Sun Belt Preview- ESPN

[Appst86]

App State in 3 of 5 Best Games. We have the highest SP+ ranking but are picked to finish 2nd in the East behind JMU because of the Dukes' easier schedule.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/i ... contenders

[biggie]

Dukes changing so much, not sure how everyone is so high on them already.

[Black Saturday]

JMU has to come to Boone. A lot riding on that game preseason. We have South Al and to go to Conway and Statesboro.

Never mind Clemson and Liberty unless we have Playoff aspirations or that powerhouse ETSU

[Bigdaddyg1]

Of our 13 games which one can we afford to realistically lose (go 12-1) and make the CFP? I’m assuming playing in the Belt Championship as well.

[BambooRdApp]

Easy. Clemson (however, I cannot fathom App losing )...Win the rest means we take head to head with Liberty..win East so JMU out .win SBC championship..takes SBC West team out ..

[AppStFan1]

Easy. Clemson. Win the rest means we take head to head with Liberty..win East so JMU out .win SBC championship..takes SBC West team out ..

If we could lose any game I 100% agree it would be Clemson. Realistically I don't think we can lose any game though. I expect another G5 to go undefeated and if we don't have a win over a ranked team I doubt we would be picked over an undefeated Memphis, UTSA, Boise, etc.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Easy. Clemson. Win the rest means we take head to head with Liberty..win East so JMU out .win SBC championship..takes SBC West team out ..

If we could lose any game I 100% agree it would be Clemson. Realistically I don't think we can lose any game though. I expect another G5 to go undefeated and if we don't have a win over a ranked team I doubt we would be picked over an undefeated Memphis, UTSA, Boise, etc.

Interesting discussion. Think about how many P5’s can drop an early game then even one or sometimes 2 conference games and still sneak in assuming chaos in their conference. The margin is razor thin for the G5’s especially us. We are almost in playoff mode now if that is the ultimate goal. In my mind we absolutely can’t lose to Liberty as they will probably take their crappy conference and will be darlings if they start 6-0. Gonna be fun regardless.

[spacemonkey]

Our playoff begins the first week. The format for the playoff is one and done. Sudden death.

Ps. I will still enjoy every game no matter what. I do think the top 25 or top 50 is still worth playing for every year. It is just fun to win....even if the win doesn't matter for playoffs.


I still am hoping for an NIT football 16 team playoff that matches closest teams not 1 vs 16

Us and ECU or Wake UNC or NCSTATE in the first round of an NIT would be fun

[Saint3333]

Unless we get the same refs as the Wake NIT match.

[Bootsy]

Of the teams you mentioned, it would delight me to no end for App to have another crack at Wake. NCSU is a close second.

[ericsaid]

Our playoff begins the first week. The format for the playoff is one and done. Sudden death.

Ps. I will still enjoy every game no matter what. I do think the top 25 or top 50 is still worth playing for every year. It is just fun to win....even if the win doesn't matter for playoffs.


I still am hoping for an NIT football 16 team playoff that matches closest teams not 1 vs 16

Us and ECU or Wake UNC or NCSTATE in the first round of an NIT would be fun

App can lose one game and still get into the playoff. If App were to beat Liberty and Clemson, then lose to JMU, yet go on to win the Conference Championship, I don't know how you'd keep App out. It would take another G5 team going undefeated.

[mountaineerman]

We’re not beating Clemson but we can’t lose one more game. A 12-1 close loss to Clemson let say 27-10 type game we are in. We might beat Clemson though

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

Joey gonna spread that sunshine all over Death Valley

[AppStFan1]

Our playoff begins the first week. The format for the playoff is one and done. Sudden death.

Ps. I will still enjoy every game no matter what. I do think the top 25 or top 50 is still worth playing for every year. It is just fun to win....even if the win doesn't matter for playoffs.


I still am hoping for an NIT football 16 team playoff that matches closest teams not 1 vs 16

Us and ECU or Wake UNC or NCSTATE in the first round of an NIT would be fun

App can lose one game and still get into the playoff. If App were to beat Liberty and Clemson, then lose to JMU, yet go on to win the Conference Championship, I don't know how you'd keep App out. It would take another G5 team going undefeated.

There are at least 3-4 other G5 teams who I could see go undefeated or I could see a bunch of them with one loss. It is really too early to debate this stuff because we don't know how the schedule will look.

Here is an example of a scenario that is real and you have to admit could still leave us out. Say Memphis is 12-1 with a 3-point loss to FSU along with 2 wins over ranked teams including a blowout win over Troy and we are 13-0 but no ranked wins and Clemson finishes 7-5, Liberty 9-3, and nobody in the SBC has more than 9 wins besides us. Who do you take? I could see an argument for either way. Boise and UTSA both have schedules that could see provide a similar resume for them. If we are 13-0 but Boise and either Memphis or UTSA are 13-0 who gets in? 2 G5 teams or would someone be left out?

[MDaniels]

#BeatETSU

[Bigdaddyg1]

Basically you could have (most every year) 2-3 really strong G5 teams who all have 1 loss and are possibly even ranked but some 8-4 SEC team will grab a playoff spot. That same SEC team will have wins over Vandy and 5 otherwise awful SEC and maybe an FCS school. For all intents and purposes every G5 with playoff aspirations is in playoff mode week 1.

Yes beat ETSU but it’s an interesting discussion/debate in terms of who we can take one loss against. Hard to see any viable scenario where any G5 can lose a P5 and any conference game. If we do knock off Clemson and Liberty is it absolutely imperative that they finish with really good records?

[Black Saturday]

Basically you could have (most every year) 2-3 really strong G5 teams who all have 1 loss and are possibly even ranked but some 8-4 SEC team will grab a playoff spot. That same SEC team will have wins over Vandy and 5 otherwise awful SEC and maybe an FCS school. For all intents and purposes every G5 with playoff aspirations is in playoff mode week 1.

Yes beat ETSU but it’s an interesting discussion/debate in terms of who we can take one loss against. Hard to see any viable scenario where any G5 can lose a P5 and any conference game. If we do knock off Clemson and Liberty is it absolutely imperative that they finish with really good records?

Clemson could win the ACC, my view is we don't beat Clemson. Happily eat the crow should we win. Everyone else on our schedule I'd take us as the favorite.