After one of the worst weeks imaginable for the Sun Belt Conference, I knew power rankings were going to be... underwhelming. I needed a way to convey just how pitiful this week was for the conference, so I came up with the saddest thing I could imagine.
The Sun Belt went 0-10 today including 2 FCS losses. This week's power rankings will just be a Sarah McLachlan video about adopting linemen.
— Matthew Monte (@MatthewMonte) September 14, 2014
And I was dead serious, but holy crap is that woman expensive. Can you imagine it though? In the Arms of the Angels starts playing. A picture of Skylar Jones pans across the screen. Then there she is, petting the heads of the Quave brothers, pleading for you to donate 20 cents a week so they can afford to buy a win from Jackson State. Then she... I'm sorry. It's a little dusty in here.
Let's just get to the rankings before I start hugging random fat guys.
1 Georgia Southern Eagles 1-2 (0-0)
It didn't take the Eagles long to climb to the top of this list, and Saturday they get a chance to prove they belong here against South Alabama. But this Saturday, they had their in-state, Power 5 opponent Georgia Tech on the ropes before the refs decided to help out. Probably better not to mention shovel passes around Southern fans any time soon. Read all the recap you need here.
2 Arkansas State Red Wolves 1-2 (0-0)
Fine A-State fans, last week's 15-point loss wasn't a "blowout." Neither was this 21-point one. It still wasn't pretty though. Read the State of the U recap here.
3 South Alabama Jaguars 1-1 (0-0)
The Jags had a sold out crowd in Mobile for the Dak Prescott show, but he wasn't the only one throwing the rock around. Despite only scoring three points, the Jags put up 288 passing yards on an SEC defense. Too bad they paired that with 57 rushing yards, and four turnovers. Read the full recap here.
4 ULM Warhawks 2-1 (1-0)
Was I just complaining about a lack of yardage? ULM only had 93 total yards for the game against LSU. Only 16 on the ground. They did manage to hold the Tigers' offense in check for most of the first half though. In a shutout, you have to find the small victories. Read the full recap here.
5 Louisiana Ragin Cajuns 1-2 (0-0)
The Cajuns had the worst loss of the week by margin at 41 points to Ole Miss. Things are looking pretty bleak in Lafayette right now, but they need to get their heads right. This Saturday they play on the blue turf in Boise. Read the Red Cup Rebellion recap here.
6 Texas State Bobcats 1-1 (0-0)
No shame in a loss to the Naval Academy. Despite letting the Midshipmen pull out to a 28-point lead, the Bobcats pulled back within two touchdowns before the game ended. Read the full recap here.
7 Appalachian St. Mountaineers 1-1 (0-0)
App State picked the right time to have a bye week. They currently have the longest winning streak in the conference at one.
8 New Mexico State Aggies 2-1 (1-0)
The Aggies kept it close most of the game, but ended up surrendering the New Mexico state title to UTEP. Read the Minor Rush recap here.
9 Idaho Vandals 0-2 (0-1)
A week after keeping it close against ULM, the Vandals let their home opener against Western Michigan run away from them. The Broncos scored touchdowns on their first five drives, but Idaho still managed to stay within two scores most of the game. Read the full recap here.
10 Georgia State Panthers 1-2 (0-1)
The Panthers let a not-very-good Air Force team get out to an early lead, and spent the rest of the game chasing them. Read the Mountain West Connection recap here.
11 Troy Trojans 0-3 (0-0)
Dammit Troy. You lost to that same FCS team Georgia State beat last week. Get in the corner and think about what you've done. Watch the video recap here.