The natural reaction is to just pick the same two teams to once again meet in the Sun Belt Championship. And while picking defending champion Troy and Coastal Carolina to again compete in the championship game isn’t going out on a limb, it’s also far from certain.
Troy is the defending champion after beating Coastal Carolina 45-26 in last year’s Sun Belt championship, and the Trojans remain a viable contender. So does Coastal Carolina, but there should be plenty of challengers.
James Madison would be a contender, but the Dukes are still ineligible to compete for the championship since this is their second year in the league and the NCAA rule requires a team to sit out from competing for the conference title two years in making the transition from FCS to FBS. JMU is only eligible for a bowl game in 2023 if it has a .500 or better record and there are not enough qualifying teams to fill available bowl slots.
South Alabama, Marshall, Appalachian State, and Georgia Southern are among the other teams that can make some serious Sun Belt noise.
Odds To Win The Sun Belt Via BetMGM
| Team | Odds |
| Troy | +300 |
| South Alabama | +325 |
| Coastal Carolina | +500 |
| Marshall | +700 |
| Louisiana | +800 |
| Appalachian State | +850 |
| Georgia Southern | +2000 |
| Georgia State | +3500 |
| Southern Miss | +4000 |
| Arkansas State | +5000 |
| Texas State | +6600 |
| Old Dominion | +8000 |
| ULM | +10000 |
JMU is not eligible to win the Sun Belt title due to NCAA FCS-to-FBS transition rules.
Place College Football Wagers at BetMGM!
Sun Belt Win Totals Via BetMGM
| Team | Win Total |
| James Madison | 8.5 |
| Troy | 8.5 |
| Coastal Carolina | 7.5 |
| Louisiana | 7.5 |
| Marshall | 7.5 |
| South Alabama | 7.5 |
| Appalachian State | 6.5 |
| Georgia Southern | 6.5 |
| Georgia State | 5.5 |
| Southern Miss | 5.5 |
| Arkansas State | 4.5 |
| Texas State | 4.5 |
| Old Dominion | 3.5 |
| ULM | 3.5 |
Best Players In The Sun Belt
TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYER: QB Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina — This is not exactly going out on a limb, especially since McCall is a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year. He (6-3, 215) has completed 70.6% of his career passes for 8,086 yards and has rushed for 1,065 yards. McCall was originally in the transfer portal but pulled out, a major victory for first-year coach Tim Beck.
TOP DEFENSIVE PLAYER: LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion — The 6-1, 225-pound Henderson led the FBS with 186 tackles and in tackles per game (15.5) He broke the Sun Belt single-season record for tackles. Henderson also recorded 10 tackles for loss. A junior, Henderson has accumulated 264 tackles in his first two seasons.
TOP NFL PROSPECT: RB Frank Gore Jr., Southern Mississippi — Last season Gore (5-8, 195) rushed for 1,382 yards (6.1 avg.) and nine touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 221 yards. Gore is the highest-ranked G5 player on drafttek.com’s list of NFL prospects at No. 131. His father, Frank Gore, rushed for exactly 16,000 yards and 81 touchdowns during his NFL career.
HERO Sports’ Sun Belt Predicted Order of Finish
EAST
1. Coastal Carolina
2. James Madison
3. Marshall
4. Appalachian State
5. Georgia Southern
6. Georgia State
7. Old Dominion
WEST
1. Troy
2. South Alabama
3. Louisiana
4. Southern Mississippi
5. Texas State
6. Arkansas State
7. Louisiana Monroe
Sun Belt Championship Prediction
Troy
There very well can be a rematch between Troy and Coastal Carolina in the title game. Troy could have the conference’s best defense, while Coastal Carolina, with McCall at controls, could have the best offense.
We’ll go with Troy as our pick to win it all.
Troy was 19th nationally in total defense last year, allowing 326.7 yards per game. The Trojans should have one of the best pass rushes, led by defensive end T.J. Jackson and linebacker Richard Jibunor. Jackson (6-1, 262) was a First Team All-Sun Belt choice after recording 14.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles. Jibunor (6-3, 222) had 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
More consistent quarterback play will be needed after Gunnar Watson threw 14 TD passes, but 12 interceptions.
For more Group of Five coverage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Coastal Carolina should have one of the best offenses in the Sun Belt, where McCall will have experienced receivers, led by Sam Pinckney (71 receptions, 996 yards, 3 TDs) and Jared Brown (49 receptions, 789 yards, 6 TDs). The defense will have to improve after allowing 31.8 PPG, which was 110th nationally. LB JT Killen is one of the leaders after recording a team-high 96 tackles last season.
An elite defense against a similarly skilled offense should make these two schools the favorite to return to the championship game.
Yet one team that continues to gain momentum is South Alabama. The Jaguars went 10-3 last year, their best season since moving from FCS to FBS in 2012. This is a team that will be exciting on offense, led by QB Carter Bradley. Last year in his first season at South Alabama after transferring from Toledo, Bradley (6-3, 216) threw for 3,326 yards and 28 touchdowns, both school records. RB La’Damian Webb (5-7, 208) rushed for 1,063 yards (5.1 avg.) and 13 touchdowns while catching 21 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. South Alabama tied Troy with a 7-1 record in the West, only to lose the head-to-head matchup, 10-6.
Despite being ineligible for the conference title, James Madison will be a formidable team. The Dukes must replace QB Todd Centeio, the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. Jordan McCloud, who had 23 career starts at South Florida and Arizona, is a top contender for the starting spot.
Louisiana, Marshall, Appalachian State, and Georgia Southern can’t be counted out in a league with plenty of firepower and balance.
Marshall, which beat Notre Dame last year, welcomes back 13 starters from a 7-6 team that won its final five games. Louisiana, which returns only three defensive starters, may have to rely on its offense early, but the Ragin’ Cajuns still look to improve on a 6-7 season that ended with a 23-16 loss to Houston in the Independence Bowl. Appalachian State which didn’t earn a postseason berth during a 6-6 season, ending a seven-year run, will be motivated to begin another streak. RB Nate Noel is a player to watch after rushing for 2,240 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
