2015 Sun Belt Conference Schedule Roundtable, Part One

Here's part one of our discussion about the SBC schedule. Sorry for the bloody stool, everybody.

Nicolas Lewis: Which of the following is the greater event of mass destruction: GSU visiting Oregon, Idaho visiting Auburn, NMSU at Ole Miss, or Troy visiting #HailState?

Haisten Willis: I gotta go with GSU at Oregon. The Fightin' Phil Knights are breaking in a new quarterback and will want to give him as much time as possible with the first-string offense, sacrificial lamb be damned. State also had one of the worst running defenses I've ever seen last year and it doesn't figure they'll be much better in week 3.

Thomas Sherrill: I'll go with New Mexico State at Ole Miss. The Hotty Toddy's took down the Cajuns fairly convincingly last year and NMSU is still NMSU.

Karl Strength: I mean, Georgia State did play well against Washington and Clemson last year...? Yeah, Oregon might try for triple digits.

Will Butler: Not to take any credit away from Ole Miss, whose defense will probably knock NMSU back into the 1950's, but my god Georgia State is playing Oregon? Who thought this was a good idea? The sheer amount of blood that's going to spill out of Eugene may be unprecedented.

This is David facing Goliath without a slingshot. It's your daughter's 1st grade soccer team facing Manchester United. It's what would actually happen if Kentucky played the 76ers. Have y'all ever broken Madden or NCAA 14 by scoring more than 256 points on easy difficulty? Because that could damn well happen even if Mark Helfrich tells his players to fall down on purpose in the 3rd quarter.

Cody Junot: For me its a close race between Georgia State and Idaho. They will both be destroyed, make no mistake about it but I'll take the Ducks crushing Georgia State as the biggest beat down. The Auburn/Idaho game is late in the year, typically treated as a bye week for SEC teams. The tendency lately has been to have the starters get you a comfortable lead before half and then get them out.

Charles Blouin-Gascon: My guess is on Idaho and NMSU getting both obliterated by about a thousand points each, so take your pick out of the two I suppose.

What I am much more interested, however, is in figuring out what is the over/under for the number of passes thrown in the GSU/Oregon game? The Ducks don't exactly start over, but they're at least forced to turn over a new non-Marcus Mariota leaf. I bet we see their little duck legs work so, so hard underneath the water. As for Georgia Southern, the team plays like it forgot its name is the Eagles. Maybe it's because in their case, the ball does not travel faster by air.

Nicolas: LOLZ. Charles, Oregon is playing Georgia State, not Georgia Southern.

HAISTEN CHARLES DOESNT KNOW WHO GSU IS. YOU MUST FLOG HIM REPEATEDLY WITH ERK RUSSEL'S WHISTLE UNTIL HE UNDERSTANDS.

Haisten: Oooooh Charles nice try. Wanted to take a shot at Georgia Southern but couldn't get the FOOT OUT OF YO MOUTH from confusing us with Gag State. Baptize yourself in Eagle Creek now son!!

Thomas:  Why would he want to baptize himself in Eagle Creek? Do you want him to die of dysentery like on the Oregon Trail?

Haisten: Well, he would die with his sins forgiven, so yes.

CBG: As long as I still have my dignity.

Me: Yes. You will die, sin-free, with dignity, of dysentery.

CBG: Sign me up.

Editor's note: You see what I'm working with, here? Anyways, back to the conversation...

Nicolas: Does NC State, beat Troy, USA, neither or both?

Haisten: Believe me, I'd love to see some upsets but it would be a major surprise to see the Wolfpack drop either of those games. Troy is rebuilding and USA may not be strong enough just yet. What interests me is how these teams both earned a home game with NCSU (Troy hosts the Wolfpack in 2017). Major jealousy as a Georgia Southern grad as I'd love to see a team like that have to come to Paulson.

Thomas: South Bama has a better chance than Troy, but NC State is going to be much better than last year, so I'll say neither.

Cody: Yes, NC State will beat both Troy and South Al. The Jaguars will be able to keep it closer than the Trojans but in the end, it's NC State who will prevail.

CBG: Haisten, maybe the two teams have something on the Wolfpack and there's a tiny bit of blackmailing going on? Either that, or they're just a cool bunch and don't mind traveling to your place to #BEATYOUDOWN in front of your entire family.

So yeah, I believe NC State gets two easy wins. Of the two, South Alabama will offer the more resistance but that's not saying much.

Karl: The fact that NC State is going to South Alabama is strange. I think they should still win both, but might be worth paying attention to for a while.

Will: The 'Pack should beat Troy in Raleigh, but that game in Mobile looks like an Admiral Ackbar special. NCSU is one of those teams that has historically underachieved somewhat and has really fallen off a cliff since the departure of Russell Wilson, so even though they'll be better next season I certainly think they're vulnerable.

I think the game will be close regardless, but will South Alabama prevail? I don't kno---ah, hell. The power of B-Ham compels you! USA wins by a field goal.

Come back tomorrow for the conclusion of this little chat.