How Many Sun Belt Teams Will be Bowl Eligible?

Everyone in the Sun Belt Conference has played at least six games now.  And, now the speculation begins as to how many teams the league might be able to place in bowls.  Last year, the league had six teams with at least six wins.  Appalachian State and Georgia Southern were not eligible in their final year of transition to the FBS.  Texas State was left out of the bowl lineup.  This year, the Sun Belt has added an automatic tie-in (Cure Bowl) and has a backup agreement with the new Arizona Bowl.  And, with the addition of those two bowl games, it will be a surprise if a team at 6-6 or better is left out of a bowl.

Appalachian State is already bowl eligible.  Georgia Southern needs just one more win and they are heavily favored this weekend against Texas State.  New Mexico State has already been elimiated.  UL Monroe (1-6) is eliminated with another loss and they must have seven wins to be bowl eligible since they play at Hawai'i, giving them 13 games.  Troy is 2-5 and hasn't played Appalachian State or Georgia Southern yet.  Unless they win one of those, they aren't part of the discussion.

So, what about the other six teams?

ARKANSAS STATE (4-3):  The Red Wolves have beaten Louisiana and don't play Georgia Southern.  They will be underdogs in Boone NC on Thursday, Nov. 5.  The Red Wolves shouldn't need to get that one to be bowl eligible; they are double digit favorites against Georgia State in Jonesboro this weekend and will be favored in trips to Monroe and Las Cruces.  They still need to win two more, but shouldn't have an issue doing that.

SOUTH ALABAMA (3-4):  There's no sugar coating it.  Last week's loss to Texas State wasn't good.  USA still has to play the two league leaders and will be double digit underdogs in both.  That leaves no room for error.  They'll be favored against Idaho next week, but will still need to win in Atlanta and at home against Louisiana.  Doable?  Yes.  But the Jags need to get consistent in a hurry.

IDAHO (3-4)--The Vandals have won two in a row and will be a favorite at New Mexico State this weekend.  That gets Idaho to four wins and not even Vandals fans expected that.  But then it gets a little dicey.  Idaho hasn't played App State yet and they still have a trip to Auburn.  Again, no margin for error.  The big one is next Saturday at South Alabama.  They'll be an underdog but if they find a way to win it, that game against Texas State in Moscow becomes VERY interesting.

TEXAS STATE (2-4)--Just when we were ready to bury the Bobcats, they jumped up and bit South Alabama last week.  They've got a trip to Georgia Southern this Thursday and still have to go to Jonesboro.  But then the Bobcats get New Mexico State, Georgia State and ULM, all at home.  See that game in Moscow I just mentioned.  That could be a make or break for BOTH teams.  At the end of the season, that win over South Al could be the game that Bobcat fans look at as the turning point.

LOUISIANA (2-4)---The Cajuns don't play Georgia Southern and have already played Arkansas State.  They will be a big underdog against App State Thanksgiving weekend in Boone (brrrr).  Louisiana will be favored at home against New Mexico State and Troy, although the Trojans defense just keeps getting better.  Assuming they take care of ULM this weekend (never a sure bet, given the history), the Cajuns will need to split the two road games at Georgia State and South Alabama to get to six wins.  That isn't a definite.  Cajun fans are hoping they're not looking back at that Akron game when the season ends.

GEORGIA STATE (2-4)  Games at Arkansas State and Georgia Southern don't bode well for the Panthers.  But look at the other four games....They travel to Texas State, but get Louisiana, Troy and South Alabama at home.  There's no argument the Panthers are getting better and Nick Arbuckle should give everyone in the league pause.  Is it likely?  No.  Impossible?  No.  But chances are, Panthers' fans will be lamenting losses early to Charlotte and Liberty as the games that got away.