Conference Breakdown: Sun Belt
5 things to know about the Sun Belt
Biggest game: Appalachian State at Georgia Southern, Oct. 27
Player to always watch: Southern's Favian Upshaw is jaw-droppingly fast and a former elite high jumper ... and he's a QB.
Team nobody wants to play: Georgia State
Coach who really needs wins: Everybody should be fine, but South Alabama's Joey Jones is probably the closest, if something goes really wrong.
Don't be surprised if ... Arkansas State wins this thing for the fifth time in six years
Bill Connelly's Power Rankings
Tier 1
Appalachian State
The Mountaineers are making this FBS thing look awfully easy.
Georgia Southern
The Sun Belt favorite? An October gauntlet will answer that.
Arkansas State
With talented transfers and an aggressive identity, ASU is playing for keeps.
Tier 2
Georgia State
The Panthers' first-ever bowl run was totally stunning. Now what?
UL-Lafayette
Was 2015 a blip for Mark Hudspeth's Cajuns, or is the window closing?
Tier 3
Idaho
The Vandals making a bowl in their last FBS season would be cool. Read why it could happen.
South Alabama
USA football is off the ground, but keeping it aloft will be tricky.
New Mexico State
NMSU is fighting for its future and entering Year 4 of a rebuild. The time is now.
Texas State
Everett Withers' first TXST squad will be speedy ... and completely imbalanced.
Tier 4
ULM
ULM's new coach inherits a tough job, but might have the right résumé for it.
