James Madison, Old Dominion and newcomer Louisiana...
Key takeaways
- James Madison Dukes: Full Highlights (1:19)Troy Trojans vs.
- It's almost like the living was just a little too good in the Sun Belt.
- The Sun Belt had the highest average SP+ rating of any Group of 5 conference in 2023, with two teams in the top 30 (Curt Cignetti's James Madison and Jon Sumrall's Troy) and another five in the top 70.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
James Madison Dukes: Full Highlights (1:19)Troy Trojans vs. James Madison Dukes: Full Highlights (1:19)
It's almost like the living was just a little too good in the Sun Belt. The nation's most sensible college football conference -- one that continues to focus on things like "geography" and "local rivalries" and "natural divisions" -- has also been one of its most fun for quite a while. And in recent years, it had become increasingly successful, too.
The Sun Belt had the highest average SP+ rating of any Group of 5 conference in 2023, with two teams in the top 30 (Curt Cignetti's James Madison and Jon Sumrall's Troy) and another five in the top 70. From 2020 to 2024, the conference was in the G5's top two four times. But the standard slipped a bit when Cignetti (Indiana) and Sumrall (Troy) both left. The Sun Belt ranked third in the G5 last season, with Bob Chesney's JMU 27th but only three other teams in the top 85.