Three Things We Learned About Week 2 SBC Football

A whole lot of ass getting kicked this week, and numerous games that literally told us nothing.

1. The Sun Belt is capable of dominating inferior teams/ getting dominated by superior teams.

Appalachian State, Idaho, and South Alabama were outscored 148-28 in three games that were actually less close than that point differential. Meanwhile 198-57 was the margin of victory for Texas State, Louisianas Monroe and Lafayette, and Troy - over weak teams and in games that were also not as close as that differential indicates. Those games represent 70% of the conference games from last week, and really didn't tell us anything new or useful heading into week three.

2) Concerns about Georgia Southern may have been a touch premature.

They looked like garbage against West Virginia, while Western Michigan looked pretty respectable against Michigan State. There was definitely cause for concern, especially when two drives into the game, the Eagles trailed 3-0 and had looked erratic. Then the rushing game took off, and the Eagles were up 23-9 at the half despite 10 carries for only 28 yards from the being-replaced-next-week Favian Upshaw (due to reaching 200 rushing yards anyway).

By game's end, Georgia Southern had 413 rushing yards and a convincing win. Expect them to be 5-1 in a month since their toughest test in that time is either ULM or New Mexico State, depending on your perspective.

3. The future conference champion may not have won their first game yet.

Arkansas State played very well against Missouri. They didn't win, but I'm confident that was as much because Fredi Knighten left with an injury and James Tabary is most definitely not ready to start for the Red Wolves. As long as Knighten's injury isn't a long-term issue, the Red Wolves successfully traded punches against what is probably the best team they'll play all season. With three interceptions, a sack, and two forced fumbles, the Wolves were nothing more than some better turnover and injury luck away from a win.

Granted, the fact that once again Georgia Southern doesn't play Louisiana or Arkansas State throws a wrench in this whole conference champion thing, but the intrigue has returned after an iffy first week.

Bonus. Georgia State is in first place in the Sun Belt, people.

In a game that involved less drinking than I expected, but just as much bad defense, Georgia State topped New Mexico State on the road and won both their first game against an FBS opponent and their first game in the conference. Forget for a minute that they won because the Aggies Parker Davidson was 2-for-4 on extra points, 0-for-1 on field goals, and the Aggies had a drive where they had first and goal at the 10 and didn't score any points. For now, a win is a win.

It will probably be their only win, as Liberty and South Alabama are the only even borderline winnable games they have left, but first place for a week is better than never.