WEEK 11 GAME SCHEDULE
Thursday, November 7
App State at Coastal Carolina 7:00 p.m. ESPN
SERIES HISTORY
Series Record (Streak):……………………………………………………………………………………………………….3-7 (W2) at Coastal Carolina (Streak):………………………………………………………………………………………………2-1 (W2) at Troy (Streak): …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………1-6 (W1) Neutral Sites (Streak):………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. N/A Last Meeting:…………………………………………………………………………………….CCU, 27-24 (10/10/23 at APP)
Appalachian State Notes
TOP STORYLINES
• With back-to-back home wins against Sun Belt East Division foes in the first two games at Kidd Brewer Stadium since the arrival of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27, App State looks for its 100th win as an FBS program when it travels to face another East Division foe in Coastal Carolina. • A week before a 28-20 win vs. ODU, App State’s 33-26 win vs. Georgia State on Oct. 26 was the first game in Boone in 37 days — and first Saturday game there since the Aug. 31 opener. After playing a Thursday home game vs. South Alabama on Sept. 19, days of nonstop rain before the storm and Helene’s subsequent impact led to the cancelation of the Sept. 28 home game vs. Liberty. The Mountaineers played back-to-back road games before having a bye on Oct. 19. • On Oct. 17, App State announced that the final three home games in Boone would be played as originally scheduled. The university reopened Oct. 11 and resumed classes Oct. 16. • In recent weeks, the volunteer efforts among coaches, staff members and players from coach Shawn Clark’s program have included unpacking and organizing donated goods at a local church and loading supplies/generators onto helicopters from a humanitarian aid organization. • App State’s defense had four takeaways (three fumble recoveries, plus a last-minute interception of a fourth-down pass) and five sacks in the win vs. ODU, which also committed a turnover on downs in its own territory thanks to a fourth-and-1 stop. The Monarchs totaled 498 yards of offense but kicked two 25-yard field goals inside the 10 and had only 24 rushing yards on 14 attempts after halftime. Defensive linemen Joshua Donald, Michael Fletcher and Shawn Collins combined for 4.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. • App State had a different leading rusher in five straight games, with Kanye Roberts gaining 148 yards at Louisiana and Ahmani Marshall posting 115 vs. Georgia State, before Marshall made it back-to-back 100-yard games with 120 yards on a career-high 23 carries vs. ODU. • Averaging 283.8 passing yards per game (No. 13 in FBS, No. 3 among G5 programs) with 18 TD passes this season, QB Joey Aguilar is the nation’s only returning FBS QB who had 33-plus TD passes and 3,700-plus passing yards in 2023. His 15 TD passes to either tie a game or give his team a lead led the country in 2023, and he has six more of those TD passes in 2024. • App State has one of the top QB/WR combos in the country, as Kaedin Robinson ranks 10th nationally and 1st in the Sun Belt at 95.5 receiving yards per game. After tying for the Sun Belt lead last year with 10 TD receptions while catching 67 passes for 905 yards, he has been App State’s receiving yardage leader in all eight games in 2024. That includes three 100-yard games.
MORE STORYLINES
• App State is 98-34 since starting 1-5 in its 2014 FBS debut. The only teams with more wins than the Mountaineers’ 99 since their transition are Alabama (133), Clemson (125), Ohio State (122), Georgia (121), Oklahoma (107), Notre Dame (102) and Boise State (101). • Under head coach Shawn Clark, App State is 19-1 when winning the turnover battle. The Mountaineers had lost the turnover battle in six straight games, going 2-4 in that stretch, before winning the turnover battle for the first time in 2024 against ODU. • In July, Kidd Brewer Stadium was listed at No. 23 on ESPN’s list of top 25 college football stadiums. Sixteen of the top 19 crowds in stadium history have occurred since the start of 2022, and all 17 home crowds in that stretch have topped 30,000. App State’s four home games in 2024 have drawn 36,232 (ETSU), 34,133 (Thursday game vs. South Alabama), 33,783 (vs. Georgia State) and 34,954 (vs. ODU). • In May, season tickets sold out for the third straight year for a program that set Sun Belt season attendance records in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Mountaineers led all FBS schools in percentage of stadium capacity filled (115.8%) last season. • Armanti Edwards, a record-setting QB for App State from 2006-09, is one of 22 members of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class. He was honored last Saturday at halftime with his On-Campus Salute from the National Football Foundation, which will induct him into the Hall of Fame on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas. • App State, which led the Sun Belt with 14 alums on NFL rosters in 2023, again has a league-high 13 alums on current rosters this season. • The only FBS programs in the country with four conference championship game appearances in the last six seasons are App State, Alabama, Boise State, Clemson, Georgia, Oregon and Utah. The Mountaineers have won four Sun Belt titles overall, plus division titles in 2021 and 2023. • Under head coach Shawn Clark, App State is one of five G5 programs (and 14 FBS programs) with at least three nine-win seasons since the start of 2020. • Shawn Clark has led the Mountaineers to a win over a ranked opponent in each of the last three years: 30-27 over No. 14 Coastal Carolina in 2021, 17-14 over No. 6 Texas A&M in 2022 and 26-23 (OT) over No. 18 James Madison in 2023. App State is 3-3 in its last six games vs. ranked teams. • App State was among the programs featured by EA Sports in the promotion of the College Football 25 video game, with WR Kaedin Robinson receiving extended exposure as a returner. • Nine team captains were named for the 2024 season: DE Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, QB Joey Aguilar, RB Anderson Castle, SAF Jordan Favors, STAR/SPT Andre Hamilton, ILB Brendan Harrington, WR Christan Horn, WR Kaedin Robinson and K Michael Hughes. • App State ranked 33rd nationally by returning 68 percent of its production from 2023. The roster had 34 scholarship newcomers entering 2024, including 15 from the transfer portal.
OFFENSE
• QB Joey Aguilar, four of the top five running backs and five of the top seven pass-catching targets returned from 2023 for an offense with only one returning starter on the offensive line. The line has helped the running game take strides in the last four games, with App State averaging 174.8 yards on the ground in that stretch after averaging 130.8 in the first four games. The three-best rushing totals of the season have occurred in the last four games, with a season-high 184 yards against ODU. • RB Ahmani Marshall blocked a punt for a safety to open the Georgia State game and then rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts before adding in a 23-carry, 120-yard performance against ODU. His other 100-yard game as a Mountaineer was a 19-carry, 137-yard, one-TD game vs. ODU at home in 2022, and he had the first two-touchdown game of his career at Marshall. • RB Kanye Roberts scored his first rushing touchdown of the season at Marshall before rushing for a career-high 148 yards on 26 carries (tying a career high) at Louisiana, where he also had a 15-yard TD reception. Last year, he was App State’s top rusher five times in the last nine games of a 696-yard season. • For the first time since 2017, when Frank Ponce had a fourth straight year coaching quarterback Taylor Lamb, App State opened a season with the same starting quarterback and quarterbacks coach from the previous season. Zac Thomas played under Ponce in 2018, then had different coordinators in 2019 and 2020. Chase Brice played for different coordinators in 2021 (Ponce for his second stint in Boone) and 2022. • In addition to his 33 TD passes in 2023, a total that ranked fifth nationally, QB Joey Aguilar also set school records of 3,757 passing yards and 4,002 yards of total offense in 2023. Replacing the injured starter in the first half of the 2023 opener, he threw a TD pass on his first FBS play by hitting Kaedin Robinson for a 32-yard score. Aguilar then threw an 83-yard TD pass to Christan Horn on the second offensive snap (and first pass) of 2024. • At ECU, Joey Aguilar threw for a career-high 424 yards and two TDs, including a 36-yard, go-ahead score to Makai Jackson late in the third quarter. His 32 completions and 47 pass attempts were also career highs. The 424 passing yards set a record for a road performance by an App State QB and rank as the third-best total in program history, behind only the 433 yards from Armanti Edwards against South Carolina State in a 2008 playoff game and the 427 yards from Taylor Lamb against Coastal Carolina in 2017. • QB Joey Aguilar followed a three-TD, four-INT game at Louisiana with 299 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against Georgia State, then a four-TD, one-INT game vs. ODU. • Kaedin Robinson has led App State in receiving yards in all eight games, with seven games of 75-plus yards and three 100-yard games, including a 121-yard performance with 104 first-half yards against Georgia State. He has caught a pass in 33 consecutive games, which ranks in the top 15 among all FBS players, and moved into ninth place on App State’s career receiving yardage list with 2,088 yards. • WRs Christan Horn and Dalton Stroman are two big-play threats, with career averages of 17.1 and 18.7 yards per reception, respectively. Stroman has five touchdown catches over the last five games, with two touchdowns against Marshall and one apiece against South Alabama, Georgia State and ODU. He made SportsCenter’s Top Plays with a one-handed grab on a 41-yard score at Coastal Carolina in 2022. • Before adding a TD catch against Georgia State, WR Makai Jackson scored in each of the first three games. He scored on a 47-yard end-around in the opener, led the team with an FBS career-high six catches in the loss at Clemson (including a 17-yard TD) and scored the go-ahead TD at ECU during a six-catch, 86-yard performance. • Tight ends Max Drag, Kanen Hamlett, David Larkins and Eli Wilson have all scored touchdowns in the last three games, with Hamlett scoring the first and second touchdowns of his career in the last two games. His go-ahead touchdown in the final three minutes against Georgia State was his second career catch, and Drag’s touchdown in the final two minutes against ODU was his first career catch. Hamlett and Drag made their first career starts in a set with two tight ends as Wilson and Larkins were sidelined against ODU. • App State went 6-for-6 on fourth-down conversions at Marshall and is 8-for-12 this season.
DEFENSE
• Two-time team captain Brendan Harrington has shown toughness and perseverance since suffering season-ending injuries early in the 2022 season (shoulder injury in the opener vs. UNC) and the 2023 season (knee injury in Week 2 vs. UNC). He has 40 tackles this season (two off the team lead) after making a team-high nine tackles and receiving a game ball from coach Shawn Clark against ODU. Harrington, who has started the last three games, made a touchdown-saving tackle on an early 61-yard play and ended that possession by recovering a fumble at the 7. • Santana Hopper, PFF’s national defender of the week at ECU after a strong game that included forcing a fumble on a sack, had a hand in three sacks vs. Georgia State (one solo, two half-sacks). He leads the defense with four sacks and six tackles for loss this season. • OLB Nate Johnson (Gaffney, S.C.) and DL Santana Hopper were named Freshman All-Americans last season, when Johnson tied for first nationally among true freshmen with 7.5 sacks and Hopper made a late-season surge while contributing 3.5 sacks among his 7.5 tackles for loss. • OLBs Thomas Davis and Nate Johnson have split time at the “Dog” position this season. Davis has two sacks among his 3.5 tackles for loss, while Johnson officially contributed to a sack for the first time this season against ODU. He had a first-half sack at ECU erased by a targeting call • CB Nick Taylor, the only App State true freshman to play in a game so far this season, made his first career start vs. Georgia State and saw extensive action against ODU.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• All-America kicker Michael Hughes was 5-for-5 on field goals this season to extend his streak of consecutive makes to 16 before an injury sidelined him at Marshall, where redshirt freshman Jackson Moore converted a 42-yarder on his first career attempt to run the team streak to 17 in a row before a missed kick later in the first half. Moore made a 44-yard field goal at Louisiana and went 1-for-2 with a 33-yard field goal against Georgia State. • Ahmani Marshall’s blocked punt to produce a safety for an early 2-0 lead against Georgia State was App State’s first blocked punt since 2019 (Demetrius Taylor vs. Coastal Carolina) and App State’s first safety since 2022 (when Troy intentionally took one with 20 seconds left while holding a four-point lead to avoid punting from its end zone; App State followed a free kick with a Hail Mary touchdown). • In 2023, assistant Brian Haines had at least one special teams player receive All-America recognition for the third straight year, as Michael Hughes and multi-unit coverage stalwart Jackson Greene were both honored to join kick returner Milan Tucker (2022) and kicker Chandler Staton (2021).
Coastal Carolina Notes
A COASTAL WIN WOULD …
• move Coastal to 171-93 all-time, including 13-9 in the Tim Beck era; • make Coastal 3-2 at home this season; • give Coastal its third consecutive home win over Appalachian State; • be Coastal’s fifth home win on a week night in its last six midweek contests; • move Coastal to 33-28 all-time in Sun Belt Conference games;
A COASTAL LOSS WOULD …
• give Coastal four consecutive Sun Belt losses for the first time since November of 2018; • be Coastal’s first home loss to Appalachian State since 2018;
NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES
• Since 2018, Coastal is 21-5 (80.8%) in regular-season non-conference games. • That stretch includes a 13-2 (86.7%) mark at home. The Chanticleers have had perfect regular season non-conference ledgers four times since the program’s inception in 2003.
HASHTAG #WINNING
• With their 4-4 record this season, the Chants are 43-16 overall since the start of the 2020 season. • The 43-16 record since the start of the 2020 season is tied for the ninth-most wins in all of FBS football, behind only Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Clemson, Oregon, and Liberty.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
• The iconic “Surf Turf ” at Brooks Stadium has become one of the most difficult places in the nation for opponents to win. • Since 2020, Coastal boasts a remarkable 24-6 (80.0%) record in home games. • Since 2020, the Chanticleers have won as many home games as LSU, BYU, Appalachian State, Notre Dame, Washington, Texas A&M, Iowa, and Tennessee. • Coastal has more home wins since 2020 than Penn State (23), Texas (22), Miami (21), Iowa State (20), and South Carolina (19).
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS OF APP STATE
• Appalachian State is 4-4 and coming off a 28- 20 win over Old Dominion. • App State’s defense had four takeaways and five sacks in the win vs. ODU. • App State had a different leading rusher in five straight games, with Kanye Roberts gaining 148 yards at Louisiana and Ahmani Marshall posting 115 vs. Georgia State, before Marshall made it back-to-back 100-yard games with 120 yards on a career-high 23 carries vs. ODU. • Averaging 283.8 passing yards per game with 18 TD passes this season, QB Joey Aguilar is the nation’s only returning FBS QB who had 33-plus TD passes and 3,700-plus passing yards in 2023. • Kaedin Robinson ranks 10th nationally and 1st in the Sun Belt at 95.5 receiving yards per game. • After tying for the Sun Belt lead last year with 10 TD receptions while catching 67 passes for 905 yards, Robinson has been App State’s receiving yardage leader in all eight games in 2024. • App State is averaging 174.8 yards on the ground over the last four games after averaging 130.8 in the first four games. • Running back Kanye Roberts scored his first rushing touchdown of the season at Marshall before rushing for a career-high 148 yards on 26 carries at Louisiana. • Kaedin Robinson has led App State in receiving yards in all eight games, with seven games of 75-plus yards and three 100-yard games. • Linebacker Nate Johnson and defensive lineman Santana Hopper were named Freshman All-Americans last season. • All-America kicker Michael Hughes was 5-for-5 on field goals this season to extend his streak of consecutive makes to 16 before an injury sidelined him at Marshall. • Ahmani Marshall’s blocked punt to produce a safety for an early 2-0 lead against Georgia State was App State’s first blocked punt since 2019. • Appalachian State gave up 498 yards of offense to Old Dominion but allowed the Monarchs to kick two 25-yard field goals inside the 10 and gave up only 24 rushing yards on 14 attempts after halftime. • Aguilar’s 15 TD passes to either tie a game or give his team a lead led the country in 2023, and he has six more of those TD passes in 2024. • Under head coach Shawn Clark, App State is 19-1 when winning the turnover battle.
Saturday, November 9
Texas State at ULM 11:00 a.m. ESPNU
Texas State Notes
OPENING DRIVE
• Texas State is coming off a historic 2023 season that saw the program win its first bowl game, in its first appearance, a 45-21 victory over Rice in the SERVEPRO First Responder Bowl. • The Bobcats set an FBS-program record with eight wins in 2023. • Texas State posted the highest season attendance average the program has seen in 2023 at 21,184 (127,102 total) and has had two sellouts at UFCU Stadium in 2024. • TXST is coming off a 23-17 loss to SBC West Division leader Louisiana (7-1, 4-0). • ULM sits 3-2 in Sun Belt play and also enters Saturday’s game having lost its previous two (at Marshall, at South Alabama). • Saturday’s contest is only the third game the Bobcats have played outside of the state of Texas in 2024 (at Troy/Ala., at ODU/Va.) • Nash Jones was invited to the EastWest Shrine Bowl, while Jordan McCloud was named to the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2024.
A WIN VS. ULM MEANS…
• The Bobcats improve to 8-13 in the all-time series dating back to 1986. • Texas State wins three Sun Belt games for the second consecutive season. • TXST is one win away from bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season. • The Bobcats snapped a two-game losing streak after falling at ODU and against Louisiana.
ON THE OFFENSIVE
While Texas State’s offense finished 11th in the country in scoring offense, it became the nation’s most improved scoring offense over the 2023 season. • Texas State improved its scoring output from 21.1 points per game in 2022 to 36.7 in 2023 (+15.6). 32.5 in 2024 • The Bobcats’ 36.7 points per game in 2023 marked the first time they have averaged more than 28 points per game since 2014 when they averaged 33.8.
A FINE LINE
TXST State has started the same offensive line every game in 2024 – Strawn, Jones, Todd, Lockette, Harkey. The Bobcats are 1 of 8 FBS teams to do so this season. The group has combined for 110 career starts, led by Nash Jones with 47.
LET’S GET ACTIVE
Quarterback Jordan McCloud ranks in the top 10 among FBS active players in touchdown passes and total TDs responsible for and the top 20 for completions, completion %, passing yards, total plays and total offense.
GETTING TO THE BACKFIELD
In addition to Texas State having one of the best offenses in the country, it finished second in the nation in TFLs and tied for 9th in sacks. • Texas State registered 7 sacks in the opener against Lamar. The most for TXST in an FBS game behind eight vs Idaho on Oct. 4, 2024 and the most since six against South Alabama Nov. 5, 2023. • The Bobcats have 26 sacks this season, finished with 40 in 2023. • TXST is currently 8th in the nation (1 SBC) with 3.25 sacks/game and 13th (1 SBC) with 7.4 TFLs. • The Bobcats had 108 TFLs in 2023, 2nd in the nation and an FBS program record, and were 16 shy of matching the overall program record of 124 set in 1982. • Texas State’s 40 sacks were an FBS program record and most in any season for Texas State since it had 41 in 1997. • The overall program record for sacks in a season is 58.5 set in 1982. • The Bobcats finished 9th in the country with an average of 3.08 sacks per game this year. • Texas State had 7 games in 2023 of 10+ TFLs and 8 games of 3.0+ sacks. • The Bobcats had 26 different players credited with a TFL and 19 with a sack in 2023.
THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS
Lou Groza Award Semifinalist Mason Shipley finished 2023 15-of-15 on field goals. • Shipley tied his former teammate Seth Keller (2021, 2022) for the overall program record for most field goals made in a season. • Shipley finished as one of two kickers to not miss a field goal in 2023. • In 2022 & 2023 Texas State kickers (Shipley & Keller) went 30-of-32 on FB (93.8%). • Shipley set the TXST and Sun Belt Conference record with a 60-yard field goal against Sam Houston (9.28).
RETURN POLICY
Texas State had 2 kick returns for touchdowns in 2023, including one by Ismail Mahdi (Sept. 30 at Southern Miss) and the other by Kole Wilson (Nov. 25 vs. South Alabama). • It was only the second time in program history that the Bobcats have had 2 or more kick return TDs in a season (2 in 2013). • Texas State ended the season as one of 7 teams in the country with multiple kick return TDs. • The Bobcats finished the season ranked 5th in the nation in kick return average (26.08). • Texas State led the nation in kick return yards with 1,017. • Mahdi finished 14th in the nation in kick return average (25.6). • Mahdi’s 563 kick return yards were the 4th-most by a Bobcat in a season in TXST’s FBS history
Louisiana-Monroe Notes
FIRST-AND-10 –
• The ULM football team (5-3, 3-2 Sun Belt) returns to Malone Stadium Saturday and will play Texas State (4-4, 2-2) on Saturday (Nov. 9) at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. The Warhawks are looking to snap a two-game losing streak after falling just short on the road at Marshall last week, 28-23 and a 46-17 defeat at South Alabama on Oct. 26. ULM led in both games during the first half but fell in both contests to drop to 3-2 overall in Sun Belt play. First-year head coach Bryant Vincent has directed one of the most exciting turnarounds in college football and guided ULM to a 5-1 record following a 38-21 homecoming victory over Southern Miss, which was ULM’s first win over USM in Malone Stadium. After the Golden Eagles trimmed ULM’s lead to 17-14 on a blocked field goal score in the third quarter, the Warhawks ripped off 21 unanswered points to lift the team to its third-straight SBC win. True freshman phenom running back Ahmad Hardy posted a season-high 121 rushing yards and crossed the goal line twice to lead ULM’s rushing attack. In his second start of his collegiate career, redshirt freshman quarterback Aidan Armenta tossed a pair of touchdown passes to James Jones and Julian Nixon and scored his first-career rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Warhawks generated two takeaways from a forced fumble by Carl Fauntroy Jr. and an interception by Wydett Williams, Jr. The Warhawks secured its best start in the FBS era following a dramatic 21-19 victory over previ- ously unbeaten James Madison on Oct. 5. ULM grinded out the win after scores from a 38-yard Ahmad Hardy rushing touchdown, a scoop and score forced by Earl Barquet Jr. and returned by Daniel Knudsen and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Aidan Armenta to Jake Godfrey. ULM started its conference slate with a 13-9 win at Troy with Hardy scoring the game’s lone touchdown in a defensive battle. Before falling on the road to No. 1/2 Texas, the Warhawks began the season with a 2-0 start after ULM defeated Jackson State 30-14 in week one, scoring the final 16 points of the game to seal the win. In week two, the Warhawks dominated UAB and shut out the Blazers in the second half while scoring 19 second-half points in a 32-6 home win, which was the largest margin of victory over an FBS opponent since the 2018 season. The ULM defense has held opponents to zero touchdowns in two games this season (UAB & Troy). • Saturday marks the 21st matchup between the Warhawks and the Bobcats and ULM leads the all-time series 13-7. The last time these two teams met at Malone Stadium, ULM erased a 21-point first quarter deficit and completed the comeback with a 31-30 win over the Bobcats. ULM has won three of the previous four games playing Texas State inside Malone Stadium dating back to 2016, with the Bobcats winning the 2020 matchup. The two teams have split the last 10 meetings. • ULM completely overhauled its roster during the offseason and added 73 new players to its 2024 roster. After Bryant Vincent was hired in early December, he and his staff signed 35 new Warhawks in less than two weeks during the early signing period on December 20, including 17 junior college transfers and 13 four-year transfers. ULM’s recruiting continued with 11 new additions on National Signing Day in February and wrapped up with 27 new faces during the spring signing period. The Warhawks lost nine starters on offense and seven on defense from the 2023 squad. •Coach Vincent was named to the American Heart Association’s 2024 Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award Watch List. He was one of 27 head coaches in the country to be included on the list and was the lone coach from the Sun Belt Conference recognized. The award, given each January to a college football coach, recognizes contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field. • ULM’s 12-game football schedule features six home games for the fourth time in the last six seasons (previously in 2019, 2021 and 2023). Overall, it marks the seventh time that the Warhawks have played a six-game home schedule in Malone Stadium since joining the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A). According to Phil Steele, the Warhawks entered the season with the toughest schedule in the Group of Five and Sun Belt Conference with the 64th toughest schedule in the FBS. ULM’s opponents earned a winning percentage of .565 last season, which is the highest opponent winning percentage in the Sun Belt and No. 34 in the country. The Warhawks’ 2024 opponents went a combined 87-67 (.565) last season, with six opponents posting .500 or better records, including three teams that posted double-digit win totals, in Texas (12-2) Troy (11-3) and James Madison (11-2). In addition, nine foes also participated in postseason bowl games a year ago: Texas (CFP Semifinal/Allstate Sugar Bowl), Marshall (Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl), Troy (76 Birmingham Bowl), Arkansas State (Camellia Bowl), James Madison (Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl), South Alabama (68 Ventures Bowl), Texas State (SERVPRO First Responder Bowl), Auburn (Music City Bowl) and the Ragin’ Cajuns (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl). • True freshman running back Ahmad Hardy has arrived in a big way and has led the charge for ULM in the backfield this season. Hardy is coming off of a 207 yard rushing performance at Marshall and became the first ULM running back to reach 200 yards on the ground since Thomas Khoufi rushed for 201 yards at Georgia State on Nov. 12, 2016. Hardy broke free for an 80-yard score and his largest rush of the season to give ULM a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Hardy leads the Sun Belt with 811 rushing yards and ranks 23rd in the nation and is first in the conference in rushing yards per game (101.4). The Lawrence County High School (Miss.) graduate has recorded five games with over 100 yards rushing, with his season-high coming versus Marshall (207). According to Pro Football Focus, Hardy has 59 missed tackles forced on runs this season, which is second most in the FBS. • Baltimore, Maryland native running back James Jones brought down his second touchdown reception of the season at Marshall. Jones has totaled 261 rushing yards on 58 carries (4.5 yards/ carry) and scored a 22-yard rushing touchdown versus Jackson State and a 36-yard receiving touch- down versus Southern Miss. • Northeast Louisiana defensive stars Wydett Williams Jr. and Carl Glass Jr. both have racked up more than 50 total tackles this season and are both in the top 15 on the Sun Belt tackles leaderboard. Williams, a General Trass High School alum and native of Lake Providence, La., intercepted his third pass of the season versus Southern Miss and is 18th in the country with three interceptions, trailing only JMU’s Terrence Spence (5) in the Sun Belt Conference. Williams Jr. was voted Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week following a media member panel vote after his week one performance versus Jackson State. Williams became the first ULM football player to earn SBC Player of the Week recognition since 2021. Williams tallied a game-high 10 tackles and an interception in his ULM debut versus the Tigers. The Delta State transfer added 0.5 sacks and 0.5 TFLs on opening night. He was an All-Louisiana First Team and All-NELA First Team selection in high school. In 23 games at Delta State, he racked up 72 total tackles, six pass breakups, 3.5 TFLs and one sack. A Monroe native, Carl Glass Jr. is the anchor of the ULM linebacker unit and shared a game-high nine total tackles with Carl Fauntroy in the Troy game. Glass Jr. also made nine stops and forced a fumble in the season opener versus Jackson State. The senior linebacker landed on Athlon Sports’ Preseason All-SBC Third Team defense and Phil Steele Preseason defense. Glass tallied 59.0 total tackles last season to go along with 7.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. Fauntroy forced his first fumble of the season and made a game-high nine total tackles in ULM’s win over the Golden Eagles. The Mobile native secured his first-career interception at Texas on Sept. 21 and has made five or more tackles in three games this season. • First-team junior college All-American edge rusher and MACCC Defensive Player of the Year Billy Pullen has made an immediate impact on the ULM defense and made a pair of game-changing plays versus UAB including a strip sack and a safety. Pullen’s 0.63 sacks per game is the third-highest in the Sun Belt and ranks 34th in the nation. ULM’s top edge rusher arrives in Monroe after recording 13 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss at Co-Lin in 2023. • Aidan Armenta has completed 57 of 98 passes for 590 yards and six passing touchdowns in five Sun Belt games. The 2022 New Mexico Preps Quarterback of the Year led the Warhawks to victory in his first career start under center versus JMU, throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to his former teammate at New Mexico, Jake Godfrey. The Albuquerque native completed 17 passes on 30 attempts for 147 yards in ULM’s victory versus JMU. Armenta came in relief in ULM’s win at Troy and completed four passes for 108 yards. Two of Armenta’s completions were over 40 yards, including a 57-yard pitch-and-catch to Godfrey. The redshirt freshman quarterback transferred to ULM after spending last season at New Mexico under Coach Vincent as the Lobos’ offensive coordinator. • Redshirt Junior General Booty has completed 28 passes on 53 attempts for 241 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Davon Wells in the season opener. Booty arrived in Monroe after spending the last two seasons at Oklahoma, making two appearances for the Sooners. • Hunter Herring scampered for a 44-yard rushing touchdown to put the Warhawks in the lead at South Alabama. Herring has been utilized in short yardage situations and on special teams for ULM. Herring has accumulated 113 rushing yards on 14 carries and has blocked a punt for the Warhawks. • Jake Godfrey is ULM’s leading receiver and hauled in his first-career touchdown reception in ULM’s win over James Madison. Godfrey’s season-long 57-yard reception from Armenta set the Warhawks up in the red zone and led to the game’s only touchdown at Troy. He has tallied 12 catches for 171 yards in SBC play. Davon Wells hauled in his longest reception of the season on a 51-yard touchdown catch from Armenta at South Alabama. Wells padded ULM’s wide receiver unit and was added to Warhawks’ roster during the spring signing period. Wells was a two-time All-NEC Second Team wide receiver and kick returner at Long Island University. He was voted First Team All-NEC at All Purpose and Punt Returner by FCS Football Central. He has made 16 catches for 108 yards. Dodge City Community College transfer Javon Campbell led the Warhawks in receiving versus Jackson State with four receptions for 83 yards. He brought down Aidan Armenta’s first collegiate pass in the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving ULM a 30-14 cushion. Artis Cole (Fresno State transfer) found the end zone for the first time in his career in the final two minutes at Marshall after slipping a tackle for a 26-yard touchdown score. Tyler Griffin (UCF transfer) and Amir McGruder (Snow College transfer) add depth to ULM’s wide receiver room. At tight end, Julian Nixon made his first-career touchdown reception in the fourth quarter of ULM’s win versus Southern Miss. Nixon made a clutch 19-yard reception on 4th down in Troy territory from Hunter Herring that kept ULM’s scoring drive alive in the third quarter. Wesley Campbell VI arrives from Dodge City CC along with Nate Sullivan Jr. from Iowa Western CC. Sullivan Jr. has made nine catches for 48 yards while Campbell VI has made four receptions for 35 yards.
• A two-year starter on the Warhawk offensive line, Elijah Fisher racked up multiple preseason accolades including Athlon Sports All-SBC Second Team offense and Phil Steele All-SBC Team honors. The offensive guard picked up Honorable Mention All-SBC recognition following the 2023 season. Fisher was one of ULM’s representatives at 2024 Sun Belt Media Days and is set to begin his fifth season at ULM. JMU transfer Carter Miller highlights ULM’s additions on the offensive line after appearing in 15 games throughout two seasons for the Dukes. New Mexico transfer Devon Smith arrives after appearing in four games and starting in three during the 2023 season and was an NJCAA Academic Scholar All-American offensive lineman at Jones College. Jay Mickle has made all four starts at right guard for ULM while Que McBroom made his first ULM start at Troy. • ULM senior offensive lineman Sam Carson was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame. The William V. Campbell Trophy, in its 35th year is tabbed as the “academic Heisman” is college football’s premier scholar-athlete award that annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Carson, a transfer from the University of Calgary, has made three starts at left tackle this season for the Warhawks and has appeared in 10 games through two seasons in Monroe. The General Studies major holds a 3.75 cumulative GPA and is expected to graduate this December. Carson was named 2020 U-Sports Academic All-Canadian at the University of Calgary and made the President’s List (3.9 GPA or above) in two out of the three semesters he has been enrolled at ULM. • On the defensive side, ULM has four starters returning including defensive lineman Jaylan Ware. The Starkville, Miss. native forced a fumble at the goal line at South Alabama in the Warhawks’ lone takeaway of the game. Ware made 54 total tackles, including six tackles for loss and one fumble recovery, in his first season at ULM after transferring from Hinds Community College, earning Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt honors. Dylan Howell also returns to the defensive line for the Warhawks after making 35 total tackles, four TFLs and three sacks, including two pass breakups and one fumble recovery last season. Jaden Hamlin, the No. 1 junior college defensive tackle prospect and NJCCA Second-Team All-American at Southwest Mississippi Community College, made 30.0 total tackles, two fumble recoveries and one sack last season. Hamlin registered his first tackle of his ULM career at Texas. • Travor Randle led the Warhawks with 1.5 TFLs in week one. Randle is back for ULM after making 40 tackles and 1.5 TFLs last season. Transfer Tyrese Hopkins recorded 65.0 tackles and a pair of sacks in 2023 at East Mississippi Community College. ULM also added JUCO transfers Daniel Knudsen (NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American at Iowa Central Community College). • Car’lin Vigers, who was named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List and Athlon Sports Preseason All-SBC Third Team, recorded a pick six to seal ULM’s 32-6 win over UAB in week two. Vigers, a three-year starter for the Warhawks, has recorded two interceptions in his ULM career. David Godsey Jr. leads ULM with three pass break ups and has made 15 total tackles this season. He snagged an interception in three consecutive games last season and returns as a Phil Steele Preseason All- SBC honoree • Florida State transfer kicker Max Larson is fifth in the SBC in field goals per game (1.25/game) and is 10-for-13 on field goal attempts this season, with a season long of 47 yards versus Southern Miss. The Davie, Fla., native split the uprights three times versus UAB, including a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. 25-year old true freshman Kyabram, Australia punter Makenzie Ryan downed all six of his punts inside the 20-yard line versus JMU and has downed 15 punts inside the 20-yard line, which is second in the SBC. Ryan averages 39.5 yards per punt on 40 punts. The former rugby player was added to ULM’s roster during the spring signing period to round out the special teams unit. • ULM has blocked a punt in two games during the 2024 season, and is one of 11 FBS teams that has recorded multiple blocked punts. Brett Drillette blocked a punt in the third quarter versus Jackson State while Hunter Herring blocked a punt in the first quarter versus UAB.
Marshall at Southern Miss 2:00 p.m. ESPN+
Saturday’s meeting at M.M. Roberts Stadium will mark the 15th time in history that the Thundering Herd and Southern Miss have met. The rivalry started in the Conference USA days and continued on when both joined the Sun Belt. USM leads the series, 8-6.
Marshall Notes
Oh my, O-Line…
Marshall’s Offensive Line continues to thrive in 2024 behind the play of a front that has stayed consistent for the majority of the season. The Thundering Herd is currently No. 15 in rushing yards per game in FBS, averaging 212.9 yards a contest. Last week, the Herd rushed for 198 yards with Jordan Houston’s 80 leading the way. Ethan Payne also scored two rushing touchdowns. Marshall’s O-Line also has kept teams from getting to the quarterback, allowing 8.0 sacks in eight games – 10th in FBS.
Speaking of O-Line… …
When Marshall takes the field on offense this week, one player will be returning to a familiar place. Marshall starting guard Bryce Ramsey transferred to the Thundering Herd after playing in 11 games last season at Southern Miss with four starts. Prior to that, Ramsey was at Ole Miss for three seasons. He is also a native of Gulfport, Miss., meaning that there is likely going to be a large contingent of family and friends there to cheer on Ramsey with the Herd.
With a win… …
Marshall would become bowl eligible for the eighth straight season and 11th time in the last 12 years. This also includes advancing to a bowl in all four years under head coach Charles Huff. The eight-year streak is the 2nd longest among Group of Five programs, trailing only Memphis (10 seasons).
Southern Mississippi Notes
Noting the Golden Eagles
• Southern Miss plays in its 108th football season in 2024, having first fielded a team in 1912. The program did not play during World War I (1917-18) or World War II (1943-45). • The Golden Eagles currently play in their fourth different conference in their football history, after holding a spot in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1931-41, the Gulf States Conference from 1948-1951 and Conference USA from 1996- 2021, before starting play in the Sun Belt Conference for the 2022 season. • Since 1994, the program has collected 24 winning seasons and played in 19 bowl games. • Overall, Southern Miss has enjoyed 74 winning seasons and five years of .500 football over its history. Since 2000, the Golden Eagles have had 18 of 24 winning seasons. • The 2022 LendingTree Bowl was the 27th bowl appearance for the Golden Eagles as they hold an 12-15 record overall in postseason games.
Against Marshall
• Southern Miss leads the series with Marshall 8-6 with the Golden Eagles winning the last three games, after dropping five in a row. • Southern Miss also won the first three meetings in the series and five of the first six. • This is the first meeting between two schools in football in six seasons since both were members of Conference USA. The last tilt was a 26-24 decision for the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg in 2018. • Six games have been decided by seven points or less as the Golden Eagles are 4-2 in those contests. The initial meeting between the two foes came down to a Darren McCaleb 34- yard fi eld goal in overtime which proved to be the game winner. • Southern Miss head athletic trainer Todd McCall worked for Marshall for two seasons. • There are no players from the state of West Virginia on the Golden Eagle roster. • Former Golden Eagle offensive lineman Bryce Ramsey (Gulfport) is one of two Thundering Herd players from Mississippi. The other is Jacarius Clayton (Tupelo).
The Golden Eagles at Home
Since the start of the 1976 season, following the renovation of M.M. Roberts Stadium, the Golden Eagles have posted a 163-86 (.656) record at The Rock. The program has finished at .500 or better in home games for a season 39 times during that span.
Georgia State at James Madison 2:30 p.m. ESPN+
SERIES NOTES: Georgia State and James Madison are meeting for the fourth time in program history. The Panthers are looking for their first win in program history over the Dukes.
Georgia State Notes
THE KICKOFF: Georgia State looks to secure its first road win of the season under the new leadership of head coach Dell McGee at James Madison on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7:00 p.m. at Zane Showker Field at Bridgeforth Stadium. • Following the road contest at James Madison, the Panthers return to Center Parc Credit Union Stadium for the first time in over a month of road contests on Nov. 11 to host Arkansas State for Homecoming.
PANTHERS VS. THE SUN BELT: Despite a slow start to conference play, the Panthers continue to stand in Sun Belt rankings, on both sides of the ball. • The Panthers rank third in the Sun Belt and top 50 in the nation for fewest penalties (46). • Offensively, the Panthers rank top 10 in the Sun Belt in completion percentage (5th with 0.62) and passing offense (5th with 249.9). • Defensively, GSU ranks third in the conference and 26th in the nation for fumbles recovered with six. Henry Bryant leads the Panthers and the Sun Belt with two fumble recoveries, ranking fifth in the nation. KD McDaniel, Izaiah Guy, Anthony Blume and Rykem Laney all have one to tie for eighth in the conference for fumbles recovered. • Senior Kevin Swint leads the Panthers with three forced fumbles to rank second in the conference and seventh in the nation. D-Icey Hopkins, Josiah Robinson and Henry Bryant have one forced fumbles.
James Madison Notes
DUKES OPEN HOME STRETCH WITH PANTHERS
• James Madison is fresh off its second and final open week and set to host Sun Belt Conference foe Georgia State Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium. • It will be the 2024 Black Ops Black Out game, as fans are encouraged to wear black. • It’s also Heroes Day, and there will be a military contracting ceremony at halftime. • Saturday’s game is sponsored by Glo Fiber, and the 2024 JMU football season is presented by CarMax.
BREAKING DOWN THE SERIES
• Saturday marks the fourth meeting all-time between JMU and Georgia State, as the Dukes hold a 3-0 lead. • The series began in 2012 while the teams were members of the FCS’s Colonial Athletic Association – a 28-21 home win for the Dukes. • Since both teams became conference mates in the Sun Belt, scoring has not been an issue, with a combined 138 points over the past two seasons. • JMU won last season’s matchup in Atlanta, 42-14, while taking the 2022 home meeting by a 42-40 margin, a game that featured JMU rallying back from a 34-14 halftime deficit.
SATURDAY’S COVERAGE
• JMU’s matchup with Georgia State will be streamed on ESPN+. On the call are Curt Dudley and JMU Hall of Fame running back Delvin Joyce, while David Hulvey is down on the sidelines. • Fans can listen to the game on the Morris Insurance and Financial JMU Radio Network, with Dave Riggert and former JMU linebacker Kelvin Azanama calling the action. • Pregame radio coverage at Bridgeforth begins two hours prior to kickoff at 1:30 p.m. • Live stats are available at JMUStats.com.
BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME
• JMU is bowl eligible for the first time after improving to 6-2 with its win on Oct. 26 against Southern Miss. • While the Dukes are bowl bound for the second time in as many years, JMU was not technically considered bowl eligible in 2023 due to the FCS to FBS reclassification. • The Dukes competed in the 2023 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl versus Air Force due to there not being enough bowl eligible programs, coupled with JMU being in year two of the reclassification process with at least six wins. • Last season, a record 12 Sun Belt Conference teams competed in bowl season, and JMU became the second conference school to clinch eligibility, behind SBC West leader Louisiana. • Entering this week, three Sun Belt teams are eligible, adding in Georgia Southern, while three others are 5-3
Arkansas State at Louisiana 4:00 p.m. ESPN+
THE ARKANSAS STATE – LOUISIANA SERIES
Arkansas State holds an all-time 22-29-1 record against Louisiana in the series that dates back to the 1953 season. As Sun Belt Conference op- ponents, Louisiana leads the series 14-8. The Red Wolves picked up a 37-17 win last season in Jonesboro after losing the previous five encounters against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Of the 52 games played in the series, 25 have been decided by seven points or less, including 16 decided by three or fewer points. The home team has a recent advantage in the series winning 18 of the last 22 meetings. A-State has dropped the last five in the series on the road in Lafayette with the last win coming by a score of 50-27 back on Oct. 23, 2012. The series between the two sides is the second-most against any opponent in school history behind only the 61 played against Memphis. A combined record of 12-4 between the two teams entering Saturday is the best in the series since 2011 when the teams were 15-4 – the Red Wolves 7-2 and the Cajuns 8-2. At a combined 9-1 in conference, it’s the most wins between the two teams since a combined 11-1 in 2011 where A-State was 5-0 and the Cajuns 6-1.
Arkansas State Notes
A-STATE VS THE SUN BELT
Arkansas State has an all-time record of 95-76 in Sun Belt Conference games. Along with ULM and Louisiana, A-State is one of three teams that have been a part of the conference since its inaugural football season in 2001. The Red Wolves rank second in all-time Sun Belt victories with 95.
AN A-STATE WIN WOULD
Be the 101st career win for head coach Butch Jones … Give A-State six or more wins over the first nine games played for the first time since 2017 … Mark the first time the Red Wolves have four conference wins in its first five league games since starting 4-1 in 2017 … Be the first win against the Ragin’ Cajuns in Lafayette since 2012 … Give A-State back-to-back road wins in the same season for the first time since 2018 … Make A-State bowl eligible for the 12th time as an FBS member
Louisiana Notes
LOUISIANA CELEBRATES HOMECOMING AGAINST ARKANSAS STATE
• Louisiana returns home for its next three games beginning on Saturday when it faces Arkansas State in the annual Homecoming Game on Saturday at Cajun Field. • The Ragin’ Cajuns return home after defeating Texas State, 23-17, in a nationally-televised contest in San Marcos, Texas. • Louisiana enters the weekend as the lone unbeaten team in Sun Belt Conference play and has won five consecutive games, including four on the road. • The meeting against Arkansas State will be the 53rd between the schools with Louisiana holding a 29-22-1 advantage.
A LOUISIANA WIN WOULD …
• Be its sixth straight victory • Give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 8-1 overall record and 5-0 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. • Give Louisiana its first six-game win streak since 2021 when it reeled off 13 straight wins. • Be its sixth victory over Arkansas State in the past seven meetings. • Be its 13th against A-State in the past 14 games at Cajun Field dating back to 1994. • Be head coach Michael Desormeaux’s 21st career win. • Improve Desormeaux’s record in SBC games to 12-9. • Be Louisiana’s 92nd overall win in Sun Belt Conference play. • Snapped a two-game losing streak in Homecoming games.
TEAM NOTES
• Louisiana is the lone FBS team nationally which has not lost a fumble this season. • Louisiana has turned the ball over four times during the 2024 season to rank second behind Army (1) among FBS schools. • The Ragin’ Cajuns have 84 players on its roster from the state of Louisiana to lead all instate FBS schools. • The Ragin’ Cajuns have allowed 170.6 yards through the air in their first eight games to lead the Sun Belt Conference and rank 16th nationally in passing yards allowed. • Louisiana has controlled the clock during the 2024 season ranking 11th nationally in time of possession (32:43 per game). • Louisiana enters the week leading the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 32nd nationally among FBS schools in total defense allowing 327.3 yards per game. • Louisiana ranks 13th among all FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed (3.8 per game). • Louisiana’s third-down conversion percentage (.490) leads the Sun Belt and is 11th in FBS. • The Ragin’ Cajuns are third in the SBC and 26th nationally in total offense (440.9). • Six players – King McGowen (OT), Kaden Moreau (OG), Quinton Williams (OT), Caden Jensen (TE), Zylan Perry (RB) and Carmycah Glass (LB) – have each earned their first career starts during the 2024 season. • Twelve players – Ben Wooldridge (QB), Lance LeGendre (WR), Terrance Carter (TE), Bill Davis (RB), Dre’lyn Washington (RB), Harvey Broussard (WR), Tavion Smith (WR), Landon Burton (C), Caleb Kibodi (LB), Zylan Perry (RB) and Caden Jensen (TE) – have scored at least one touchdown this season for Louisiana. • Louisiana’s four interceptions against App State equaled its most in a game since October 30, 2010 at Ohio. • Louisiana had a string of 18 consecutive quarters with a score snapped after going scoreless in the third quarter of its 34-24 win at Coastal Carolina.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
POSTSEASON PEDIGREE
App State and Coastal Carolina—the two programs that have combined to represent the Sun Belt East Division in every Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game thus far—will square off in a midweek primetime battle at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN on Thursday, Nov. 7. The Mountaineers will aim to build on back-to-back one-possession conference wins, while the Chanticleers will attempt to snap a three-game skid against conference foes. Explosive plays may be the difference in the contest, with both teams boasting a pair of wide receivers ranking among the Top 45 in the country by averaging more than 17 yards per reception on the year—senior Christan Horn (26th, 18.67) and redshirt junior Dalton Stroman (47th, 17.20) of App State and redshirt junior Jameson Tucker (24th, 18.82) and redshirt junior Cameron Wright (43rd, 17.38) of Coastal Carolina. App State leads the all-time series 7-3, though Coastal Carolina has won three of the last four matchups including 2-of-3 all-time in Conway, S.C.
CONTROL OF THE SKIES
ULM will put its perfect 4-0 home record on the line at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, on ESPNU when it hosts Texas State. Control of the skies will be paramount in the matchup, as the Sun Belt’s second-best passing offense (Texas State – 31st, 265.9 yards per game) goes head-to-head against its second-best passing defense (ULM – 23rd, 184.1 yards per game). Each of the past two contests have been decided in the closing seconds, with Texas State scoring the game-winning touchdown with 41 seconds to play in 2023 and missing a potential game-winning field goal with seven seconds remaining in 2022. The Warhawks lead the all-time series 6-5, though the Bobcats have won three of the last four meetings. A ULM victory would clinch bowl eligibility for the Warhawks for the first time since 2018
RIVALRY RENEWED
Marshall seeks its first road victory on the season when it travels to Southern Miss at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, on ESPN+, as the Thundering Herd attempts to keep the pace with Georgia Southern atop the Sun Belt East Division. The Golden Eagles will look to snap a six-game skid as they return home to M.M. Roberts Stadium for the first time under interim head coach Reed Stringer. While the matchup will be the first for the Thundering Herd and Golden Eagles as Sun Belt Conference foes, the teams have squared off on 14 prior occasions, with Southern Miss leading the all-time series 8-6. Marshall won five-straight matchups from 2011-15, before Southern Miss rattled off three-straight wins from 2016-18. A Marshall victory would clinch bowl eligibility for the Thundering Herd for the eighth-straight season— which would be the second-longest active streak among non-autonomy conference programs.
SELLING OUT
James Madison will host Georgia State at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, in front of a 10th-straight sellout crowd at Bridgeforth Stadium, with the game being broadcast on ESPN+. The Dukes are 1-of-3 Sun Belt programs to have clinched bowl eligibility on the season, alongside Sun Belt East Division leader Georgia Southern and Sun Belt West Division leader Louisiana. James Madison will put its perfect 4-0 home record on the line against the Panthers, who are still in search of their first road win on the season. The Dukes lead the all-time series 3-0—though 2-of-3 prior matchups have been decided by one-possession.
BEST IN THE WEST
The winner of Saturday’s head-to-head clash between Arkansas State and Louisiana will take over the top spot in the Sun Belt West Division and control its own destiny in pursuit of a Hercules Tires Sun Belt Football Championship Game berth. The Red Wolves will face off against the Ragin’ Cajuns at 4:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Louisiana leads the all-time series 29-22-1, though Arkansas State snapped a five-game losing streak with a 37-17 win in Jonesboro, Ark., a year ago. Each team features a player in pursuit of a program record, with Arkansas State redshirt junior wide receiver Corey Rucker needing 140 receiving yards to become the Red Wolves all-time leader and Louisiana redshirt senior kicker Kenneth Almendares needing five points scored to become the Ragin’ Cajuns all-time leader. An Arkansas State victory would clinch bowl eligibility for the second-straight season.
WEEKLY AWARDS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Trojans junior running back Damien Taylor rushed for a career-high 190 yards and a touchdown in Troy’s 38-24 homecoming win over Coastal Carolina. The Northport, Ala., native averaged 6.8 yards per carry with five rushes of 10-or-more yards and three of 20-or-more. Taylor had 28 carries on the game, including 10 in the fourth quarter to help Troy run the clock out for the victory—the first Sun Belt Conference win for the Trojans this season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Thundering Herd redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Mike Green registered nine tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble in Marshall’s 28-23 victory over ULM. Green’s totals came in a game where the Warhawks dropped back to pass on just 18 occasions. The Williamsburg, Va., product ranks among the Top 5 in the country with 14.5 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks on the season.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ragin’ Cajuns redshirt senior kicker Kenneth Almendares tied his season-high with three field goals and added a pair of extra points in Louisiana’s 23-17 win over Texas State to maintain its perch atop the Sun Belt West Division standings. The Clute, Texas, native accounted for all of Louisiana’s second-half scoring in the pivotal division win. Almendares sits four points behind Ragin’ Cajuns all-time scoring leader Elijah McGuire (318, 2013-16).
