This Week in the Sun Belt

The Sun Belt features four games this weekend, and all of them are league games.  Louisiana and Arkansas State have the weekend off after their Tuesday night matchup and Georgia State is off as well.  Three of this week's games are on Saturday...but all eyes will be on Boone, NC on Thursday.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN (5-1, 3-0) at APPALACHIAN STATE (5-1, 2-0) (-6.5)  Thursday, 6:30pm, ESPNU -- The Sun Belt gets to showcase what, this season anyway, has been their two best teams as the Eagles and Mountaineers fight for a share of first place with 3-0 Arkansas State.  The Eagles won easily in Statesboro last year 34-14, but App State has had great success at home over the past years, having won 72 of their last 86 at "The Rock."  The two teams rank 1/2 in the league in ten different statistical categories.  App State has to play both Arkansas State and Louisiana, but get them both at home.  GS doesn't play either team.

UL MONROE (1-5, 0-2) at IDAHO (2-4, 1-2)(+1 1/2)  Saturday 4pm ESPN3 -- Idaho got its first road win since 2011 last week with a surprisingly defensive 19-16 win over Troy.  They take on a banged up ULM squad that got steamrolled by Appalachian State last week.  Neither fan base is particularly happy right now.  Someone's fan base is going to be even less happy come Saturday night.

SOUTH ALABAMA (3-3, 1-1) at TEXAS STATE (1-4, 0-1) (-3 1.2)--6pm ESPN3--If history has anything to say about it, Texas State will play league foes tough the rest of the way now that they have their annual whipping at the hands of the Cajuns out of the way.  Still, it's a bit of a surprise the Bobcats are a favorite against a South Alabama team that had Arkansas State on the ropes until self-destructing in the fourth quarter.  This is a big game for the Jaguars as they strive to get to the six win mark.  Both teams had last weekend off.

TROY (1-5, 0-2) at NEW MEXICO STATE (0-6, 0-2) (+6)  7pm, ESPN3--Both teams have banged up quarterbacks,but New Mexico State has still managed to put up some points.  While Troy has struggled offensively, stopping ANYONE has been an issue for the Aggies.  New Mexico State will definitely be without Tyler Rogers while the status of Troy's Brandon Silvers is up in the air.  Both teams are in dire need of a win, if for no other reason than to be able to smile for one of the few times all season.