WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 2
Virginia Tech at Old Dominion 6:00 p.m. ESPNU
Saturday, Sept. 3
UNC at App State 11:00 a.m. ESPNU
Norfolk State at Marshall 2:30 p.m. ESPN3
Troy at No. 21/24 Ole Miss 3:00 p.m. SECN
Nicholls at South Alabama 4:00 p.m. ESPN3
Texas State at Nevada 4:30 p.m. Nevada Sports Net
Morgan State at Georgia Southern 5:00 p.m. ESPN3
Middle Tennessee at James Madison 5:00 p.m. ESPN+
Grambling State at Arkansas State 6:00 p.m. ESPN3
Army at Coastal Carolina 6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Southeastern Louisiana at Louisiana 6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Liberty at Southern Miss 6:00 p.m. ESPN+
Georgia State at South Carolina 6:30 p.m. ESPN+/SECN+
ULM at No. 18 Texas 7:00 p.m. Longhorn Network
All Times CT
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Four programs will play their first games as members of the Sun Belt Conference this weekend—each in front of a home crowd. Old Dominion will host Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, on ESPNU; Marshall welcomes Norfolk State to campus at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN3; James Madison squares off against Middle Tennessee at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN+; and Southern Miss takes on Liberty at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN+.
TOUGH TESTS
Four Sun Belt teams will open their 2022 campaigns against teams that are ranked or receiving votes in both national polls. App State—which received votes in both national polls itself—will host in-state foe receiving votes UNC at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPNU; Troy will visit No. 21/24 Ole Miss at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on SEC Network; Georgia State will travel to receiving votes South Carolina at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN+ and SEC Network+; and ULM will take on No. 18 Texas at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on Longhorn Network.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Three of the Sun Belt’s 14 non-conference matchups in Week 1 are the first-ever meetings between programs. Georgia Southern will host Morgan State at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN3; Coastal Carolina will welcome Army to the Surf Turf at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN+; and Georgia State will visit South Carolina—where head coach Shawn Elliott spent seven seasons on staff—at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.
BEST OF THE WEST
Since the inception of the Sun Belt Football Championship Game in 2018, there has been a consistent representative from the Sun Belt West Division—the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. The four-time defending West Division champions will open their 2022 campaign at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, when they take on in-state foe Southeastern Louisiana on ESPN+. The Ragin’ Cajuns earned their first outright Sun Belt Conference title in program history in 2021 and carry the nation’s longest winning streak at 13 games into the 2022 season.
UNDER CENTER
The Sun Belt is home to two of the Top 15 active FBS leaders in passing efficiency. Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall—a two-time Sun Belt Player of the Year—tops the list at 196.1, while Texas State’s Layne Hatcher—a transfer from Arkansas State—is tied for 13th on the list at 155.0.
