Despite it being a bye week for the men of Troy last week, they definitely were making the top headlines with the sudden (albeit NOT surprising announcement) of Larry Blakeney's retirement from the program, and it's that fact alone I pick this as my SBC game of the week. The Trojans have been abysmal so far, going 0-5 in the 2014 campaign (the worst stretch so far in Blakeney's 23 years at Troy). However, they did show some life and even some fight in their 2 point losing effort to the Warhawks two weeks ago, and now that the team knows their's only going to be 4 home games left in Blakeney's tenure, have to wonder if this will inspire the team to make sure he doesn't go out winless in Troy. The Aggies meanwhile have lost 4 straight and are desperate to salvage the 2014 season. Both squads have given up nearly 40 points a game, and yet this game might come down to which team can make the crucial defensive stop.
(PREDICTION: Despite it being homecoming for Troy ((and Larry's last one at that)), I still think New Mexico State has more of a consistent, balanced offense and will be able to stop their bleeding. 28-17 NMSU)
Arkansas State @ Georgia State
The Red Wolves have been a very undisciplined sqad; in 5 games they have averaged 8 penalties a game for 73 yards. On top of that atrocious stat, the pack has been turning the ball over nearly 2 1/2 times a game. Yet somehow, Astate is 3-2 and 1-0 in 2014. They travel to Atlanta to face a wounded yet hungry Panthers team still looking for their first ever SBC conference win, and looking to get it in front of a homecoming crowd. Can they do it? Quite possibily. Georgia State has got quite a potent offense, averaging over 300 passing yards and scoring about 30 points a game so far. However, can they keep up those averages against a fast and stingy Astate defense that ranks #50 out of 128 in FBS?
(PREDICTION: If Red Wolves want to continue their winning ways and stay in the hunt for their 4th conference title, they HAVE to start limiting the penalties and the turnovers. Until that happens, every team they play has a great chance to win. Yet with that being said, I've been impressed with how they've continued to defy the odds and win, and I think they'll find a way-in the 4th-to pull away from Georgia State. 34-27 ASU)
Idaho @ Georgia Southern
The Eagles continue to be the darlings of the conference, and are looking to continue their seemingly historic run in their first full year as an FBS member. Though it took awhile to get going, Georgia Southern rattled off 29 unanswered points after being down 14-0 early in the game to secure their 4th win on the season. Georgia Southern now carried their 4-2, 3-0 conference record into their homecoming match up with the lowly Idaho Vandals. Despite being 0-5 Idaho boasts the nations #13 passing game, averaging almost 330 yards a game. They're going to need the passing game as the Eagles look to utilize their #1 ranked rushing attack to methodically drive, score and kill the clock (their's only been two times this season that the Eagles haven't held onto the bowl longer than 30 minutes).
PREDICTION: The Vandals have been a hard team to read so far this season; They've been more competitive and offensively more productive on the road than at home. The trend would appear to be that they should put up big numbers in Statesboro. Whether they do or not will be irrelevant as the Eagles should be the more talented and motivated team and should roll over Idaho. 45-23 Ga. Sou
Liberty @ Appalachian State
It's been a bumpy start for the Mountaineers in their first year at the FBS level. It seems since that heart breaking 21-20 lost to Southern Miss nearly three weeks ago, App State hasn't been able to collect themselves and rebound, getting trounced 81-35 in their past two games. However, after taking their licks to the seemingly better teams of the belt, Mountaineers will have a chance to redeem their 2014 season with a road trip to the woeful 0-5 Troy coming up, followed by a home match-up with a Georgia State team that (AS OF THIS POSTING) still hasn't won a conference game in their two year stint in the league. It's a pretty good setup...ASSUMING they can get bye a pesky Liberty Flames team. While their's nothing too particularly special about this Flames unit, gotta assume and expect Liberty will have some extra motivation to make a show (and dare I say an example) to the Sunbelt world by knocking off Appalachian State.
PREDICTION: The Flames will come out swinging hard, and I wouldn't be shocked if they even have a lead at half. Appalachian State will fight back and with their balanced offense be able to pull away and get their second victory on the season. 45-27 APP
ULM @ Kentucky
If you're a ULM Warhawks fan, you have to got to be wondering what will it take for this team to get over the hump and take the next step; one minute you're 3-1 with a 2-0 conference mark heading into a big time game against Arkansas State and in a flash, you've just lost by 14 points and now face a DAUNTING schedule, playing on the road 3 out of the next 4 contests; what makes this even worse is the fact two of the three opponents are SEC teams. Can it get any worse? Why yes it can-this isn't the Wildcats of old as this squad was only one or two plays away from being 5-0 and being on top of the SEC East. Still, they pack a potent offense and their defense is only allowing 19 points a game. When you consider that ULM is barely averaging 18 points a game, this just doesn't bode well for ULM.
PREDICTION: ULM has been the giant killers for the Sunbelt and already have a victory notched in their belt against Kentucky. However, they won't be able to add to it this time around as Kentucky is too talented and too hot of a team for an inconsistent Warhawks squad to topple. 49-26 Kentucky
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