Now, JMU will enter another critical Sun Belt East matchup when it visits Georgia Southern. The Eagles are 4-2 and 2-0 in league play while the Dukes are 5-1 and 1-1. Whoever wins this contest will sit atop the division.

How To Watch JMU-Georgia Southern

The game kicks off at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday and will air on ESPN+.

JMU-Georgia Southern Betting Odds

JMU is a 10-point college football betting odds favorite.

JMU-Georgia Southern Coaches & Overall Records

JMU: Bob Chesney (5-1)

GSU: Clay Helton (62-40 overall, 16-16 at GSU)

Last meeting: Oct. 13, 2023; JMU won 41-13.

This is only the third meeting between these programs this century. Before winning last year’s matchup, JMU had lost eight straight to the Eagles.

JMU Preview

It’s surprising JMU isn’t 6-0 heading into this game.

Following the Dukes’ upset defeat to ULM two weeks ago, they bounced back with a dominant win over Coastal Carolina. They controlled the contest from start to finish and led 29-7 at the half. The 39-7 final score could have been a much wider margin. 

While we’ve seen plenty from JMU’s offense this season, its defense made a statement against Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers entered the game averaging 38.4 points per game but found no offensive traction last week. There was only one possession where CCU ran a play on JMU’s side of the field. 

Following that performance, JMU allows just 16.3 points per game, which ranks first in the Sun Belt and is tied for the 15th best mark in the FBS. The Dukes allow 316.2 total yards per game and have surrendered just 11 touchdowns on the season. 

JMU’s defense has been much more physical than opposing offenses for most of the year. The Dukes have disrupted their opponents’ rushing attack — allowing just 107 YPG and four TDs on the ground — and have made opposing QBs beat them through the air. Last week, CCU starting quarterback Ethan Vasko was 5 for 18 with two interceptions, including a pick-six from Lloyd Summerall III. JMU’s defense is firing on all cylinders. 

The offense is just as dangerous with QB Alonza Barrett III leading the way. Barrett has 1,781 total yards, 20 total touchdowns, and just one interception this season. Five different pass catchers have double-digit receptions for the Dukes. JMU is averaging 39 points per game.

Georgia Southern Preview

Things looked bleak for Georgia Southern last week as it entered the fourth quarter trailing Marshall 23-3. 

The tide quickly changed, though, when GSU forced a safety early in the fourth quarter and then went on to force three turnovers and score three TDs in the final seven minutes of the game. It will likely be one of the more improbable comebacks we’ll see this season. 

GSU’s defense made big plays down the stretch last week, but overall it has struggled this season. The Eagles’ 474 yards allowed per game ranks last in the Sun Belt, and they’re also allowing 30.5 points per contest. A bright spot on this side of the ball  has been linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, who leads the league with 55 total tackles. He also has 4.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. 

Following a Week 1 outburst where the Eagles scored 45 points against Boise State, I expected their offense to be potent like it was last season. That hasn’t entirely been the case, but it hasn’t struggled by any means. GSU is averaging 30 points and 368.7 yards per game. 

The ground game has been a weak spot for this offense, and if the Eagles want to pick up an upset win over JMU, they’ll need to find some success on the ground and avoid being one dimensional. Quarterback JC French is averaging 219 passing YPG and has seven TD passes to two interceptions. 

Outside of a 39-point loss to Ole Miss, the Eagles have played well this season and have a pair of quality wins over Nevada and Marshall.

JMU-Georgia Southern Prediction

I predict JMU will win and cover the 10-point spread. 

The comeback from the Eagles last week was great, and I’m sure it’ll give them a ton of momentum going into this week. However, with the way JMU played last week, I can’t picture the Dukes taking their foot off the pedal. 

I think Barnett will be successful against GSU’s defense and the Dukes’ defense will continue to be disruptive.

The post Sun Belt Game of The Week: JMU at Georgia Southern Prediction & Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

But things haven’t gone as smoothly for Southern Miss since then. The Golden Eagles went 3-9 in 2023 and have begun this season 1-5 with their only victory being against FCS Southeastern Louisiana.

That’s led many to wonder how much longer Hall will stick around before the program goes in another direction. If Hall isn’t the head coach at Southern Miss in 2025, here are some coaches (in no particular order) who could replace him.

Jacksonville Jaguars Running Backs Coach Jerry Mack

Mack has experience as a head coach and a coordinator. He’s recruited in the area and has familiarity with the Sun Belt, so he would be a good fit here.

Before going to the Jaguars, Mack was Tennessee’s running backs coach from 2021-23. Last year, the Volunteers were 10th in the country with 204.8 rushing yards per game. Leading rusher Jaylen Wright was among the 45 running backs in the country to rush for at least 1,000 yards.

Previously, he was an associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Rice. He’s also been a head coach at North Carolina Central, a wide receivers coach at South Alabama and Memphis, an OC and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Central Arkansas, and a wide receivers/tight ends coach at Jackson State.

With a resume like his, Mack would deserve to be a head coaching candidate for the Golden Eagles.

SMU Offensive Coordinator Casey Woods

Woods is a successful coordinator at a current Power Four school who has coaching experience in the Sun Belt.

The Mustangs were eighth in the FBS in scored points per game (38.7) and 16th in yards per game (454.9) in 2023, their last year in the AAC. SMU, which is now ranked 21st in the AP Top 25 and is 5-1 as a member of the ACC, was 15th in the country with 40.8 points per game scored going into Week 8 of this season.

Previously, Woods was a tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Missouri. He’s also been an assistant at UAB and Auburn.

Woods coached wide receivers and was a recruiting coordinator at Arkansas State in 2012 when the Red Wolves went 10-3, earned a Sun Belt title, and won the GoDaddy.com Bowl.

If Woods were interested in a head coaching job, Southern Miss would be smart to consider him.

Indiana Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines

Haines followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, and he has been stellar as the Hoosiers’ DC thus far.

Going into Week 8, Indiana was in the top 15 in the FBS in terms of scoring defense (14.8 points allowed per game) and total defense (255.7 yards per game allowed).

Before his current job, he was instrumental in JMU’s transition to the Sun Belt. He was promoted to DC and linebackers coach after three years as a co-defensive coordinator there.

In just their first season as an FBS program, the Dukes allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game in the country with 290.2 while allowing just 20.9 points per game. They were also top 10 in rushing defense, tackles for loss per game, first downs allowed, sacks per game, third down defense, and fumble recoveries.

In 2023, JMU was in the top 20 in the FBS with 19.5 points per game allowed and the top 30 in the country with 333.8 yards per game allowed.

Before JMU, Haines worked with linebackers under Cignetti at Elon and was a linebackers coach at UC Davis before that in 2016.

Haines knows defense and the conference, so he could be a good fit for Southern Miss.

UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion

Marion is in just his second season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator. He’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience in the eastern part of the country.

In 2023, UNLV was 44th in the FBS with 412.7 yards per game and 22nd with 34.4 points per game. The Rebels have continued to be successful on offense this season, even after quarterback Matthew Sluka decided to sit out the rest of the year.

Before this, Marion was a passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022, a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 2021, a wide receivers coach at Hawaii in 2020, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary in 2019, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard in 2017 and 2018, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016. 

Marion’s name has been tied to a few head coaching vacancies the past couple years. The expertise he brings could benefit Southern Miss.

Alabama Tight Ends Coach Bryan Ellis

Ellis has only been at Alabama for less than a year. But if he were willing to leave for an FBS head coaching opportunity, Southern Miss might make sense.

Last season, when Ellis was an offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern, the Eagles were in the top 50 in the country with 30.2 points and 419.5 yards per game. And that was a down year compared to the other teams he’s worked with.

In 2022, which was Ellis’ first as Georgia Southern’s OC and QBs coach, the Eagles were in the top 20 in the FBS with 466.7 yards per game and scored 32.7 points per game.

Before that, Ellis was Western Kentucky’s co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach. In 2021, the Hilltoppers were second in the country with 44.2 points per game and 535.3 yards per game while leading the FBS with 433.7 passing yards per game.

He was WKU’s OC and quarterbacks coach from 2019-20 and was an assistant there from 2014-16. From 2017-18, he worked with quarterbacks at USC. 

Ellis obviously knows the Sun Belt well and how to develop high-flying offenses, so he would be a good candidate for Southern Miss.

The post Will Hall Hot Seat: 5 Candidates For Southern Miss Football’s Head Coach Replacement appeared first on HERO Sports.

Coastal Carolina was ranked No. 23 in 2022 and JMU was ranked No. 24 last season. The Dukes have gotten the better of the Chanticleers since joining the Sun Belt and were victorious in both meetings. JMU outscored CCU by a combined 82 points in the wins. College football betting odds had the Chanticleers as a favorite in both.

Now, both teams enter this week at 4-1 but CCU is 1-0 in league play while the Dukes are 0-1 after last week’s critical loss to ULM. This will be an important game for these Sun Belt East foes that features the top two scoring offenses in the league.

How To Watch Coastal Carolina-James Madison

The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday and will air on ESPN2.

Coastal Carolina-James Madison Betting Odds

JMU is currently an 8.5-point favorite.

Coastal Carolina-James Madison Coaches & Overall Records

CCU: Tim Beck (12-6)

JMU: Bob Chesney (4-2)

Last meeting: Nov. 25, 2023; JMU won 56-14.

This will be the fifth meeting between these schools, and the Dukes hold a 3-1 advantage.

Coastal Carolina Preview

Yes, the Chanticleers are 4-1, but I don’t think they’ve played a very tough schedule. I would argue their most difficult matchup came last week against a 1-4 Old Dominion team that was playing with its backup redshirt freshman quarterback. There aren’t any impressive wins on CCU’s resume — so far. 

That could change this week if the Chants pick up a road win at Bridgeforth Stadium. If they want to do that, they’ll likely need to find ways to slow down JMU’s offense just as ULM did last week. CCU currently allows 29.6 points and 395 yards per game. It has given up 80 total points in its last two outings. 

There’s a chance this game turns into a shootout, and outscoring the Dukes might be the way the Chanticleers win this game. Their 38.4 PPG rank second in the conference, and they’ve had a lot of success rushing the ball, averaging 197 YPG with 11 rushing touchdowns. Running back Christian Washington has been the lead guy, averaging 62.6 YPG with four rushing scores.

Dual-threat quarterback Ethan Vasko has been a good game manager and is averaging 220 passing YPG and has seven passing TDs to two interceptions. He’s added 220 yards and two scores on the ground. One thing that Vasko and the Chants do well is control the clock and play at their own pace. Their 31 minutes, 21 seconds of average time of possession ranks third in the conference. 

Controlling the game will be key this week.

James Madison Preview

The high-powered JMU offensive attack came to a screeching halt last week in its loss to ULM. After scoring 133 points over its previous two games, the Dukes could only muster 19 in the defeat. Surprisingly, it’s not the lowest total of the season. They scored 13 in a seven-point win over Gardner-Webb in Week 2. 

JMU’s biggest win so far this season came at North Carolina when it erupted for 53 first-half points. Behind that effort, the Dukes are averaging 39 points and 442.8 yards per game. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III is one of the early candidates for Sun Belt Player of the Year and is averaging 313.8 total YPG to go with 16 total touchdowns and just one interception. 

The Dukes have the top scoring defense in the conference, allowing just 18.2 points per game. Their rushing defense also ranks first (113.6 YPG). They should pose problems for CCU’s rushing attack and force Vasko to beat them with his arm. That’s good news for JMU, which is tied for the most interceptions in the FBS with 10, led by Terrence Spencers’ three picks. They’re also tied for the most takeaways with 15.

One thing the Dukes struggled with last week was field position. They started inside their own 20 seven different times, and the only possession that didn’t start inside their own 20 in the second half came at their own 25 following a ULM score. Forcing some turnovers should help JMU earn better field position this week.

Coastal Carolina-James Madison Prediction

I predict James Madison will win by 10 points and pull away late behind some defensive stops. 

The Dukes will be hungry following last week’s loss, and I think the Chanticleers have caught some breaks this season. That should catch up to them this week.

The post Sun Belt Game of The Week: Coastal Carolina at James Madison Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

Now looking forward, here are the top Sun Belt prospects who could be chosen in the 2025 NFL Draft, which begins on April 24 and goes on until April 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

NFL Draft Sun Belt Big Board

The post 2025 NFL Draft: Sun Belt Big Board & Top Prospects appeared first on HERO Sports.

The Dukes had defeated North Carolina and were 4-0 going into Sun Belt play. They appeared to be in a good position to make the College Football Playoff as a Group of Five team.

But that changed when they lost to ULM 21-19. JMU’s season is far from over, but the Dukes don’t have much margin for error moving forward if they still want to win the Sun Belt.

They’ll next have to take on Coastal Carolina, which has proven to be a solid G5 team as well.

Coastal Carolina vs. JMU Betting Odds

Coastal Carolina is a +9.5 college football betting odds underdog against JMU, with the Over/Under being 61.5.

The moneyline for Coastal Carolina is +275, while it’s -350 for JMU.

Coastal Carolina vs. JMU On TV

The matchup between Coastal Carolina and JMU will be televised on ESPN2.

The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 10. The contest is taking place at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Coastal Carolina vs. JMU Prediction

I predict JMU will win but Coastal Carolina will cover the spread at +9.5. I also project the game will go Under 61.5 total points.

JMU is the better team, in my mind, which is why I think the Dukes will win. But they’ve also been in unnecessarily close games, so I don’t think Coastal Carolina is looking at a blowout loss, either.

Coastal Carolina is 4-1, with its only loss being against Virginia, for a reason. The Chanticleers have scored 40 or more points in three of their five games, and their defense has often done enough to set them up for wins.

But JMU’s defense, I expect, will have an answer for CCU. Aside from North Carolina, JMU hasn’t allowed anyone to score more than 21 points and has given up just over 10 points per game to their four other opponents. The Dukes should be disciplined and stout on that side of the ball once again.

The key for JMU, as has been the case all season, will be quarterback Alonza Barnett III. He hasn’t been consistent, but I think he’ll shine in this matchup and lead the Dukes to a win.

The post Coastal Carolina vs. JMU Prediction, Betting Odds & How To Watch appeared first on HERO Sports.

The Dukes defeated Ball State 63-7 in their last game. A week before that, they pulled off a 70-50 upset over North Carolina. After their offense struggled in their first couple games, they have been brilliant on that side of the ball.

They have a chance to continue their dominance as they go on the road to begin Sun Belt play against ULM, a program which has shown progress this season after its own coaching change.

JMU vs. ULM Betting Odds

JMU is a -16.5 college football betting odds favorite against ULM, with the Over/Under being 47.5.

The moneyline for JMU is -800, while it’s +550 for ULM.

JMU vs. ULM On TV

The matchup between JMU and ULM will be televised on ESPNU.

The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 5. The contest is taking place at Malone Stadium in Monroe, Louisiana.

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JMU vs. ULM Prediction

I predict JMU will win and cover the -16.5 spread. I also project the game will go Over 47.5 total points.

I respect what ULM has done so far this season. After winning just two games all of last year, the Warhawks have already improved on that and are 3-1 overall with their only loss being against Texas. They most recently defeated Troy 13-9.

So while I do think ULM is tough defensively, having allowed a total of just 29 points in its three wins, I believe JMU’s offense is even better.

JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III has thrown for five touchdowns in both of his last two outings. I also think this JMU defense is respectable, as the Dukes have allowed 20 points in their three games which weren’t against North Carolina.

Maybe this contest is close early on and even going into halftime. But I think JMU is capable of winning by three touchdowns.

The post JMU vs. ULM Prediction, Betting Odds & How To Watch appeared first on HERO Sports.

The strong start includes a 13-9 victory on the road against Troy last week, where the Warhawks scored in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard Ahmad Hardy run to take the lead for good. The Trojans had two more possessions to respond, but ULM held them to just five total yards on those drives. It was the second victory for the Warhawks as an underdog this season. 

College football betting odds had ULM as a 6.5-point underdog against Troy. It was an 11.5-point underdog in a 32-6 win over UAB two weeks ago. The Warhawks’ only loss was against Texas.

It was almost fitting for head coach Bryant Vincent that ULM had its way with UAB.

Vincent served as the interim coach for the Blazers in 2022 when Bill Clark resigned prior to the season. The Blazers went 7-6 that year and picked up a win in the Bahamas Bowl. However, Vincent was passed on for the permanent position and UAB instead rolled with Trent Dilfer, who has since lost the trust of some UAB faithful.

ULM isn’t an easy place to win. Coaches have struggled to have consistent success with a program that doesn’t have a ton of resources or funding. The early success in the Vincent era has to be refreshing for the program and the school. The Warhawks have already surpassed their Over/Under preseason win total of 2.5 games and have already won more games than they did last season. 

A lot of the early success for the Warhawks can be attributed to their defense. It ranks second in the Sun Belt, allowing 20 points and 325.5 yards per game. The Warhawks have been dominant in the turnover department, already securing six turnovers on the season.

Defensive back Wydett Williams Jr. has been making plays all over the field and is tied with a team-high 34 total tackles. He’s added one sack, two interceptions, and one pass breakup. Defensive end Billy Pullen has been living in opposing backfields and already has 3.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss to go with a forced fumble. 

Things will only get more difficult for the Warhawks, and especially this defense, as they meet a red-hot James Madison team this weekend. JMU has scored 133 combined points in its past two games. To say this defense will be tested is an understatement.

ULM has only been to a bowl game once in program history, which was in 2012 when it went 8-5. That was the best mark during its time as a Division I program. It would be a long shot to say that the Warhawks could get close to eight wins this season, especially considering their difficult conference slate, but perhaps an eight-win season is in the near future if this program can find its footing under Vincent.

Could the Warhawks reach a bowl game, though? As it looks right now, I think there are two more games that they have a shot at winning — against Southern Miss next week and at Arkansas State on Nov. 23. If they manage to squeak out wins in those two contests, then they’d need a big time upset to reach bowl eligibility. 

It’s not impossible. Stranger things have happened.

The post ULM Football: The Warhawks Are Enjoying Their Best Start In A Decade appeared first on HERO Sports.

There’s hardly a more entertaining or competitive league than the Sun Belt. The conference provides some of the best football, not just in the Group of Five, but across the entire sport. This week features a few league-wide matchups that will be intriguing, but the Sun Belt Game of the Week takes us to Huntington, West Virginia. 

How To Watch App State-Marshall

The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN+.

App State-Marshall Betting Odds

Marshall is currently a three-point favorite.

App State-Marshall Coaches & Records

App State: Shawn Clark (37-20)

Marshall: Charles Huff (24-19)

Last meeting: Nov. 4, 2023; App State won 31-9.

These teams have met five times since 2002, and the home team has won each meeting.

App State Preview

The Mountaineers’ game against Liberty last week was canceled because of the impacts from Hurricane Helene. Unfortunately, Boone and the surrounding areas were severely damaged by the storm.

App State was coming off a 48-14 loss to South Alabama, and I think we would have learned a lot about this team. They bounced back from a big loss to Clemson with a win over East Carolina already.

We’ll see how the Mountaineers’ defense performs this week. Through five weeks, they rank last in the league in total defense, giving up 35.8 points per game, and their 453.8 yards per game allowed ranks second to last.

App State has been OK getting to the opposing quarterback (eight sacks), and it has four turnovers on the season. Not great, but it’s one turnover a game. The biggest issue has been giving up the big plays. They should be able to do a better job of that this week, as Marshall’s offense isn’t the most explosive.

Joey Aguilar was tabbed as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year, but the quarterback hasn’t played up to those standards despite leading the league in passing yards per game with 307.5. His completion percentage is 56.7% and he’s tossed six touchdowns to three interceptions.

A big reason for Aguilar’s slow start has been the subpar play from App State’s offensive line, which only brought back one starter and has been struggling this year.

Marshall Preview

Following a pair of Power Four losses to Virginia Tech and Ohio State, the Thundering Herd bounced back last week with a 27-20 win over Western Michigan. The Herd escaped an upset when WMU QB Hayden Wolff overthrew his wide receiver in the end zone on the final play of the game. The Broncos had the ball at Marshall’s 7-yard line. 

Marshall’s defense has been strong this season despite playing those two high-powered offenses. The Herd are currently allowing 25.8 points per game, which ranks fourth in the Sun Belt. They are giving up 369 yards per game but only 175 YPG through the air. 

The pass defense will be key going up against Aguilar, as the Mountaineers haven’t been much of a threat on the ground this season. 

Marshall running back AJ Turner leads the conference in rushing with 95.4 YPG but has only found the end zone once. QB Stone Earle has 537 passing yards on the year to go with seven TDs and one pick. Christian Fitzpatrick and Elijah Metcalf both have double-digit receptions and three TD receptions.

The Herd’s defense is led by linebacker Jaden Yates and defensive back JJ Roberts. Yates leads the team with 36 total tackles and Roberts has 31. Roberts was the HERO Sports Defensive Player of the Week.

App State-Marshall Prediction

I predict that App State will find a way to overcome its struggles and at least cover the spread and might even pick up a win.

Like I mentioned above, there’s plenty of adversity that the Mountaineers will be facing, but I think they have the leadership from both players and coaches to find a way to get it done.

The post Sun Belt Game Of The Week: App State at Marshall appeared first on HERO Sports.

However, App State has not met expectations, and the hype for this matchup is not what we hoped it would be. It still may be close, however. College football betting odds have Liberty as a 3.5-point favorite. 

But instead of that meeting being the Sun Belt Game of the Week, we’ll pivot to a rivalry which is an in-conference and in-state matchup.

In the inaugural Georgia Grown Bowl — and “Modern Day Hate” — Georgia Southern will make the three-hour drive from Statesboro to Atlanta to face Georgia State in what should be a fun Sun Belt clash. This contest features two teams in this week’s HERO Sports G5 Top 25.

How To Watch Georgia Southern-Georgia State

The game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET and will air on ESPNU.

Georgia Southern-Georgia State Betting Line

Georgia State is currently a 3.5-point favorite.

Georgia Southern-Georgia State Coaches & Records

Georgia Southern: Clay Helton (60-40, 14-16 at GASO)

Georgia State: Dell McGee (2-1)

Last meeting: Oct. 26, 2023; Georgia Southern won 44-27

The Eagles have the 6-4 advantage in this series.

Georgia Southern Preview

Quarterback JC French won the starting job prior to the season and has played well in his first four starts. The sophomore tossed two touchdown passes in each of the Eagles’ first three games but failed to throw any in last week’s 52-13 loss to Ole Miss, where he also threw his first interception of the season. That’s refreshing for an offense which saw QBs toss 20 interceptions in 2023.

Outside of that Week 1 outburst where the Eagles scored 45 points in a loss to Boise State, the offense really hasn’t had much going for it, though. In fact, they’ve combined to score 44 points over their last three games. The offensive line hasn’t been the greatest and has given up nine sacks on the year while the Eagles are averaging just 89 yards per game on the ground, which ranks second-to-last in the league.

The Eagles’ defense hasn’t been very stout this season, although it has played a pair of high-powered offenses in Boise State and Ole Miss. This will be a better gauge for the defense as it matches up against a Panthers team that is averaging just 24 points per game. Georgia Southern is allowing 34.8 PPG and a league-worst 518.5 YPG.

Marques Watson-Trent has been one of the best linebackers in the league so far this season and leads the Eagles with 35 total tackles.

Georgia State Preview

The Panthers have gotten off to a decent start in Dell McGee’s first year at the helm. Especially considering he wasn’t named the head coach until the spring.

After a 23-point loss to Georgia Tech in Week 1, GSU picked up a pair of close wins, including a victory over Vanderbilt two weeks ago. Panthers QB Christian Veilleux took GSU on a game-winning, 75-yard drive with 1 minute, 14 seconds remaining for the 36-32 victory in that game. 

Now, off a bye week, GSU should be well rested and eager to pick up another big win. 

Wide receiver Ted Hurst has been Veilleux’s best target and caught the game-winning touchdown against Vandy. Hurst ranks fourth in the conference with 79 receiving yards per game, and his three TDs rank third. Running back Freddie Brock has been another weapon for the Panthers offense and is averaging 76.7 YPG on the ground, which is fourth-best in the Sun Belt. 

We’ll see how GSU’s defense fares this week and if it can see some improvement from the first three weeks of the season. The Panthers are allowing 29.3 points per game and 395.7 YPG. They gave up 21 points to an 0-3 Chattanooga squad that only scored a combined six points in its other two contests.

Starting cornerback Izaiah Guy and linebacker Justin Abraham were both injured against Vanderbilt and may miss this week’s game. Abraham is second on the team in tackles (17) and Guy has two pass breakups and a fumble recovery on the year.

Georgia Southern-Georgia State Prediction

I predict Georgia State will win but will not cover the spread. 

The Panthers may not have the most prolific offense, but they’ve proven they have some decent weapons. With the way Georgia Southern’s defense has played this season, I don’t trust the Eagles to get enough stops to prevent the Panthers from winning a close one.

The post Sun Belt Game of The Week: Georgia Southern At Georgia State Preview appeared first on HERO Sports.

Last week’s Sun Belt Game of the Week also featured a Sun Belt team vs. an AAC team when East Carolina hosted Appalachian State. The Mountaineers prevailed in a 21-19 bout. College football betting odds had them as a 1.5-point favorite.

This is the toughest non-conference game on Louisiana’s schedule while Tulane has already played a pair of AP Top 25 programs and came up short in both. If it wasn’t for a suspect call from the refs, Tulane might be sitting at 2-1 with a win over Kansas State instead of at 1-2. Louisiana enters this contest at 2-0.

How To Watch Tulane-Louisiana

The game kicks off at noon ET and will air on ESPNU.

Tulane-Louisiana Betting Odds

Tulane is currently a three-point favorite.

Tulane-Louisiana Coaches & Records

Tulane: Jon Sumrall (1-2 at Tulane, 24-6 overall)

Louisiana: Michael Desormeaux (13-14)

Last meeting: Dec. 15, 2018; Tulane won 41-24.

Tulane is 23-6 in this series.

Tulane Preview

Tulane found a way to make things interesting against Oklahoma when a pick-six from Tyler Grubbs put the Green Wave behind 24-19. Those were Tulane’s final points, however, and Oklahoma won 34-19.

Despite the 15-point loss, the Green Wave proved for the second consecutive week that they can compete with Power Four programs. They’re much better than their 1-2 record. A tough non-conference schedule can do that to you. 

If it’s one thing we’ve learned about the Green Wave this season, it’s that they’re tough and play that same brand of football as Jon Sumrall’s teams while he was at Troy. This squad is going to be prepared and show up ready to play. 

One surprise was redshirt freshman Darian Mensah’s emergence to take over the No. 1 quarterback spot after he was expected to be No. 3 on the depth chart entering fall camp. It wasn’t too long ago that Mensah was doing damage on the scout team before earning the nod. He’s had some mistakes, but he’s also had some elite throws. He currently has 713 passing yards and five touchdowns to two interceptions. 

The Green Wave have a solid defense with playmakers and NFL prospects at all levels. It played well in both losses and will only get better.

Louisiana Preview

While we know a lot about Tulane right now, this Ragin’ Cajuns squad is still somewhat of a question mark. Louisiana has faced a light schedule thus far with wins over Grambling State and Kennesaw State. 

This was expected to be one of the best defenses in the Sun Belt and is an experienced group. This week will be the Ragin’ Cajuns’ toughest test so far, so we’ll find out how solid this defense really is although it’ll be difficult to match the quality of defenses the Green Wave have played the last two weeks. One thing I’m surprised by is that UL has only forced one turnover in its two wins.

Ben Wooldridge won the starting quarterback job for the Ragin’ Cajuns over who many thought would be the starter in Chandler Fields. Wooldridge missed most of last season while Fields started eight games. Wooldridge has passed for 497 yards and four TDs this season. We haven’t seen much else from the rest of the UL offense, with the carries being spread out — three players have 10-plus — and with no player having more than eight receptions on the roster. 

Tulane-Louisiana Prediction

I predict Tulane will win the game and cover the 3.5-point spread. 

The Green Wave are frustrated. They let two consecutive upsets slip away after giving themselves a chance to win both. Unfortunately for the Ragin’ Cajuns, I think they’re going to be the victim of a Tulane redemption game. 

Like I mentioned, there’s still a lot to learn about this Louisiana team, but we can expect the Green Wave to show up to play. This team is too good to go on a three-game losing streak.

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