UL Lafayette Picked as Unanimous Choice to Win Sun Belt
NEW ORLEANS – After tying for the regular season championship last year, UL Lafayette and Arkansas State have been picked to finish first and second in the 2014 Sun Belt Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
UL Lafayette is picked to repeat as they garnered all 11 fist place votes from Sun Belt head coaches and the maximum 121 points. Arkansas State will look to grab a share of their fourth straight Sun Belt title as they earned 102 points and second place in the poll. South Alabama was tabbed for a third place finish with 98 points after concluding last season with three straight wins to earn bowl eligibility in only their second year as a Sun Belt member.

Five time Sun Belt Champion, Troy finished fourth in the preseason poll with 84 points. The league’s coaches predicted a fifth place finish for UL Monroe, edging out Texas State, 78-70. Football Bowl Subdivision newcomers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern took seventh and eighth in the poll. The two schools begin their first season as Sun Belt members after ranking first and third in NCAA FCS Championships with nine titles between them.
The poll is rounded out by Idaho (9), Georgia State (10), and New Mexico State (11). Idaho and New Mexico State will be making their return to the Sun Belt Conference as football only members having last played in the Sun Belt during the 2004 season.
Last season, seven of the eight Sun Belt teams reached six wins and bowl eligibility and the conference was undefeated in bowl games.

Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll
First Place Votes in Parenthesis
1. UL Lafayette 121 (11)
2. Arkansas State 102
3. South Alabama 98
4. Troy 84
5. UL Monroe 78
6. Texas State 70
7. Appalachian State 47
8. Georgia Southern 44
9. Idaho 29
10. Georgia State 27
11. New Mexico State 26

Will be interesting to see the All Sun Belt Teams. I'm not sure if they will do a first and second or just first team. Would have to think Kendall Lamm, Marcus Cox, John Law, Kam Bryant, and Bentlee Critcher are at least nominated with 1 or 2 on the 2nd team?

I'm pretty sure we'll go undefeated in the Sun Belt this year.

StumpyCulbreath wrote:I'm pretty sure we'll go undefeated in the Sun Belt this year.

I'm pretty sure we'll go undefeated in football this year.

StumpyCulbreath wrote:I'm pretty sure we'll go undefeated in the Sun Belt this year.

I hope we do. I don't see it happening but that would be great! There are those who think us moving up is a mistake. That would certainly shut them up. Although, I think a 7-5 or better season would shut up any doubters.

StumpyCulbreath wrote:I'm pretty sure we'll go undefeated in the Sun Belt this year.

Works for me.

I guess this means coaches can vote for their own team in the Sun Belt.

ASUMountaineer wrote:I guess this means coaches can vote for their own team in the Sun Belt.

Yes it does. I think they should be able to. A coach is a professional and thus should be able to vote like one. Glad to see the Sun Belt allows it.

Seventh is about where I expected. I trust my original prediction of 6-6. I think this team, despite 2013's record, has a focus unlike any season because of where they are now and what is expected of them. The move to the Sun Belt will wind up being the best thing that ever happened to the team and the school, especially once further realignments come down the pike, and you know they will.

App in C-USA in 2020 along with the Marshalls, James Madisons, Southern Miss, etc? Possibly feasible. But it had to start somewhere. The SoCon held nothing for App any longer. These kids will respond once kickoff gets here. Go Apps!

luvyosef wrote:Seventh is about where I expected. I trust my original prediction of 6-6. I think this team, despite 2013's record, has a focus unlike any season because of where they are now and what is expected of them. The move to the Sun Belt will wind up being the best thing that ever happened to the team and the school, especially once further realignments come down the pike, and you know they will.

App in C-USA in 2020 along with the Marshalls, James Madisons, Southern Miss, etc? Possibly feasible. But it had to start somewhere. The SoCon held nothing for App any longer. These kids will respond once kickoff gets here. Go Apps!

I hope you are right! I was thinking 5-7 with a 7-5 or 8-4 mark in 2015 (if Kam proves to be the guy) but would love 6-6.

Would you be disappointed in our coaches if we don't win at least 4 or 5 games since you expect 6-6?

luvyosef wrote:Seventh is about where I expected. I trust my original prediction of 6-6. I think this team, despite 2013's record, has a focus unlike any season because of where they are now and what is expected of them. The move to the Sun Belt will wind up being the best thing that ever happened to the team and the school, especially once further realignments come down the pike, and you know they will.

App in C-USA in 2020 along with the Marshalls, James Madisons, Southern Miss, etc? Possibly feasible. But it had to start somewhere. The SoCon held nothing for App any longer. These kids will respond once kickoff gets here. Go Apps!

I'm surprised we're already looking for/expecting a move to another conference. For now, we need to focus on being our very best in the Sun Belt. If we don't live up to expectations here, we're in the Sun Belt for the long haul.

AppState2014 wrote:

luvyosef wrote:Seventh is about where I expected. I trust my original prediction of 6-6. I think this team, despite 2013's record, has a focus unlike any season because of where they are now and what is expected of them. The move to the Sun Belt will wind up being the best thing that ever happened to the team and the school, especially once further realignments come down the pike, and you know they will.

App in C-USA in 2020 along with the Marshalls, James Madisons, Southern Miss, etc? Possibly feasible. But it had to start somewhere. The SoCon held nothing for App any longer. These kids will respond once kickoff gets here. Go Apps!

I hope you are right! I was thinking 5-7 with a 7-5 or 8-4 mark in 2015 (if Kam proves to be the guy) but would love 6-6.

Would you be disappointed in our coaches if we don't win at least 4 or 5 games since you expect 6-6?

Not at all. My personal opinion doesn't reflect on our coaches and players ability.

8993 wrote:

luvyosef wrote:Seventh is about where I expected. I trust my original prediction of 6-6. I think this team, despite 2013's record, has a focus unlike any season because of where they are now and what is expected of them. The move to the Sun Belt will wind up being the best thing that ever happened to the team and the school, especially once further realignments come down the pike, and you know they will.

App in C-USA in 2020 along with the Marshalls, James Madisons, Southern Miss, etc? Possibly feasible. But it had to start somewhere. The SoCon held nothing for App any longer. These kids will respond once kickoff gets here. Go Apps!

I'm surprised we're already looking for/expecting a move to another conference. For now, we need to focus on being our very best in the Sun Belt. If we don't live up to expectations here, we're in the Sun Belt for the long haul.

Indeed. Speaking hypothetically.

AppState2014 wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:I guess this means coaches can vote for their own team in the Sun Belt.

Yes it does. If you think about it. Why wouldn't you let them? If a coach, SID, or media member can't vote objectively then they aren't a true professional. If an App grad is voting in any of this stuff then I expect them to place us in a reasonable spot. If we had 18 starters back, most of any team, won the league last year, and had a senior QB who was up for national awards then I would expect Scott to vote us #1. Just like if we had 8 starters back, new QB, and were 4-8 last year, I would expect him to vote us near or at the bottom. Glad to see Sun Belt coaches being fair. UL-L deserves to be #1 right now. Hopefully we can change that but they certainly deserve that spot right now.

Um...ok.

I didn't suggest that coaches shouldn't be permitted to vote for their own teams, I simply made an observation.

Personally, i expect us to win every time we line up!

Realistically I will be hAPPy with 5-6 wins, and Ecstatic with a winning record. But rest assured that EVERY Saturday morning I wake up EXPECTING us to win!

asutrnr81 wrote:Personally, i expect us to win every time we line up!

Realistically I will be hAPPy with 5-6 wins, and Ecstatic with a winning record. But rest assured that EVERY Saturday morning I wake up EXPECTING us to win!

Only way to be!

ASUMountaineer wrote:
Um...ok.

I didn't suggest that coaches shouldn't be permitted to vote for their own teams, I simply made an observation.

Oh I know. Just stating that I think it's good they allow it. I don't see why a conference wouldn't. They are suppose to be professionals. A fan should be bias but not a professional.

luvyosef wrote:

asutrnr81 wrote:Personally, i expect us to win every time we line up!

Realistically I will be hAPPy with 5-6 wins, and Ecstatic with a winning record. But rest assured that EVERY Saturday morning I wake up EXPECTING us to win!

Only way to be!

Do you mean you hope or expect to win? Would you expect to beat Florida State? I certainly wouldn't. However, I HOPE to win EVERY game. There are some games I do not expect to win because I try to be realistic.

AppState2014 wrote:

luvyosef wrote:

asutrnr81 wrote:Personally, i expect us to win every time we line up!

Realistically I will be hAPPy with 5-6 wins, and Ecstatic with a winning record. But rest assured that EVERY Saturday morning I wake up EXPECTING us to win!

Only way to be!

Do you mean you hope or expect to win? Would you expect to beat Florida State? I certainly wouldn't. However, I HOPE to win EVERY game. There are some games I do not expect to win because I try to be realistic.

I spoke with some of the coaches and players during the preseason camp of 2007 and most , if not all, stated that they "expected" to win at Michigan. You can call them "grand" expectations if you choose but it is beyond hope if you are conditioning for the season and are asked how you view your first game.

AppState2014 wrote:

luvyosef wrote:

asutrnr81 wrote:Personally, i expect us to win every time we line up!

Realistically I will be hAPPy with 5-6 wins, and Ecstatic with a winning record. But rest assured that EVERY Saturday morning I wake up EXPECTING us to win!

Only way to be!

Do you mean you hope or expect to win? Would you expect to beat Florida State? I certainly wouldn't. However, I HOPE to win EVERY game. There are some games I do not expect to win because I try to be realistic.

Can't speak for anyone but myself, but I expect to win every game. I expected to win every game I ever played in and I expect my team to win every game as a fan.