This Week in the Sun Belt

It’s week two in the Sun Belt and after a 6-3 week (the best ever in week one for the league) we move on to the first weekend in September, which features two conference games. Texas State is off this week.

ARKANSAS STATE AT TENNESSEE (Saturday, 11am, SEC Network)—After a dominating win against Montana State(#19 in the FCS) last week, the Red Wolves venture to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. The victory is the 10^th straight win in a home opener for the Red Wolves. Arkansas State is now 17-2 in its last 19 games at home. Fredi Knighten made his first career start at quarterback and accounted for 323 yards in total offense. Luke Ferguson scored 13 points, including three field goals. Tennessee dominated Utah State 38-7 as Justin Worley threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Worley missed the final four games of last season with an injury. This will be the second-ever meeting between the two schools (Tennessee 48-27 in 2007).

SOUTH ALABAMA AT KENT STATE (Saturday, 1pm, ESPN3)—it’s the season opener for South Alabama, which started the season with an open date. This is the first time the Jaguars have opened the season away from home. This is the second game in a home and home series. South Alabama won their game against the Golden Flashes 38-21. Kent State is 0-1, falling in a league game to Ohio, 17-14 as the Bobcats kicked a 44 yard field goal on the last play of the game. Kent State lost the game despite having a 4-0 advantage in turnover margin. Kent State rushed for only 31 yards in the contest.

NEW MEXICO STATE AT GEORGIA STATE (Saturday, 1pm, ESPN3)—The Panthers notched their first –ever win as an FBS program with its last-second 38-37 win over Abilene Christian. Wil Lutz hit a 26 yard field goal as time expired. Georgia State rolled to a school record 566 yards in total offense in the contest. The Panthers converted two fourth down plays in their own territory in the final drive. Quarterback Nick Arbuckle threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns. New Mexico State’s defense was key in their season-opening 28-10 win over Cal-Poly as the Aggies allowed just 265 yards in offense---and only 27 yards in the second half. NMSU went into the game without having a single quarterback who had seen any action in an FBS game. But sophomore Tyler Rogers performed admirably, completing 18-27 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Larry Rose had 150 yards on 30 carries.

CAMPBELL AT APPALACHIAN STATE—(Saturday, 5pm, ESPN3)—App State trailed Michigan just 14-0 with four minutes to go in the first half. But the Wolverines got three touchdowns in a span of just over three minutes to take a 35-0 lead at the half, enroute to a 52-14 win. Redshirt freshman Terrance Upshaw had a great game in his first start, rushing for 109 yards on 18 carries. This is the first meeting between the Mountaineers and Camels in 83 years. Campbell dropped their opener to Charlotte, 33-9. App State has won 33 of its last 34 home games against in-state opponents.

SAVANNAH STATE AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN (Saturday, 5pm, ESPN3)—Georgia Southern suffered a tough loss last week, falling to North Carolina State 24-23. The Eagles led 17-3 at the half and 20-10 going into the fourth quarter, but the Wolfpack rallied as Jacoby Brissett threw for three second half touchdowns, including the game winner with just under 90 second left. Quarterback Kevin Ellison performed admirably for the Eagles, passing for 184 yards and rushing for 116 more in the loss. This will be Georgia Southern’s home opener in newly expanded Paulson Stadium. Savannah State was pummeled by Middle Tennessee, 61-7 in Murfreesboro last week. The Blue Raiders amassed 519 yards in offense, while Savannah State was held to just 229.

IDAHO AT UL MONROE (Saturday, 6pm, ESPN3)—The Warhawks are opening with two home games for the first time since 1996 and will look to go 2-0 for the first time since moving up to the FBS. ULM got a come from behind win against Wake Forest last week. Centarius Donald rushed for 117 yards on 26 carries. ULM held Wake Forest to a grand total of 94 yards total offense, including -3 rushing, as the ULM defense registered five sacks. Idaho traveled a long way for nothing, as the Vandals traveled three times zones to Gainesville, FL, only to have their game against Florida cancelled because of weather. It’s the third time in school history that Idaho has not played a game on the day in which it was scheduled (Idaho State, 1978, mechanical problems with ISU’s flight, and Montana, 2001 because of the 9/11 attacks.)

DUKE AT TROY (Saturday, 6pm, ESPN3)—If there was a game last week that was a stunner among Sun Belt teams, it had to be Troy’s 48-10 loss to a UAB team that went only 2-10 last year. The Trojans were outgained 490-272, including just 71 yards rushing. Two UAB players combined for more yards rushing (285) than the entire Troy offense (272). Troy won the turnover battle 2-1, but that was the only bright spot for Larry Blakeney’s club. Duke rolled over Elon, 52-13 as the Blue Devils rolled up 567 yards n offense. Anthony Boone threw for four touchdowns for David Cutcliffe’s squad.