt programs in contention for the 2024 Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game heading into the final weekend of the regular season and is 1-of-8 Sun Belt teams bound for Bowl Season.
This is the third-straight year that the Sun Belt has led all non-autonomy conferences in Bowl Season participation. The Sun Belt has produced 27 Bowl Season participants over the past three seasons—seven in 2022, a conference-record and national-best 12 in 2023 and eight in 2024.
The conference owns a .571 Bowl Season winning percentage during the College Football Playoff era, trailing only the SEC (.584).
Nine Sun Belt student-athletes are among the record 203 semifinalists for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football’s premier scholar-athlete award,announced by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. The new highwater mark eclipses the 201 nominees in 2023.
Celebrating its 35th year, the award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
“These 203 semifinalists reflect not only exceptional academic and athletic talent but also the deep-rooted leadership that shows a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives, which is learned on the gridiron,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “The Campbell Trophy® continues to represent the pinnacle of what it means to be a scholar-athlete, and this year's candidates exemplify how football builds future leaders who will undoubtedly shape tomorrow's world.”
The Sun Belt’s semifinalists are App State senior tight end Eli Wilson, Arkansas State senior offensive lineman Jacob Bayer, Georgia Southern fifth-year offensive lineman Kyle Frazier, Georgia State redshirt senior defensive back Gavin Pringle, ULM senior offensive lineman Sam Carson, Old Dominion senior linebacker Jason Henderson, South Alabama redshirt senior defensive back Jaden Voisin, Southern Miss senior running back Chandler Pittman and Texas State senior offensive lineman Nash Jones.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the award must be a senior who will complete his final year of eligibility in 2024 or a graduate student or graduate transfer who has already earned a degree, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
"We are incredibly proud of this year's semifinalists, who embody the true spirit of the Campbell Trophy®," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of this prestigious award, their achievements remind us of the profound impact scholar-athletes have, not just on their teams, but on the communities they serve and the careers they pursue after football. The NFF Awards Committee will have an incredibly difficult task in selecting the finalists from this outstanding group of candidates."
The NFF will announce 12-14 finalists on Oct. 23, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 35th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.
Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 66th year in 2024. The awards were the first initiative in history to grant postgraduate scholarships based on both a player's academic and athletic accomplishments, and the NFF has recognized 922 outstanding individuals since the program's inception. This year's postgraduate scholarships will push the program's all-time distribution to more than $12.9 million. The Campbell Trophy® was first awarded in 1990, adding to the program's prestige. Past recipients include two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, two Heisman Trophy winners and nine first-round NFL draft picks.
2024 SUN BELT CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALISTS
Eli Wilson, App State (Sr., TE – Piedmont, S.C.)
Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State (Sr., OL – Grandview, Texas)
Kyle Frazier, Georgia Southern (5th Yr., OL – Augusta, Ga.)
Gavin Pringle, Georgia State (RS Sr., DB – Baltimore, Md.)
Sam Carson, ULM (Sr., OL – Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (Sr., LB – Dingmans Ferry, Pa.)
Jaden Voisin, South Alabama (RS Sr., DB – Crestview, Fla.)
Chandler Pittman, Southern Miss (Sr., RB – Magee, Miss.)
Nash Jones, Texas State (Sr., OL – Nacogdoches, Texas)
Sun Belt Pre Season Predictions
by George D'Alessandro
Lets first look at our Pre Season All Sun Belt Team
First team Second team
Offense
QB Jordan McCloud Teas State Joey Augliar App State
RB Ismail Mahdi Texas State Ja'Quez Cross Arkansas State
RB Jalen White Georgia Southern Kanye Roberts App State
WR Joey Hobert Texas State Jamaal Pritchett S. Alabama
WR Kaedin Robinson App State Derwin Burgess Georgia Southern
WR Kole Wilson Texas State Courtney Jackson Arkansas State
TE Kendall Karr Coastal Carolina Eli Wilson App State
T Makilan Thomas Arkansas State Nash Jones Texas State
T Nick Del Grande Coastal Carolina Thomas Shrader App State
G AJ Gillie Louisiana Eljiah Fisher ULM
G Daniel King Troy Pinchon Wimbley Georgia Southern
C Jacob Bayer Arkansas State Logan Osburn Marshall
K Mason Shipley Texas State Michael Hughes App State
Defense
DE Ben Bell Texas State Isaac Walker Georgia Southern
DE Jalil Cleamons S. Mississippi Jordan Lawson Louisiana
DT Justin Rhodes Georgia Southern Will Whitson Coastal Carolina
DT Tyqaze Leggs Marshall Denzel Lowery ODU
LB Jason Henderson ODU Nate Johnson App State
LB Marques Watson-Trent Georgia Southern K.C. Ossai Louisiana
LB Charles Willekes Arkansas State Justin Abraham Georgia State
CB Ethan Johnson App State Rasheed Reason ODU
CB Gavin Pringle Georgia State Ricky Fletcher S. Alabama
S Trevian Thomas Arkansas State Jordan Favors App State
S Jaden Voisin S. Alabama Kaleb Culp Texas State
P Ryan Hanson JMU Jack Martin S. Alabama
Player of the Year
Offense Defense
Ismail Mahdi Texas State Jason Henderson ODU
Teams strength and weakness are based upon returning starters
School Strength Weakness
Texas State 4 of 4 DB, QB, 4 of 5 O line 1 of 3 LB
Appalachian State 2 of 3 WR, 2 of 3 LB, QB 1 of 5 O line, 2 of 5 DB
Louisiana 4 of 5 O line, 3 of 4 DB 1 of 3 WR
Arkansas State 10 of 11 offense 2 of 4 DB, 2 of 4 D line
Coastal Carolina 3 of 5 DB, 3 of 5 O line 1 of 3 WR, 2 of 4 D line
Georgia Southern 4 of 4 D line, 2 of 2 Safeties 2 of 5 O line, 0 of 2 CB
Marshall Safeties 1 of 11 offense, 3 of 11 defense
James Madison 4 of 5 O Line, RB 3of 11 defense, WR's
Troy LB 2 of 11 offense, 0 of 4 DB
South Alabama DB, 2 of 3 WR 0 of 3 LB
Southern Mississippi 3 of 5 O Line 2 of 5 DB, 1 of 3 LB
Old Dominion QB, 2 of 3 WR 2 of 5 O Line, 0 of 4 DB
Georgia State 3 of 4 DB, 2 of 3 WR 1 0f 5 O Line, 1 of 3 WR
ULM 3 of 5 DB 2 of 11 Offense
Pre Season Prediction Records
School Conference Non Overall
w l w l w l
West
Texas State 6 0 5 1 11 1
Louisiana 5 1 3 3 8 4
Arkansas State 4 2 4 2 8 4
Troy 3 3 1 5 4 8
South Alabama 2 5 2 4 4 8
Southern Mississipp1 1 5 2 4 3 9
ULM 0 6 1 5 1 11
East
Appalachian State 6 0 4 2 10 2
Coastal Carolina 4 2 4 2 8 4
Georgia Southern 5 1 2 4 7 5
Marshall 3 3 4 2 7 5
James Madison 2 4 4 2 6 6
Old Dominion 1 5 1 5 2 10
Georgia State 0 6 2 4 2 10
Games to keep an eye on:
Marshall at Georgia Southern 10/12 This game will have serious bowl implications for the loser
Louisiana at Texas State 10/29 This Game will in all likelihood determine the champion of the West
Arkansas at Louisiana 11/9 Circle this game if Louisiana drop the game to Texas State this game could determine second in the West and bowl ramifications
Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina 11/23 This matchup could determine second in the East as well as bowl selection.