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Troy has won the last two Sun Belt Conference championships, but head coach Jon Sumrall took off for Tulane in the offseason. Sumrall led the Trojans to a 23-4 record over the last two seasons and hands the reins over to former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Gerad Parker. The Trojans have the most Sun Belt titles (8) in conference history.
The 2024 college football season could mark a changing of the guard as Appalachian State, which owns four Sun Belt titles, returns 15 starters from a 9-5 team a year ago. QB Joey Aguilar is back for the Mountaineers after earning MVP honors in the Cure Bowl victory over Miami (OH). The entire front seven returns and the schedule is favorable.
An NCAA championship is unlikely for the Sun Belt as a Group of 5 conference. Many of the conference’s schools will play “money” games against SEC and ACC opponents. The one program that could have made a splash in the run for a playoff berth was James Madison. The Dukes went 11-2 last season, but the man who led the transition to FBS, Curt Cignetti, is now the head coach at Indiana. Bob Chesney, who led Holy Cross to multiple FCS playoff berths, takes over.
With JMU, Texas State, and Louisiana all in the mix for a potential Sun Belt Conference championship game berth, Scores & Stats will keep you in the loop with all the best NCAA football odds this season. Our college football experts will provide the best analysis and CFB picks each and every week of the season. Whether it’s the SEC or the Sun Belt, keep it tuned to Scores & Stats for the best college football betting news all season long.
Sun Belt Conference Realignment
Unlike many of the Power 4 and Group of 5 conferences around the country, the Sun Belt is one of the few that remains stable in 2024. No teams left the conference. No new teams have joined. The 14 football programs that provided a pretty thrilling 2023 season are back for more in 2024.
Appalachian State is the favorite to win this year’s conference title. That should come as no surprise. The Mountaineers have played in four of the six conference championship games. They lost last year to Troy, which has won the last two Sun Belt titles. Of all the FBS conferences, only the Sun Belt will keep its division format. The East champion will face the West champion in the Sun Belt conference championship game. That game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the home of the team with the best conference record.
2024 Sun Belt Conference Odds
Check out the latest Sun Belt conference odds, courtesy of the top sports betting sites:
| Sun Belt Teams | Conference Odds | Total Wins | Make Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State Mountaineers | +300 | O/U 8.5 Wins | Y(+1200)/N(-3000) |
| Texas State Bobcats | +375 | O/U 8.5 Wins | Y(+1500)/N(-5000) |
| Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns | +550 | O/U 7.5 Wins | Y(+2000)/N(-20000) |
| James Madison Dukes | +800 | O/U 8.5 Wins | Y(+2200)/N(-25000) |
| South Alabama Jaguars | +850 | O/U 6.5 Wins | Y(+2200)/N(-25000) |
| Troy Trojans | +1200 | O/U 6.5 Wins | Y(+2000)/N(-20000) |
| Arkansas State Red Wolves | +1600 | O/U 6.5 Wins | Y(+7500)/N(NA) |
| Marshall Thundering Herd | +1600 | O/U 6.5 Wins | Y(+10000)/N(NA) |
| Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | +2000 | O/U 6.5 Wins | Y(+6000)/N(NA) |
| Georgia Southern Eagles | +2000 | O/U 5.5 Wins | Y(+20000)/N(NA) |
| Old Dominion Monarchs | +3000 | O/U 4.5 Wins | Y(+20000)/N(NA) |
| Southern Miss Golden Eagles | +4000 | O/U 4.5 Wins | Y(+20000)/N(NA) |
| Georgia State Panthers | +5000 | O/U 4.5 Wins | Y(+20000)/N(NA) |
| UL-Monroe Warhawks | +25000 | O/U 4.5 Wins | Y(+30000)/N(NA) |
Who Wins the 2024 Sun Belt Football Championship?
With the new coaching staff and only six returning starters at Troy, it might be tough for the Trojans to contend for a conference title again. Appalachian State returns a ton of skill talent on offense and its whole front seven on defense. The Mountaineers almost upset North Carolina last year and have stability with their coaching staff. Head coach Shawn Clark is 38-15 in five years in App State.
The quest for the SBC title will include Texas State, Louisiana, and James Madison. Despite losing Cignetti as their head coach, the Dukes have plenty of talent and the offense should be fun to watch. Texas State went 8-5 in G.J. Kinne’s first year as the head coach and Louisiana is intriguing with six starters back on offense and eight more on defense.
Appalachian State +300
- Head coach: Shawn Clark
- 2023 Record: 9-5 (6-2)
Joey Aguilar took over at quarterback in the second game of last season and ended up winning the Sun Belt’s Newcomer of the Year. Kaedin Robinson and Christian Horn return at two of the wide receiver spots and TE Eli Wilson is back. Robinson led the team with 67 catches and 905 yards receiving in 2023.
The defense, as mentioned, returns the entire front seven. They also get Syracuse transfer Myles Farmer (6-3, 200) to plug into one of the safety spots. The Mountaineers have a long tradition of winning. Since joining FBS in 2014, App State has averaged 9.5 wins per season and has gone to eight bowl games.
James Madison +800
- Head coach: Bob Chesney
- 2023 Record: 11-2 (7-1)
If not for the NCAA’s antiquated rules regarding teams moving up to FBS, JMU would have played in the last two Sun Belt championship games. The Dukes’ success led to Cignetti’s hiring at Indiana. Chesney has had success everywhere he served. He took Holy Cross to five straight FCS playoff berths and now his prolific offense takes over at James Madison.
The Dukes had a mass exodus of players as some followed Cignetti to Indiana and others transferred elsewhere. Chesney went to the transfer portal and added tons of depth to a pretty talented remaining roster. He’ll have former Washington QB Dylan Morris and four returning starters on the offensive line. The Dukes could surprise the conference in 2024.
Texas State +375
- Head coach: G.J. Kinne
- 2023 Record: 8-5 (4-4)
Kinne led the Bobcats to an 8-5 record in his first season. The offense was prolific, finishing 11th in the nation in scoring. Texas State averaged 36.7 points per game and 457.6 yards per game (15th). This season, Kinne gets former JMU QB Jordan McCloud to take over the offense. The Bobcats started the 2023 season with a 42-31 upset of Baylor. They ended the season with a win over Rice in the First Responder Bowl.
If Kinne and the Bobcats want to compete for the 2024 Sun Belt title, the defense needs to improve. Texas State allowed 32.9 (112th) points per game last season. Kinne and defensive coordinator Dexter McColl Sr. return seven starters to the defense. The unit will be tested early. Arizona State comes to Bobcat Stadium on Sept. 12. The Bobcats avoid Appalachian State and James Madison and get Louisiana at home this year.
2024 Sun Belt Football Championship Prediction
The Fun Belt really comes down to the most important position in football – quarterback. Of the top four contenders for the conference championship, only Appalachian State returns its starting quarterback from a year ago. Aguilar passed for 3,757 yards and 33 touchdowns last year and he’ll have experience back at all the skill positions. The defense returns eight starters plus a few Power 5 transfers. That’s why App State is the favorite.
Bet: Appalachian State +300Will Any Sun Belt Football Teams Make the Playoffs?
When you’re talking about a Group of 5 conference, the answer to this question is virtually always no. In a few instances, it might be possible for a Group of 5 team to sneak in, especially with the new 12-team playoff. For the Sun Belt though, that possibility is as close to nil as you can get. Appalachian State has the best odds to make the playoffs at +1200 and even that’s a stretch.
Bet: PASSThe Best Sun Belt Football Teams Overs
With Coach Cignetti’s departure to the Big Ten and Indiana, many are overlooking the Dukes at James Madison. This is still a great football team led by a new coach who has had exactly one losing season in his entire coaching career. The Dukes play at Charlotte and get FCS Gardner-Webb to start the season. The MAC’s Ball State is a home game in late September and then the Dukes get to attack the Sun Belt schedule once again. They don’t play Louisiana or Texas State. Nine wins is in the cards.
Bet: James Madison Over 8.5 WinsThe other Sun Belt program getting overlooked in 2024 is two-time defending champion Troy. The Trojans will have to break in a new quarterback – Goose Crowder – and they will be playing for a new head coach (Gerad Parker). Still, the defense was outstanding last year and Parker is a former FBS defensive coordinator. The non-conference schedule is tough (at Memphis and Iowa), but the Trojans don’t face App State or Texas State. Troy has won at least seven games in five of the last eight seasons.
Bet: Troy Over 6.5 WinsThe Best Sun Belt Football Teams Unders
One look at the Old Dominion 2024 schedule and the Under is definitely the play here. The Monarchs open the season at South Carolina and then host East Carolina and Virginia Tech. A game at Bowling Green on Sept. 28 won’t be easy either. Then, ODU plays at Sun Belt favorite Appalachian State and must play Texas State and James Madison, two of the top contenders for the conference title. Getting to five wins won’t be easy.
Bet: Old Dominion Under 4.5 WinsHead coach Shawn Elliott took the tight ends job at South Carolina to be closer to his family. Dell McGee, a former Georgia assistant, takes over. McGee led the Panthers to a 45-22 Potato Bowl victory over Utah State last year. GSU will open at Georgia Tech and gets Vanderbilt at home. The Panthers have to break in a new QB and four new offensive linemen. Last year’s defense was one of the worst in the country and it won’t be much better in 2024.
Bet: Georgia State Under 4.5 WinsThe Sun Belt Football Team Sleeper
It’s hard to imagine a two-time defending conference champion being a sleeper. However, that’s exactly what Troy is. The Trojans have a new head coach, a new quarterback, and a pretty favorable schedule. Their win total is set at 6.5, which means expectations aren’t all that high. That might be just where Parker and the Trojans want to be.
Troy will host Nevada (2-10 last year) in Week 1 then go on the road at Memphis and at Iowa. The Trojans avoid Appalachian State and James Madison and get Texas State at home in October. If the defense is anything close to last year’s unit, the Trojans will be in every game this season. Another double-digit-win season is not out of the question.
Sun Belt Heisman Watch
The Heisman Trophy will be won by a Power 5 football star. It has been pretty much since the beginning of time. If there was a Sun Belt player in the mix for the award this year, it would have to be new Texas State QB Jordan McCloud. He completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 3,657 yards and 35 touchdowns last season. McCloud will have two starting receivers and a tight end back from a year ago.
Scores & Stats will have the latest Heisman Trophy odds each and every week during the 2024 college football season. McCloud is the only Sun Belt player among players listed on the betting board for the Heisman. He is a +50000 longshot to win the award.
