Sun Belt Week 14 Preview
Arkansas State @ Western Kentucky - Thursday, 7 ET, no TV
The
big drama in this contest is easy to identify: The homestanding
Hilltoppers, in their final game of 2009, will try to avoid the big
bagel, an 0-12 mark that would extend a 19-game losing streak to 20 and
leave a bitter taste in the WKU locker room. This contest marks the
final game for lame-duck coach David Elson, who was fired midway
through the season despite having signed a lengthy contract extension
in January of this year. Knowing that their leader has been mistreated
by the Western Kentucky administration, the Hilltoppers - while
underequipped on the field - have played extremely hard for their coach
under difficult circumstances. WKU lost by only one score in each of
its last two games, a pair of roadies at Louisiana-Monroe (21-18) and
Florida Atlantic (29-23). A lot of people in the college football world
will be pulling for Western Kentucky in this game. The Hilltoppers hope
to send off their coach with the happy ending David Elson deserves.
Florida Atlantic @ Florida International - Saturday, 7 ET, ESPN360.com, GamePlan
When
FAU plays FIU in Miami, two Sun Belt programs based in Florida will be
looking to gain an edge on the recruiting trail and carve out some
extra bragging rights. Another unique aspect of this game is that the
visiting Owls - who will journey from Fort Lauderdale to the southern
tip of the Sunshine State - can actually secure a winning Sun Belt
record (5-3) with a victory, despite the fact that their overall record
will prevent them from going bowling. The loss of quarterback Rusty
Smith has marred a season that started with such promise for Howard
Schnellenberger’s program, which had reached bowl games in each of the
past two seasons. This year’s 4-7 campaign - which will fall short of
.500 even with a win on Saturday - has at least been brightened by the
play of backup signal caller Jeff Vancamp, who has answered the bell a
lot better than FAU fans had a right to expect. With a strong showing
in the finale, Vancamp - just a junior - can create substantial forward
momentum heading into 2010. He’ll try to do so against a Golden Panther
team which sits at 3-8 and is trying to end the regular season on its
own high note at FIU Stadium.
By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Staff Writer