Sun Belt Sports Blog

Florida Atlantic 35, Arkansas State 18

The battle of the backups turned in favor of the Owls, and in ways few observers could have expected before kickoff.

If you had told Arkansas State head coach Steve Roberts before this game that his second-string-turned-starting quarterback, Ryan Aplin, would go 20-of-27 for 168 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions, he’d have liked his team’s chances. If you had told Roberts that his offense wouldn’t turn the ball over on the road, he’d have felt comfortable about his squad’s prospects, in light of the fact that big mistakes have doomed the Red Wolves more than anything else this season. Yet, on a day when one backup played well, the other one played brilliantly.

Florida Atlantic’s No. 2 man, Jeff Vancamp, acted like a No. 1 field general in relief of Rusty Smith. Vancamp merely went 18-of-27 for 242 yards and three scores without a pick, on a day when FAU didn’t commit a single turnover. As a result, Howard Schnellenberger’s team won its first home game of the season.

Louisiana-Monroe 21, Western Kentucky 18

The Sun Belt nearly witnessed the biggest upset of the season, but as is so often the case for a luckless and winless team, victory slipped away from the clutches of the Hilltoppers.

Everything set up perfectly for a WKU crew that entered Malone Stadium on a 17-game losing streak. The homestanding Warhawks committed three turnovers, including two interceptions from the arm of starting quarterback Trey Revell, who passed for only 151 yards on the afternoon. ULM’s offense was stagnant through the first three quarters, enabling the visitors from Bowling Green, Ky., to enter the final stanza with a 12-7 advantage. ULM’s offensive star, running back Frank Goodin, did give the Warhawks a 14-12 lead with a 48-yard run (Goodin racked up a career-high 169 yards in the game), but when Western Kentucky answered just minutes later on a one-yard touchdown run by Brandon Smith, Western Kentucky owned an 18-14 advantage with 10-49 remaining.

Then came the kinds of sequences that losing teams always seem to experience.

ULM, so sluggish for so long, continued its fourth-quarter revival by marching downfield for the second time in as many drives. When Warhawk running back Rodney Lovett made his way into the end zone from three yards out, the home team reclaimed a 21-18 edge with just over five minutes to go.

But that wasn’t the worst of it for the Hilltoppers.

With 1:22 remaining, WKU kicker Casey Tinius - who had made four field goal attempts earlier in this contest - shanked a 32-yard kick that would have tied the score at 21-apiece. Yeah, it’s been that kind of year for a team that’s still in search of win number one.

Middle Tennessee State 34, Louisiana-Lafayette 17

Troy is clearly playing the best ball of any team in the Sun Belt, but a strong number two is Middle Tennessee. The men from Murfreesboro, Tenn., solidified their place as the second-best team in the conference after knocking back the Ragin’ Cajuns by 17 points. Louisiana-Lafayette owned a 17-14 lead at halftime, but then the home team came out amped-up and angry in the second half. Rick Stockstill’s Blue Raiders shut out ULL after the break, as MTSU’s defense wound up sacking Cajun quarterback Chris Masson on five separate occasions. As the Associated Press noted in its game report, ULL had allowed only four sacks in its first nine games of the year. That’s how good MTSU’s front seven turned out to be in this game. The other telltale stat in this tilt was the Blue Raiders’ rushing superiority. MTSU outgained ULL on the ground, 287 yards to 73. With quarterback Dwight Dasher throwing for 219 yards as well, the Blue Raiders were able to throw a two-fisted force at Ricky Bustle’s defense, wearing down ULL as the second half spiraled out of control for the visitors from the Bayou.

Florida International 35, North Texas 28

The North Texas Mean Green have had their hearts ripped out on three prior occasions this season, and now Todd Dodge’s team has encountered the pain of defeat in another foul manner. UNT dominated Florida International for most of the evening in Miami, but once again had nothing to show for it. The Mean Green - who lost three games by nine points in 2009 (by one against Ohio, and by four points apiece against Florida Atlantic and Louisiana-Lafayette) - found a way to fritter away a 28-14 third-quarter lead against Mario Cristobal’s Golden Panthers.

The way in which North Texas fell to 2-8 on the season (1-6 in the conference) was as simple - and as wrenching - as 1-2-3. When leading by a 28-14 count midway through the third stanza, UNT quarterback Riley Dodge threw a pick-six to FIU’s Peter Riley. In a heartbeat, the Golden Panthers shaved their deficit to 28-21. That was No. 1. Early in the fourth quarter, a botched North Texas punt allowed the home team to start a drive on the Mean Green 16. Moments afterward, FIU’s T.Y. Hilton hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Golden Panther quarterback Paul McCall. In no time, the contest was tied at 28. That was No. 2.

And then came mistake No. 3.

North Texas’s Michael Outlaw fumbled after catching a 12-yard pass from Dodge near midfield. An FIU offense that gained only 258 yards was able to cover half the field in short order, and when Wayne Younger ran to paydirt from the Mean Green 23, the Golden Panthers had broken in front, 35-28. UNT mounted one final drive, only to get stopped at the FIU 9 in the final minutes. Once again, North Texas managed to produce a gutting and galling come-from-ahead loss.

Arkansas 56, Troy 20

Last year, Troy almost upended LSU in Baton Rouge, La. This year, Troy’s foray to an SEC lair didn’t involve as much drama.

Proving the gap between the Sun Belt and a power conference, Arkansas hammered Larry Blakeney’s Trojans at Razorback Stadium. This was a Fayetteville (Ark.) thumping, as Bobby Petrino’s ballclub let loose against the Belt’s top team. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett went Hog wild against Troy’s secondary, completing 23 passes for 405 yards and five touchdowns with only one interception. Mallett averaged just over 17.5 yards per throw, as the Razorbacks went vertical against their under-equipped defensive opponent. Troy did slice a 21-point Arkansas lead to 15 (35-20) midway through the third quarter, but when the home team scored two touchdowns in less than two and a half minutes, in a stretch that bridged the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, the visitors from Alabama - trailing 49-20 - lost all remaining hope of victory.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

Arkansas State @ Florida Atlantic - Saturday, 4 ET, no TV

The Red Wolves and Owls haven’t necessarily experienced the worst seasons of any Sun Belt clubs - that dubious distinction would belong to a winless Western Kentucky team - but these two squads have probably endured more bitter defeats than their conference brethren. Arkansas State has lost five games by one score, a victim of mistakes made at the worst possible times, and fourth quarters bereft of a finishing kick. The Red Wolves can play a very physical brand of ball (just ask the Iowa team ASU almost defeated on the road in Iowa City this season), and they can match scores with the best in the Sun Belt, as the Troy Trojans could most readily attest. (ASU lost by only three to the conference leaders earlier in 2009.) However, coach Steve Roberts just can’t get his club over the hump.

The same is true for the FAU crew under veteran coach Howard Schnellenberger. The Owls have lost three games by one score this season, and all of those stomach-punch setbacks have come on home turf in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This Saturday, then, a team without its regular gunslinger - quarterback Rusty Smith - will lean on the arm of backup Jeff Vancamp in its attempt to break through at Lockhart Stadium. One trail of tears will end this weekend… that means, however, that the other one will continue.

Western Kentucky @ Louisiana-Monroe - Saturday, 4 ET, no TV

The main drama of this contest, weirdly but genuinely, falls not on the shoulders of the team that’s tied for second place in the Sun Belt, but in the hearts of the players on the 0-9 team that’s staggering toward the finish line in 2009. It’s true that the Men of Monroe, under head coach Charlie Weatherbie, are looking to maintain a second-place tie with Middle Tennessee State, two weeks before a decisive meeting with the Blue Raiders on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, the main storyline of this particular tussle involves the hapless, helpless Hilltoppers, who saw their coach, David Elson, get fired on Monday.

What makes the Elson firing so lamentable (and words much less charitable than that)? Two details tell the tale: First of all, WKU is in the midst of a transition to the FBS from the FCS, a reality which demands a patient approach. To this end, the university administration gave Elson a contract in January that extended through 2016. Now, the plug has been pulled even before the end of this decade. ULM will be gunning for its sixth win of the year, but Belt watchers will have their eyes on the Hilltoppers and their lame-duck coach. Will Western put up a fight, or will disgust overtake the visitors against the homestanding Warhawks at Malone Stadium?

Louisiana-Lafayette @ Middle Tennessee State - Saturday, 4:15 ET, ESPN360.com

With conference-leading Troy playing out of the league this weekend, the battle between the Ragin’ Cajuns and Blue Raiders takes center stage in the Sun Belt. Improbably yet undeniably, it’s the team with two conference losses that has more riding on the outcome of this game. Lafayette, at 3-2 in the Belt, actually has a path toward the conference title and the locked-in date in the New Orleans Bowl. Coach Ricky Bustle’s bunch has this game against MTSU, and then contests against Louisiana-Monroe (currently tied with MTSU for second in the league) and Troy to close out the season. If ULL can run the table against the top three teams in the conference, one additional loss by Troy - on Nov. 21 against Florida Atlantic - would enable the Cajuns to claim the top spot in when the regular season’s done and dusted. That’s the main reason why this game is so compelling; Middle Tennessee is playing the second-best brand of ball in the Sun Belt, but it’s Lafayette which has a better chance at the brass ring. This backdrop should bring about a very entertaining afternoon at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn., where the Blue Raiders will look to prevent a Ragin’ Cajun celebration.

North Texas @ Florida International - Saturday, 7 ET, no TV

Remember the 68-49 win North Texas posted against Western Kentucky a few weeks ago? One shouldn’t expect quite as many points this weekend at FIU Stadium in Miami, but anyone in attendance should kick back, enjoy a beverage or snack of choice (or both), and expect a whole lotta fireworks when the Mean Green leave their small-town Texas home and travel to South Florida to take on the Golden Panthers. It’s true that FIU has struggled in recent weeks, averaging just 17 points in its last three contests. On Nov. 7, backup quarterback Wayne Younger - filling in for starting signal caller Paul McCall - threw three interceptions in an ugly loss to Middle Tennessee State, but against North Texas’s not-so-Mean defense, Sun Belt opponents have regularly gotten healthy. UNT has allowed at least 31 points in every game but one, and that was the Sept. 3 opener at Ball State. Coach Todd Dodge’s defense has evidently gotten worse, not better, as 2009 has continued, so FIU should put more points on the board against the Green. Both teams carry 2-7 records into this game, but it sure figures to be an entertaining event for anyone with a ticket.

Troy @ Arkansas - Saturday, 7:30 ET, ESPN360.com

Last year, Troy went into an SEC lair and competed extremely well, only to leave with a very hollow feeling. The Trojans built a 31-3 lead in Baton Rouge against LSU… maybe not the best LSU team of recent years, but still a brand-name program from college football’s most celebrated conference. Yes, with just two minutes remaining in the third quarter - or 17 minutes left in regulation time - the little engine that could from the Sun Belt had 28 points more than the defending national champions.

And then the roof fell in.

LSU, for all its struggles in 2008, got off the canvas, scored one touchdown before the end of the third quarter, and then hung 30 points on the Tiger Stadium scoreboard in the fourth stanza to stun Troy, 40-31, and hand the Sun Belt champs a blow that left them reeling. Troy did rebound to win its last two regular season games to wrap up the league championship, but the loss to LSU seemed to weigh on the minds of the Trojans in their New Orleans Bowl loss to Southern Mississippi, which featured ample late-game nerves from a normally steady squad.

With this memory serving as prelude, Troy will try to beat another SEC team on the road in 2009. This weekend’s visit to Arkansas will test anew the Trojans, stretching their non-conference muscles and serving as a barometer of their standing in the college football world. Maybe Troy won’t match up in the secondary against Arkansas receivers catching passes from Ryan Mallett, the second-best quarterback in the SEC behind Florida’s Tim Tebow; maybe Troy can’t handle the size and power of the Hogs in the trenches. No matter–Troy is under no pressure in this game; if Larry Blakeney sees his pupils gain a considerable lead in the second half, he can only hope that Troy will learn the lessons so painfully absorbed one year ago against LSU.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

UAB 56, Florida Atlantic 29

The Owls were in store for a tough day even if their star quarterback, Rusty Smith, had been able to strap on the pads in Birmingham. However, the lack of a starting quarterback was the least of Coach Howard Schnellenberger’s problems at venerable Legion Field. Alabama-Birmingham tore up FAU’s defense for 622 yards, 412 of them coming from Blazer quarterback Joe Webb (292 passing, 120 rushing). Coach Neil Callaway’s crew from Conference USA rolled up big numbers and established a 35-14 lead late in the second quarter. Even though FAU quarterback Jeff Vancamp threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns in relief of Smith, the visitors could never threaten UAB the rest of the way. Further proof of FAU’s toothless defensive performance emerged from the fact that Webb averaged just over 20 yards on each of his 14 pass completions. The Blazers didn’t complete a high amount of passes, but they certainly gained huge chunks of real estate when they pitched the pigskin.

Louisiana-Lafayette 21, Arkansas State 18

The Ragin’ Cajuns might have two Sun Belt losses, but this three-point win in Jonesboro, Ark., against the snake-bitten Red Wolves will give coach Ricky Bustle’s team a chance to raise cain in the home stretch of the season. Lafayette built a 21-3 third quarter lead but then watched Arkansas State score two touchdowns in just under three minutes early in the fourth quarter. At the 10:10 mark of regulation, the visitors clung to a one-score advantage against an opponent that’s played stacks of close games in 2009. One might have felt that ASU was ready to finally win a close game after losing so many nail-biters over the past two months, but evidently, the Red Wolves still couldn’t pull a thriller out of the fire.

The difference in this donnybrook was ASU’s continuing inability to avoid devastating mistakes. Turnovers have dogged coach Steve Roberts’s roster throughout the year, and this Saturday was no exception. Red Wolves quarterback Corey Leonard was benched for being ineffective (he completed only three passes and threw one interception), and while his replacement, redshirt freshman Ryan Aplin, was generally effective, Aplin committed the one miscue the home team could not afford.

With 2:52 left and the Red Wolves owning a 1st and 10 at the Lafayette 39, Aplin was picked off by ULL’s Lance Kelley. ASU never got the ball back, and a tale of two seasons continued in the Ozarks. ASU is headed for a losing season unless the Red Wolves can run the table over the next four weeks. Lafayette, meanwhile, has its sights set on more close-shave wins and an opportunity to make the Sun Belt race even more interesting.

Louisiana-Monroe 33, North Texas 6

What a difference a week makes for two teams. On Halloween, Monroe got mashed by conference-leading Troy, while North Texas went wild in a 68-49 win over Western Kentucky. Just seven days later at Fouts Field, the Warhawks and Mean Green wrote a week 10 narrative that stood in stark contrast to week 9’s events.

After getting lit up by Levi Brown, coach Charlie Weatherbie’s ULM defense regrouped against UNT quarterback Riley Dodge. The Warhawks plucked three picks against Dodge while holding the home team to just 189 passing yards in Denton, Tex. For the game, Monroe limited Coach Todd Dodge’s offense to just 268 yards.

Greg Jones was the hero on this afternoon in the Lone Star State. The safety registered all three of ULM’s interceptions, spearheading the Warhawks’ dominating defensive effort. Trey Revell, back in action as ULM’s starting quarterback following an injury suffered earlier in the year against Arkansas State turned in a solid performance for Monroe. The veteran went 14-of-22 for 282 yards with two touchdowns and only one interception.

Middle Tennessee State 48, Florida International 21

The Blue Raiders became bowl eligible by winning a game of runs at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Coach Rick Stockstill’s club moved to 6-3 on the season and affirmed its place in the upper reaches of the conference standings by starting and finishing with authority against Mario Cristobal’s Golden Panthers.

Florida International might have unleashed a 21-0 run in the middle stages of this contest, but Middle Tennessee began the game with a 34-0 surge, and then responded with a 14-0 fourth quarter after the visitors from Miami had cut the lead to 34-21 by the end of the third stanza.

Blue Raider quarterback Dwight Dasher continues to live up to his name. The athletic signal caller breezed through FIU defenders on his way to 178 rushing yards, which matched the 178 yards he covered in the passing game. Dasher did throw three interceptions on the afternoon, but with his defense picking off Golden Panther quarterback Wayne Younger on three occasions as well, Middle Tennessee was able to use its offensive versatility to good effect. Dasher overcame his three turnovers with three rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns; in the end, the Blue Raiders might have been sloppy, but they proved to be even more potent. Coaches don’t like mistakes, but they’ll be forgiving if those mistakes are exceeded in quality and quantity by big plays. Middle Tennessee offered such explosiveness, while FIU couldn’t, and that told the story in this conference clash.

Troy 40, Western Kentucky 20

Hardly anyone in Bowling Green, Ky., could believe the halftime score of this contest. Everyone could understand the final score.

Troy, the conference titan, and Western Kentucky, the league’s cellar dweller (whose coach, David Elson, was fired Monday morning), played an even-steven first half, as the Trojans could only eke out a 21-20 edge against the winless Hilltoppers, who entered Smith Stadium with a 16-game losing streak. You never would have known that these teams stood at opposite ends of the Sun Belt standings based on the first half of play. Troy quarterback Levi Brown completed only 9 passes in 17 attempts, and without a WKU turnover late in the first half, the Trojans would have been down by six at the break.

In the second half, however, order was restored by the team that’s now just one win away from sealing another Sun Belt title. Coach Larry Blakeney’s ballclub shut out the Hilltoppers 19-0 after halftime, putting the brakes on WKU quarterback Kawaun Jakes. Brown finished the day 20-of-33 for 251 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Jakes started strong for Western Kentucky, but ended with a modest stat line. The WKU signal caller went 19-of-34 for 185 yards, one touchdown, and no picks.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

Florida Atlantic @ UAB - Saturday, 2 ET, no TV

As Florida Atlantic tries to recover from an agonizing loss to Middle Tennessee State, the Owls must also hope that their quarterback situation is good enough to handle Alabama-Birmingham. As FAU travels to Legion Field to take on coach Neil Callaway’s Blazers, the Owls know that Rusty Smith, their veteran signal caller, is dinged up and damaged. Smith suffered an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder with roughly five minutes left against Middle Tennessee. At press time, Smith had not yet received a formal evaluation, making his status unclear for this contest.

If Smith doesn’t play, FAU–even with resourceful backup Jeff Van Camp, who played admirably when thrown into the fire of last weekend’s 27-20 loss to MTSU–figures to have a very tough time against UAB. The Blazers might be 3-5 on the season, but they’re 3-2 in Conference USA and are brimming with confidence after a big road win at UTEP on Halloween. Even with Smith under center, the fragile health of their main man will put the Owls in a decidedly scary situation heading into Birmingham.

Louisiana-Lafayette @ Arkansas State - Saturday, 3:30 ET, ESPN360.com, GamePlan

Two teams struggling to stay afloat will lock horns at ASU Stadium in Jonesboro, Ark. Lafayette started the Sun Belt season 2-0, but has since dropped a pair of league games to Florida Atlantic and Florida International. Coach Ricky Bustle’s Ragin’ Cajuns will look to bounce back this week by putting together a more balanced game; whenever one side of the ball excels for ULL, the other side doesn’t. If Bustle’s boys can bring their best stuff to the battle in at least two of football’s three phases, the visitors stand a good chance against the Red Wolves and head coach Steve Roberts.

Arkansas State has been a near-miss team all season. Against Troy, Iowa, Louisiana-Monroe, and last weekend against Louisville, a hard effort got ASU within one score of an opponent, but not into the winner’s circle. The Red Wolves must find the extra finishing kick that’s been so elusive this season.

Louisiana-Monroe @ North Texas - Saturday, 4 ET, no TV

The biggest key to this game is really rather simple: Monroe must man up after absorbing a 21-point loss to conference-leading Troy. ULM’s annual battle with the Sun Belt’s standard-bearer is always emotionally involving and physically taxing. ULM is a better team than a North Texas club that won its first league game last weekend, on the final day of October. As long as coach Charlie Weatherbie can get his Warhawks to return to the gridiron with ample intensity, a win should be notched against the Mean Green at Fouts Field.

Yes, North Texas is fresh off a 68-point performance (66 of those points being produced by the offense) and a much-needed triumph over Western Kentucky, but confidence can only do so much for coach Todd Dodge and his son, UNT quarterback Riley Dodge. ULM will need to let its guard down in order for the home team to win this donnybrook in Denton, Tex.

Florida International @ Middle Tennessee State - Saturday, ESPN360.com, GamePlan

At first glance, this game shapes up as a mismatch. The homestanding Blue Raiders, playing in the cozy confines of Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn., are riding high following a spirit-lifting 27-20 win last weekend against Florida Atlantic. Middle Tennessee stands in second place in the conference, and appears poised to snag a bowl bid under head coach Rick Stockstill.

In order to stay on the right path, though, MTSU can’t assume that its guest from Miami will roll over. Florida International is 2-3 in the Sun Belt, not bad for a team that lost six of its first seven games this season. Last weekend’s surprising overtime conquest of Louisiana-Lafayette has Mario Cristobal’s club believing in itself. When one then considers the fact that MTSU needed a number of huge special teams plays against FAU in order to stay above .500 in the conference, this contest could be closer than the experts think. Call this a Lee Corso special, if you will.

Troy @ Western Kentucky - Saturday, 5 ET, no TV

Okay, no need to beat around the bushes here: Troy, at 6-2 and 5-0 in the league, has affirmed its place as the colossus of the conference. This assemblage of Trojans has continued to dominate its own league in ways that the “other Troy” (wink, wink) hasn’t done, out in Pac-10 country. Levi Brown is throwing seeds to his receivers, and planting seeds of confusion in opposing secondaries.

The next opponent for Troy and its white-hot quarterback? Uh, that would be 0-8 Western Kentucky, bringing up the rear in the Sun Belt and immersed in a losing streak that will hit 20 games if the Hilltoppers don’t win one game this season.

Yes, it should get ugly in Bowling Green, Ky. Might want to wear some protective eye gear at Smith Stadium… unless you’re a fan of the likely Sun Belt champions.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

NOTE: For coverage of Arkansas State-Louisville, check the game preview and upcoming game recap at BigEast-fans.com, part of the Dash Fans Network

Louisiana-Lafayette @ Florida International - Saturday, Noon ET, no TV

One team owns a 2-1 record in the Sun Belt, while the other stands at 1-3 in the league. One team beat current Big 12 North leader Kansas State, while the other has fallen to 1-6 for the 2009 season. Yes, on the face of things, Louisiana-Lafayette should thump Florida International when the Ragin’ Cajuns fly to Florida to play the Golden Panthers at FIU Stadium. This matchup in Miami would appear to be a one-sided affair in the eyes of people who haven’t followed the Sun Belt this season… and perhaps, that could indeed remain the case when this duel is done. Yet, two other statistics create more than a little intrigue heading into this clash between Ricky Bustle’s ballclub and Mario Cristobal’s crew.

Lafayette, for all of its successes, has allowed at least 31 points in four of its last five games. Meanwhile, FIU–despite its pronounced failures on defense–has scored 31 points in four of its last five contests. Lafayette deserves the nod, but FIU has the offense–and the Ragin’ Cajuns own the leaky brand of defense–that could make this tussle far more interesting than the records suggest.

Middle Tennessee State @ Florida Atlantic - Saturday, 4 ET, no TV

If not for the Sun Belt game of the year between Louisiana-Monroe and Troy later in the day, this matchup between the Blue Raiders and Owls would have Belt watchers buzzing. Middle Tennessee stood up to its non-conference competition in 2009 and is fresh off a 38-point throttling of Western Kentucky. Coach Rick Stockstill’s club lost at Troy, but that’s a fate likely to be experienced by every other league team this year. MTSU still has a very good chance to snag second place in the conference, and a win in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., would solidly establish the Blue Raiders as an upper-tier ballclub.

Coach Howard Schnellenberger’s Owls might be 2-4 at the midway point of their season, but they’ve saved their best for in-conference collisions. After striding into Louisiana last weekend and routing the Ragin’ Cajuns from Lafayette, Florida Atlantic will enter this week nine throwdown with a full supply of confidence. With Rusty Smith pitching the pigskin and Alfred Morris slashing through holes created by an improving offensive line, FAU is quickly regaining the form of the team that won the Motor City Bowl last season.

A win over Middle Tennessee will thrust the Owls into a tie for second in the Sun Belt standings, alongside the Monroe-Troy loser. Three long weeks ago, the sons of Schnellenberger couldn’t have hoped for a better scenario. They can only hope they’ll be able to register their first home-field win of 2009, and continue the rise that has shaken up the Sun Belt in the month of October.

Western Kentucky @ North Texas - Saturday, 4:15 ET, no TV

If Monroe-Troy is a five-star attraction, and Middle Tennessee-Florida Atlantic generates four stars, this is the game that rates as the budget movie at an old single theater on the edge of the city limits. Western Kentucky brings a 15-game losing streak to Denton, Tex., as the hard-luck Hilltoppers will try to piece together the complete performance that’s been so elusive for them over the past two years. Occasionally effective on offense but regularly emasculated on defense, WKU will probably need to win a Texas-style Old West shootout against the Mean Green, and when one realizes that North Texas has allowed at least 37 points in each of its past five games, the visitors from Kentucky could very well do the deed. The only problem is that the Hilltoppers are likely to surrender their fair share of points at Fouts Field; WKU has conceded a minimum of 28 points in all seven outings this year.

Louisiana-Monroe @ Troy - Saturday, 7 ET, no TV

On Halloween, the Sun Belt has set aside the night time as the right time for its game of the year, the matchup between the two remaining unbeaten teams in the league. Last year, the men of Monroe upended Troy, 31-30, in a game that nearly swung the conference race. Coach Larry Blakeney’s Trojans eventually claimed the league in 2008 due to Monroe’s missteps against other Sun Belt opponents, but the memory of that loss has haunted Troy more than any of the ghouls and monsters who will be out in force on the final night of October. As coach Charlie Weatherbie brings his Warhawks into Southeastern Alabama, ULM will try to spook its main rival for yet another year.

This battle between the 3-0 Warhawks (4-3 overall) and the 4-0 Trojans (5-2 overall) will come down to the visitors’ quarterbacking and the home team’s ability to execute with precision. ULM’s quarterback situation is unsettled, due to the thumb injury suffered by starting signal caller Trey Revell against Arkansas State on Oct. 13. Revell gives ULM its best chance to win, a fact affirmed by backup Cody Wells’s three interceptions on Oct. 24 against Kentucky. Yet, Revell–initially expected to miss three to six weeks upon absorbing his injury–is trying to push his way into the starting lineup, as any big-game competitor would. The choice between Revell and Wells is likely to be made just before game time by Weatherbie, who has to weigh Revell’s health against his team’s chances with Wells.

For Troy, the situation is simple: Execute well, and victory should be attained. Troy missed three field goals and gave up a safety in last year’s one-point loss to the Warhawks. As long as quarterback Levi Brown gets out of his own way and plays near the limit of his capabilities, the Trojans should flourish. Brown has dominated the Sun Belt this season, and has soared in his past two games by throwing for a total of 860 yards without an interception. Given ULM’s issues under center, it’s fairly safe to say that if Levi lights up the Halloween night against the Warhawks, Troy won’t have the same awful dreams that filled the minds of the Trojans over the past 12 months.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

Middle Tennessee State 62, Western Kentucky 24

The Blue Raiders might have scored only three first-quarter points against the still-winless Hilltoppers, but they sure made up for lost time in the second and third stanzas. A 28-point second quarter, followed by a 17-point third quarter, carried Rick Stockstill’s team past David Elson’s outfit at Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

MTSU’s explosion was primarily powered by the passing game. Blue Raider quarterback Dwight Dasher spent the second quarter flipping touchdown tosses of 23, 52 and 34 yards, on his way to 355 yards passing for the game. All told, the Blue Raiders racked up 417 yards in the air, part of their 646-yard effort against a flat and feeble WKU defense. When one also considers the fact that the Hilltoppers coughed up the ball four times–on three fumbles and one interception–the visitors simply had no chance. MTSU led, 41-10, just two minutes into the third quarter, capping the relatively brief competitive phase of this contest.

Troy 50, North Texas 26

On what turned out to be “Blowout Saturday” in the Sun Belt, Troy continued the scoreboard-lighting festival with half-a-hundred points against the not-so-Mean Green. Trojan quarterback Levi Brown wasn’t hugely efficient–he missed 17 of his 44 passes; that still translates to just over 60 percent completions, but Brown exceeded 75 percent in his previous outing. Yet, the stud signal caller made up for his misfires by throwing for an ungodly amount of yards… 469 of them, to be exact. This means that Brown averaged just under 17.5 yards on each of his 27 completions. With that level of vertical aggressiveness in the Troy passing attack, the overmatched crew from North Texas had little chance. Brown hit five different receivers on passes of at least 35 yards. They didn’t directly score touchdowns, but they set up three short-yardage scores from running backs DuJuan Harris and Maurice Greer. Troy’s offense was so swift and strong in delivering haymakers to North Texas that the Trojans accumulated a 41-7 lead just three minutes into the third quarter. Coach Todd Dodge and the rest of his UNT staff will just want to burn the game film from this runaway and move on to next week’s opponent.

Florida Atlantic 51, Louisiana-Lafayette 29

The video-game numbers just kept coming on this latest Sun Belt Saturday, but this time, the team that scored a decisive triumph was a road underdog. Florida Atlantic still owns a 2-4 overall record, but Howard Schnellenberger’s Owls are now 2-1 in the league. FAU is tied with Ricky Bustle’s Ragin’ Cajuns, who weren’t Ragin’ all that much against the offense they saw in Lafayette, La.

FAU threw a mean 1-2 combo at the home team’s defense. Veteran quarterback Rusty Smith threw for 359 yards, hit four touchdown passes, and averaged 20 yards per completion, all while avoiding any interceptions. Owl running back Alfred Morris had as much of a field day on the ground as Smith did in the air; Morris frolicked at Cajun Field, galloping for 181 yards on just 24 carries, good for a 7.5 yards-per-carry average. Florida Atlantic found itself up by only five points, at 34-29, late in the third quarter, but a 64-yard touchdown pass by Smith, followed later by a 47-yard touchdown run from Morris, allowed the visitors from Fort Lauderdale to score the game’s final 17 points and salt away a 22-point victory. The result leaves Troy and Louisiana-Monroe as the only teams still unbeaten in conference play.

Kentucky 36, Louisiana-Monroe 13

Louisiana-Monroe played this game without regular starting quarterback Trey Revell, and it showed in Lexington, Ky., against an SEC opponent. ULM quarterback Cody Wells through three interceptions, one of which turned into a game-sealing pick-six midway through the fourth quarter. The Warhawks’ effort level was perfectly respectable against the Wildcats, but their lack of a prolific passer caught up with them at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky has its own issues at quarterback, since regular starter Mike Hartline has also been slowed down by an injury, but UK coach Rich Brooks was able to rotate three backup quarterbacks in this game and not pay an overly substantial price. Yes, Monroe snagged two picks from Wildcat passers, but it was the Warhawks who suffered more when they misfired, a reality that can be attributed in part to Kentucky’s superior depth and frontline strength. With Revell in this game, ULM actually had good odds of being not just competitive, but in the thick of the fray; without their leader, however, the Warhawks simply couldn’t keep pace.

Arkansas State 27, Florida International 10

The Red Wolves, so close to so many victories in 2009, finally entered the win column in league play by turning back the Golden Panthers in Jonesboro, Ark. Arkansas State was clinging to a somewhat tenuous 17-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but after Florida International fumbled on its own 14, ASU running back Reggie Arnold–who ran for 104 yards on the evening–scooted into the end zone to pad the home team’s advantage. This wasn’t a stylistic game by any means; a lack of offensive pyrotechnics was nevertheless accompanied by four turnovers and 19 penalties. What ultimately made the difference–along with FIU’s late fumble–was ASU’s ability to hold the Golden Panthers to just 32 yards rushing. The visitors from Miami were too one-dimensional, a fact that came back to bite them by the time this duel was done.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

Western Kentucky @ Middle Tennessee State - Saturday, 3:30 ET, ESPN360.com

As Western Kentucky tries to break its 14-game losing streak, the Hilltoppers will have to hope that Middle Tennessee State’s loss to Mississippi State will soften up the Blue Raiders’ defense. Coach Rick Stockstill’s MTSU defense was pounded by Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon in the Blue Raiders’ 27-6 setback last weekend in Murfreesboro, Tenn. If the 0-6 Hilltoppers are to break into the win column, they’ll need their hosts to carry around a combination of physical and mental wounds. But as long as Middle Tennessee regains its fitness and focus, it’s hard to see how the WKU crew will put an end to its trail of gridiron tears.

North Texas @ Troy - Saturday, 3:30 ET, ESPN360.com

The Mean Green were going to have a difficult enough time beating the standard-bearer of the Sun Belt in Troy, Ala., this Saturday, but now, the UNT outlook has darkened to an even greater extent. North Texas knows that its regular starting quarterback, Riley Dodge (son of coach Todd Dodge), won’t be healthy heading into this weekend’s contest, so the visitors from the Lone Star State will be wounded as they take on coach Larry Blakeney’s ballclub. Troy quarterback Levi Brown is coming off a dominating performance at Florida International on Oct. 17, and if UNT’s front seven can’t get in his face, Brown will trump the Green, no matter how mean the visiting team might be.

Florida Atlantic @ Louisiana-Lafayette - Saturday, 5 ET, no TV

This clash rates as the game of the week in the Sun Belt for week eight. Florida Atlantic might still sport a 1-4 record, but the Owls–after finally winning last weekend at North Texas–should fly into Lafayette, La., with a fresh supply of confidence. FAU quarterback Rusty Smith knows what to do with a football, so the lads from Lafayette need to be on high alert at Cajun Field. Ricky Bustle’s bunch has lived on the edge at times in 2009, so the home team needs to start fast and prevent the Owls from believing that a Sun Belt resurrection can unfold. FAU, for its part, needs to guard against the big plays and prolonged negative sequences that have plagued Howard Schnellenberger’s boys all season long.

Louisiana-Monroe @ Kentucky - Saturday, 7 ET, ESPN360.com

If you think that the Warhawks will be the slightest bit intimidated as they head into Commonwealth Stadium this weekend, think again. In 2006, Louisiana-Monroe marched into Big Blue Nation and came within a whisker of conquering Kentucky. Monroe fell, 42-40, in a six-shooting showdown that produced nearly 1,000 yards of total offense. The Warhawks tallied 501 yards on the afternoon against a Rich Brooks-coached club led by then-quarterback Andre Woodson. If Charlie Weatherbie’s men of Monroe could almost outscore Woodson, they could definitely take down this year’s UK crew, which will take to the field without starting quarterback Mike Hartline. Randall Cobb will take the snaps for the Wildcats, in a game that’s anything but a foregone conclusion.

Florida International @ Arkansas State - Saturday 7 ET, no TV

This figures to be the game in which Arkansas State posts a Sun Belt victory for the first time in 2009, but as this season has shown, nothing can be taken for granted when the Red Wolves are concerned. Steve Roberts’s roster has played hard and with admirable energy this season, but ASU has been repeatedly assaulted by fumbles, flags, and other foul-ups. The Red Wolves’ 24-21 loss at unbeaten Iowa just keeps looking better and better as this season progresses, but now ASU has to start proving that it can close the sale at the end of a white-knuckle nailbiter. Arkansas State quarterback Corey Leonard needs to display the consistency and precision that have often evaded him in 2009. If Florida International can regularly harass him in the pocket, the visiting Golden Panthers have a chance to snag their second Sun Belt win of the year.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Writer

Mississippi State @ Middle Tennessee State
Saturday, 12:30 ET, ESPNU

When Dan Mullen brings his Mississippi State team into Murfressboro, Tenn., the challenge for Rick Stockstill’s men of Middle Tennessee will be simple, but daunting. Just exactly how will the Blue Raiders defend the honor of the Sun Belt–and their own goal line–against the Bulldogs’ rushing attack? Last week, Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon carried multiple Houston defenders on his back for the final 20 yards of a spectacular long-distance touchdown play. The highlight dominated SportsCenter’s top plays features over the weekend and showed why the Bulldogs, despite a 2-4 record, are producing more points than in recent seasons under former coach Sylvester Croom. Even in defeat, MSU has been hitting the mid-20s and low-30s on the scoreboard. The reason why the Bulldogs haven’t been winning games is because their defense has had the qualities of a sieve. Perhaps Middle Tennessee State can get into a shootout with the visitors from Starkville, but if not, the Blue Raiders will have to clamp down on Dixon at some point in the proceedings.

Louisiana-Lafayette @ Western Kentucky
Saturday, 7 ET, no TV

On paper, this appears to be a mismatch, but as week six showed, coach Ricky Bustle’s Lafayette ballclub–despite an unblemished conference record–is far from its best right now. The Ragin’ Cajuns needed a pick-six and a blocked kick return to eke out a narrow home win over North Texas, a lower-tier Sun Belt opponent. Naturally, ULL should beat Western Kentucky, but if the Cajuns offer the indifferent brand of ball they displayed last week against the Mean Green, the Hilltoppers have the quarterback in Kawaun Jakes who could ambush them in Bowling Green, Ky. Western Kentucky played South Florida close for the better part of three quarters, and made Navy sweat well into the third quarter. If Lafayette continues to rest on its laurels a little, this contest could remain competitive until the final gun.

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Troy @ Florida International
Saturday, 7 ET, no TV

Troy is the one team in the Sun Belt that’s flexing its muscles at the moment. While the two Louisiana hyphen schools–Monroe and Lafayette–are grinding out close wins in uneven performances, Troy seems to be hitting its stride. After escaping Arkansas State’s best shot a few weeks ago, the Trojans then pounded Middle Tennessee on Oct. 6 to reassert their dominance in the league they’ve known how to subdue. Troy coach Larry Blakeney has a lot of talent at his disposal, so the key for his team as it travels to Miami is to avoid a letdown at FIU Stadium against coach Mario Cristobal’s Golden Panthers. FIU is coming off its first Sun Belt win of the year, a 37-20 triumph at Western Kentucky, so Troy is likely to absorb a confident first-half flurry from its week seven opponent. FIU will try to hit big plays in the passing game behind the arm of quarterback Paul McCall. If the Golden Panthers can hit the jackpot early on, they’ll force Troy signal caller Levi Brown to engage in a track meet. That’s probably the best bet for the underdogs, who can’t expect to win if they don’t ring up a big point total on Saturday.

Florida Atlantic @ North Texas
Saturday, 8 ET, no TV

The Sun Belt, to this point in the 2009 season, has established some clusters of teams bound together by certain similarities. The Louisiana schools are pulling close wins out of the fire. Western Kentucky and Florida International are giving honest efforts, but find themselves generally under-equipped on the field. For Florida Atlantic and North Texas–alongside snake-bitten Arkansas State–the theme of this season has been late-game agony. Both the Owls and the Mean Green have lost a pair of heartbreakers this season. Coach Howard Schnellenberger saw his FAU crew drop a pair of two-point stomach-churners to Louisiana-Monroe and Wyoming, while coach Todd Dodge’s UNT team lost by one point to Ohio in overtime on Sept. 12, before dropping an exquisitely painful 38-34 decision last week against Louisiana-Lafayette. Both of these teams have been quite competitive on gameday, but have faltered near the finish line. When kickoff time arrives in Denton, Tex., resolve and resourcefulness will tell the tale in a tussle filled with urgency.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

Louisiana-Monroe 16, Arkansas State 10

This was an ugly game, but it’s very pretty as far as coach Charlie Weatherbie and the Warhawks are concerned. Monroe maintained an unbeaten Sun Belt Conference record by outlasting coach Steve Roberts’s Red Wolves on a rain-soaked night in Louisiana. Despite a missed extra point and a missed 22-yard field goal, the Warhawks held off Arkansas State by making fewer mistakes and generating a pass rush that flustered ASU quarterback Corey Leonard. While Monroe committed only one turnover on home turf, the visiting Red Wolves coughed up the rock on three occasions while committing 16 accepted penalties, plus several other penalties that Weatherbie declined. ASU receivers dropped a handful of passes, and Leonard–while throwing two interceptions–committed a few fumbles that his teammates recovered. On a night when ULM starting quarterback Trey Revell got injured in the first half, Arkansas State could not take advantage due to its many miscues. ULM prevailed not just because of ASU’s lack of execution, but also because Warhawk defensive end Troy Evans sacked Leonard on back-to-back plays during Arkansas State’s final drive of the game. Monroe is now 4-2 overall, 3-0 in the Sun Belt. ASU falls to 1-4 overall, 0-2 in the league.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

Arkansas State @ Louisiana Monroe