College Football '09: A look at this year's Sun Belt Conference

Does the Sun Belt Conference make any BCS noise in '09. Who would a candidate be for '09? How does the conference breakdown in '09 for Sun Belt?

• The Sun Belt is ranked by Jeff Sagarin as a lowest conference in FBS

• The Sun Belt is ranked lower than the Colonial Conference, which is in the FCS

Ranked teams in the AP and Coaches' preseason polls:

none, with Troy receiving one vote in each poll

Preseason magazines don't like any Sun Belt teams in the Top 25 preseason:

none

Teams rebuilding in the Sun Belt in '09

• UL - Lafeyette

Teams rated below the FBS mark of #120 in 2009?

• UL -Lafayette
• UL -Monroe
• Western Kentucky
• FIU
• North Texas

Will the Sun Belt Conference finish this way in 2009??

1. Troy * (6-1 in '08) (1-2 in bowls)
2. Arkansas State (4-3) (0-1)
3. Middle Tennessee (3-4) (0-1)
4. Florida Atlantic (4-3) (2-0)
5. Florida International (3-4) (none)
6. Lousisiana - Monroe (3-4) (none)
7. Louisisiana - Lafayette (5-2) (none)
8. North Texas (0-7) (1-5)
9. Western Kentucky # (0-5) (none)

* denotes 2008 Sun Belt Conference champs (source for above list)

# New full member in 2009, after moving to FBS in 2008.

Last BCS title winner

• No Sun Belt team has ever participated in a BCS bowl.

Kickoff Game of the Season

Thursday, September 4Th
Troy @ Bowling Green

Bowling Green, Ohio

TV: none

Final Look at the Sun Belt teams, using the preseason Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings:

1. Troy (# 70 in Sagarin ratings) - Coach Larry Blakeney enters his 19Th season at the helm for the Trojans. The Trojans are the most competetitive and consistent program of late in the Sun Belt. The 8-5 team in '08 return 52 letterwinners, with 7 OFF and 5 DEF plus both kickers from a team coming off a 27-30 loss to Southern Miss to close out the season in the New Orleans. Troy opens in OOC @ Bowling Green @ Florida, vs. UAB, then a huge Sun Belt opener @ Arkansas State. Final OOC game is at Arkansas on 11/14.
2. Middle Tennesse (# 106) - Coach Rick Stockstill enters 4Th year after a 5-7 record in '08. The Blue Raiders return 45 letterwinners, with 10 OFF and 6 DEF plus both kickers. The Blue Raiders open the '09 seaon @ Clemson, vs. Memphis, @ Maryland, then enter Sun Belt play. Final OOC game is vs. Mississippi State on 10/17 coming off bye week.
3. Florida Atlantic (# 112) - Coach Howard Schnellenberger enters his 9Th season and is the only coach in FAU history for the Owls, who started football in '01. The Owls 7-6 team from '08 return 46 letterwinners, 8 OFF and 3 DEF plus their punter, from the team that defeated Central Michigan 24-21 in the Motor City. The Owls open '09 @ Nebraska, bye week, @ South Carolina, the Sun Belt opener vs. ULM, vs. Wyoming. Final OOC game is @ UAB to open November.
4. Arkansas State (# 119) - Coach Steve Roberts enters his 8Th year for the Red Wolves coming off a 6-6 record in '08. The Red Wolves return 51 letterwinners, including 7 OFF and 8 DEF plus their placekicker. They open '09 vs. Mississippi Valley State, @ Nebraska, bye week before the Sun Belt opener vs. Troy, @ Iowa and travel on Halloween @ Louisville.
5. Louisiana - Lafayette (# 123) - Coach Ricky Bustle is entering 8Th season at the helm of the Ragin' Cajuns. The Ragin' Cajuns return 50 letterwinners, including 7 OFF and 9 DEF plus punter from their 6-6 squad from '08. They open '09 season vs. Southern, vs. Kansas State, @ LSU and @ Nebraska, before a bye week and the run in the Sun Belt Conference.
6. Louisiana - Monroe (# 127) - Coach Charlie Weatherbie is entering his 7Th year at the helm for the Warhawks. Last year the Warhawks finished 4-8. They return 40 letterwinners, with 8 OFF and 9 DEF plus both kickers. They open in '09 @ Texas, vs. Texas Southern, @ Arizona State and later play @ Kentucky on 10/24 for their OOC games.
7. Western Kentucky (# 133) - Coach David Elson begins his 7Th year and will enter a full slate of Sun Belt games finally in '09. The Hilltoppers return 33 letterwinners, with 8 OFF and 4 DEF plus their punter from last year's 2-10 team. The Hilltoppers open '09 play @ Tennessee, vs. USF, vs. Central Arkansas and @ Navy, before a bye week and play in the conference.
8. Florida International (# 147) - Coach Mario Cristobal enters his 3Rd season in Miami at the Golden Panthers' helm. They finished 5-7 last year and return 55 letterwinners, with 10 OFF and 6 DEF plus PK Dustin Rivest will take over both duties in '09. The Golden Panthers open the '09 season a week later than most teams @ Alabama, @ Rutgers, vs. Toledo, then enter conference play. On 11/21, FIU will travel to face preseason #1 Florida.
9. North Texas (# 165) - Coach Todd Dodge enters his 3Rd season at the helm for the Mean Green after leaving head coaching at the Texas high school level. The Mean Green were 1-11 last year and return 47 letterwinners, with 7 OFF and 9 DEF plus their PK. North Texas opens the '09 season @ Ball State, vs. Ohio U., @ Alabama, then opens Sun Belt play vs. Middle Tennessee. The final OOC game is 11/21 vs. Army.

A look back at last year's statistics in the Sun Belt.

peace

Where's Wisconson?

It appears Waldo's job may be in jeopardy today?

Florida International is clearly better than fellow Sun Belt member, North Texas, but the Bottom 10 appears to be littered with the worse of the Pac 10 and with another Big Ten team close to joining.

Ouch!

peace