Conference realignment left the Sun Belt untouched this offseason, but coaching changes and roster turnover did not. With back-to-back conference champion Troy entering a new era under Gerard Parker, there’s room for another name on the trophy.
Which teams atop the 2024 Sun Belt Power Rankings have the best chance of taking home the league title — and possibly earning a spot in the newly expanded College Football Playoff?
2024 Sun Belt Power Rankings
14) Old Dominion Monarchs
Preseason rank: 13 (-1)
Jason. Henderson. The All-American LB single-handedly raises Old Dominion’s floor, but the entire unit came together against South Carolina. Alas, the offense couldn’t do enough to upset the SEC program, with QB Grant Wilson throwing two picks and the running game barely averaging over three yards per attempt.
It was an impressive showing from the Monarchs, but the Week 2 loss was gut-wrenching to watch. The defense forced four turnovers and held East Carolina to 3.6 yards per carry. Yet, the offense went 5 of 16 on third down and was even worse on the ground, averaging 2.3 yards per attempt.
13) Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks
Preseason rank: 14 (+1)
The Warhawks defeated Jackson State 30-14 in Week 1, but the Tigers are an FCS program … and not a playoff contender at that. However, the Warhawks knocked off UAB in Week 2, already matching their 2023 season win total (2-10).
True freshman Ahmad Hardy has been a revolution on the ground, rushing for 161 yards and two scores over the last two weeks. But can General Booty carry the passing game when UL-Monroe needs to pass?
12) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
Preseason rank: 12 (no change)
Southern Miss burst onto the Sun Belt stage with a 7-6 record in 2022 but fell to 3-9 in 2023. Will the real Golden Eagles please stand up? It isn’t difficult to envision both finishes in 2024 — it all depends on how their transfer additions pan out. Head coach Will Hall didn’t just dip into the portal; he dove in.
The offense replaces nine starters, and four transfers will play major roles on defense. The most notable newcomer is Florida State QB Tate Rodemaker, whose play will determine much of Southern Miss’ success … or lack thereof.
As a team finding cohesion, facing an SEC team in Week 1 wasn’t favorable. Rodemaker threw two picks, and the running game picked up *checks notes* five yards. Yikes. The Eagles turned the table on SE Louisiana, winning 35-10, but outside of a 70-yard run, the ground game was non-existent.
11) Arkansas State Red Wolves
Preseason rank: 10 (-1)
After going 2-10 and 3-9 to kick off the Butch Jones era, the Red Wolves played their way to six wins and a bowl appearance in 2023.
There’s reason to believe they can take another step forward this season. The schedule is a bit more difficult, and Jones didn’t add much high-profile talent from the transfer portal. But that’s not a negative, as the offense was led by freshman QB Jaylen Raynor and six sophomores, and they’re all back in 2024.
The Red Wolves were nearly upset by FCS-level Central Arkansas, winning 34-31. Raynor was erratic throwing the ball, and the running backs did him no favors by gaining 3.3 yards per attempt.
Raynor was more stable against Tulsa in Week 2 and, with the help of a Courtney Jackson punt-return TD, led Arkansas State to their first 2-0 start since 2008.
10) Troy Trojans
Preseason rank: 9 (-1)
Jon Sumrall joined the Trojans in 2022, led them to back-to-back conference titles and 11+ win seasons, and left to become Tulane’s HC this offseason. Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker will take the reigns, but fans shouldn’t expect a third straight Sun Belt Championship.
Just five starters — both offensive and defensive — return, putting immense pressure on several transfer portal acquisitions to hit. The Trojans are still talented, but it will take time for the team to reach its stride under Parker.
On total statistics, the Trojans should’ve beaten Nevada, but a closer look points to the Wolf Pack being more efficient in all phases. Week 2 didn’t provide a reprieve, with Memphis throttling Troy throughout the contest. With Iowa next up, the season may only get worse before it gets better.
9) South Alabama Jaguars
Preseason rank: 6 (-3)
HC Kane Wommack, starting QB Carter Bradley, leading rusher La’Damian Webb, and all-world receiver Caullin Lacy are gone, but all is not lost in Mobile. South Alabama promoted Major Applewhite from within, and he has largely been able to keep the roster together.
Most of the Jaguars’ transfer additions were freshmen and sophomores, pointing to Applewhite’s belief in his returners.
Sophomore QB Gio Lopez shined in the opener, producing 432 yards and three TDs through the air while rushing for another 62 yards and a score. But he was one of the only Jaguars to show up offensively or defensively as North Texas triumphed 52-38. He missed Week 2 with a toe injury, and although backup Bishop Davenport wasn’t a steep drop-off, the Jaguars couldn’t leave Athens with a win over Ohio in Week 2.
8) Georgia State Panthers
Preseason rank: 8 (no change)
With HC Shawn Elliott leaving to become the TEs coach at South Carolina, the Panthers were in need of new leadership. Enter longtime Georgia assistant Dell McGee. His only head coaching experience came at the high school level, but he was a proven winner, leading Georgia’s Carver-Columbus to an 85-21 record, six conference titles, and one national championship.
McGee inherits a Georgia State team fresh off a 7-6 season with a bowl victory, but there was significant turnover after Elliott’s departure.
Christian Veilleux won the four-QB battle and played as well as he could against a stifling Georgia Tech defense. Outside of an interception, the defense was a sieve, allowing the Yellow Jackets to have everything they wanted on the ground and through the air.
Chattanooga gave Panthers fans a scare in Week 2, but Georgia State was able to close with a 24-21 finish.
7) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Preseason rank: 11 (+4)
After 31 wins in three years with HC Jamey Chadwell and QB Grayson McCall at the helm, the Chanticleers fell to a middle-of-the-road team in Year 1 of the Tim Beck era. The 2024 season will be the real test, with McCall off to NC State and the majority of the defense gone.
QB Ethan Vasko struggled against Jacksonville State, but the Chanticleers cruised to a 55-27 victory, largely thanks to the rushing attack and the Gamecocks’ own less-than-ideal QB play. Coastal Carolina ran the ball 56 times for 297 yards and three scores, while the defense held JSU to 1-of-10 on third down and forced three turnovers.
William & Mary never really stood a chance in Week 2, but Vasko put up another subpar performance, calling into question Coastal’s ceiling this season.
6) Georgia Southern Eagles
Preseason rank: 5 (+1)
With OC Bryan Ellis leaving for Alabama and QB Davis Brin graduating, the Eagles’ offense seemed to be in a state of flux. HC Clay Helton promoted TEs coach and passing coordinator Ryan Aplin to OC, and former Memphis transfer QB J.C. French earned the starting job.
After being held scoreless in the first quarter, the Eagles scored 14+ points in each of the final three quarters against Boise State, pushing the Broncos to the brink. Yet, it was too little too late, as Georgia Southern fell 56-45. Still, it was an impressive outing by the offense — let’s just hope this was the defense’s floor.
Despite having no running game to speak of, French powered the Eagles to a tight 20-17 victory over Nevada in Week 2. Neither team scored in the final frame, but Georgia Southern’s defense held the Wolf Pack to just three points in the last three quarters.
5) Marshall Thundering Herd
Preseason rank: 5 (no change)
Bob Pruett. Doc Holliday. Charles Huff. The Thundering Herd have had some excellent coaches patrolling their sidelines over the years, and Huff has a chance to cement his place next to all-time program greats.
The transfer portal hit the team hard, but Huff did his best to fill the holes. OC Seth Doege has the talent to work with, and the Herd exhibited a taste of it against Stony Brook, winning 45-3.
Yet, Marshall inexplicably didn’t play QB Braylon Braxton against Virginia Tech, instead letting Stone Earle fall on his face. Somehow, the offense still scored 14 points, but it’s clear Braxton is the better option under center.
4) James Madison Dukes
Preseason rank: 3 (-1)
Curt Cignetti and the Dukes blitzed the FBS in their first two seasons, going 19-5. And while the team is nearly unrecognizable after Cignetti took the Indiana job, James Madison is still on the cusp of being a top-50 team in the CFN College Football Power Rankings.
HC Bob Chesney took Holy Cross to five straight conference titles and four FCS playoff appearances in his six-year tenure and hopes to build off the foundation Cignetti established in Harrisonburg, Va.
Chesney inherited sophomore QB Alonza Barnett III, who beat out Washington transfer Dylan Morris for the first-team role. He was inconsistent as a passer vs. Charlotte, but he also showcased his dual-threat ability with 89 yards on nine carries.
A surprisingly close win over Gardner-Webb (13-6) was unexpected, given JMU was a 35.5-point favorite. Regardless, the Dukes are 2-0 heading into a Power Four matchup with North Carolina.
3) Louisiana Rajun’ Cajuns
Preseason rank: 4 (+1)
Michael Desormeaux has posted back-to-back 6-7 seasons since taking over for Bill Napier, and his squad could take a big leap in 2024. The roster was largely intact this offseason, with nine defensive starters and most of the offensive line and skill-position corps returning.
QB Zeon Chriss is off to Houston, but Ben Wooldridge played well in back-to-back victories over Grambling and Kennesaw State and should keep the Cajuns battling for position near the top of the Sun Belt.
2) Appalachian State Mountaineers
Preseason rank: 1 (-1)
Returning production is what sets Appalachian State apart in 2024. QB Joey Aguilar and his top six pass catchers are back, along with 15 of 21 defenders who played meaningful snaps last season.
The Mountaineers took care of business against East Tennessee State, although the defense allowed RB Devontae Houston to run for 126 yards and a score on 15 touches. Defeating a Clemson team hungry for redemption was never going to be in the cards, but the Mountaineers couldn’t do anything offensively in Week 2.
1) Texas State Bobcats
Preseason rank: 2 (+1)
GJ Kinne led the Bobcats to their best FBS season (8-5) in his first year at the helm, and Year 2 could be even more special. The Jayden de Laura fiasco resulted in T.J. Finley transferring to Western Kentucky, but Texas State may have ended up with an upgrade in Jordan McCloud.
KEEP READING: 2024 Strength of Schedule For All 134 FBS Teams
The final score of 34-27 against Lamar may cause fans to worry, but fret not, as the Bobcats’ starting lineup had the score 18-0 entering the second half. The thrashing of AAC powerhouse UTSA in Week 2 speaks to just how big of a threat the Bobcats are in the Sun Belt and the nation.
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