2016 Sun Belt Conference football season

The 2016 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 16th season in which the Sun Belt Conference operated a football league, and was part of the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The season began on September 1 with Appalachian State facing Tennessee.[1] This was the third season for the Sun Belt since realignment that took effect in 2014, which added the tenth and eleventh members — Idaho and New Mexico State. Both teams were previously independents before joining the conference. The Sun Belt Conference is a "Group of Five" conference under the College Football Playoff format along with the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, and the Mountain West Conference.

2016 Sun Belt Conference football season
LeagueNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
SportFootball
DurationSeptember 1, 2016
through January 2017
Number of teams11
Total attendance1,079,575
TV partner(s)ESPN, CST
2017 NFL Draft
Top draft pickGerald Everett (South Alabama)
Picked byLos Angeles Rams, 44th overall
Regular season
Season championsAppalachian State & Arkansas State
Runners-upTroy & Idaho
Season MVPJa’Von Rolland-Jones
Top scorerAustin Rehkow (120 points)
2016 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
Appalachian State +  7 –1     10 –3  
Arkansas State +  7 –1     8 –5  
Troy  6 –2     10 –3  
Idaho  6 –2     9 –4  
Louisiana–Lafayette  5 –3     6 –7  
Georgia Southern  4 –4     5 –7  
Louisiana–Monroe  3 –5     4 –8  
South Alabama  2 –6     6 –7  
Georgia State  2 –6     3 –9  
New Mexico State  2 –6     3 –9  
Texas State  0 –8     2 –10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

In this season, the Sun Belt football conference included 11 members: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Idaho, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Texas State, and Troy. The conference championship was determined by win-loss record within the conference.

Arkansas State entered the season as defending Sun Belt champions, as they went undefeated in 2015 conference play. The Red Wolves went on to lose to Louisiana Tech in the New Orleans Bowl 28–47.[2]

Preseason

2016 predictions

The 2016 preseason coaches predictions were released on July 21, 2016, with the vote conducted by the head football coaches of each conference school. Appalachian State was picked to win the conference for the first time in school history. After coming second in the conference last year which resulted a trip to the Camellia Bowl, the Mountaineers returned 22 starters on the field for the upcoming season. Arkansas State, which had won at least a share of the conference title in four of the previous five seasons and was returning 13 starters (6 on offense, 7 on defense), was tapped to finish second.

Below are the results of the coaches poll with total points received next to each school and first-place votes in parentheses.

  • 1. Appalachian State – 114 (5)
  • 2. Arkansas State – 110 (5)
  • 3. Georgia Southern – 98 (1)
  • 4. Georgia State – 73
  • 5. Louisiana–Lafayette – 70
  • 6. Troy – 70
  • 7. South Alabama – 62
  • 8. Idaho – 48
  • 9. New Mexico State – 37
  • 10. Texas State – 30
  • 11. Louisiana–Monroe – 14

References:[3]

Season

For the first time in the 16-year history of Sun Belt football, a team from the conference was ranked in the top 25 of the AP Poll. In Week 11, the Troy Trojans, with a record of 8-1, received the #25 spot in the AP Poll. The Trojans lost their next game, to Arkansas State, to drop back out of the rankings.

Sun Belt vs other Conferences

Sun Belt vs Power Conference matchups

This is a list of the power conference teams (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC) Sun Belt played in non-conference play. (Rankings from the AP Poll):

DateVisitorHomeSiteScore
September 1Appalachian State#9 Tennessee (SEC)Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TennesseeL 13–20 OT
September 3South AlabamaMississippi State (SEC)Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MississippiW 21–20
September 10Arkansas StateAuburn (SEC)Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AlabamaL 14–51
September 10Idaho#8 Washington (Pac-12)Husky Stadium • SeattleL 14–59
September 10Troy#2 Clemson (ACC)Memorial Stadium • Clemson, South CarolinaL 24–30
September 10Louisiana–Monroe#14 Oklahoma (Big 12)Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OklahomaL 17–59
September 17Miami (ACC)Appalachian StateKidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, North CarolinaL 45-10
September 17Georgia StateWisconsin (Big Ten)Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WisconsinL 17–23
September 17IdahoWashington State (Pac-12)Martin Stadium • Pullman, WashingtonL 6–56
September 17New Mexico StateKentucky (SEC)Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KentuckyL 42–62
September 17Texas StateArkansas (SEC)Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, ArkansasL 3–42
October 1Louisiana–MonroeAuburn (SEC)Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AlabamaL 7–58
October 15Georgia SouthernGeorgia Tech (ACC)Bobby Dodd Stadium • AtlantaL 24–35
October 29New Mexico StateTexas A&M (SEC)Kyle Field • College Station, TexasL 10–52
November 5Georgia SouthernOle Miss (SEC)Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MississippiL 27–37
November 19South AlabamaLSU (SEC)Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LouisianaCanceled due to Hurricane Matthew[4][5]
November 19Louisiana–LafayetteGeorgia (SEC)Sanford Stadium • Athens, GeorgiaL 21–35

2016 records against non-conference opponents

Players of the Year

2016 Sun Belt Player of the Year awards[6]

Award Player School
Player of the Year Ja'Von Rolland-Jones Arkansas State
Offensive Player of the Year Jalin Moore Appalachian State
Defensive Player of the Year Rashad Dillard Troy
Freshman of the Year Clifton Duck Appalachian State
Newcomer of the Year Aikeem Coleman Idaho
Coach of the Year Paul Petrino Idaho

All-Sun BeltTeam

Coaches All-Conference Selections[6]

Honorable Mention: Appalachian State: Barrett Burns, A. J. Howard, Taylor Lamb, Myquon Stout; Arkansas State: Justice Hansen, Chris Humes, Waylon Roberson, Kendall Sanders; Georgia Southern: Kevin Ellison, Darius Jones, Jr., Ukeme Eligwe, B. J. Johnson III; Georgia State: Shawanye Lawrence, Alonzo McGee, Keith Rucker, Chandon Sullivan; Idaho: Trent Cowan, Kaden Elliss, Tony Lashley, Jordan Rose; Louisiana-Lafayette: Keenan Barnes, Karmichael Dunbar, Eddie Gordon, Tre'maine Lightfoot; Louisiana-Monroe: Justin Backus, David Griffith, Ajalen Holley, Frank Sutton, Jr.; New Mexico State: Kourtland Busby, Greg Hogan, Anthony McMeans, Tyler Rogers; South Alabama Roman Buchanan, Kalen Jackson, Xavier Johnson, Kevin Kutchera; Texas State: Ryan Kay, William Lloyd, Kamryn Melton, Baron Poole; Troy: Aaron Brewer, Bryan London, Gabe Loyd , Jordan Mittie.

Home attendance
Team Stadium (Capacity) Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Game 7 Total Average % of Capacity
Appalachian State Kidd Brewer Stadium (24,050) 23,374 34,658 24,782 26,931 28,472 18,699 — 156,916 26,152 108.74%
Arkansas State Centennial Bank Stadium (30,382) 26,182 28,012 19,381 22,277 20,170 20,178 — 136,200 22,700 74.72%
Georgia Southern Paulson Stadium (25,000) 21,250 25,735 23,474 16,786 16,850 — — 104,095 20,819 83.28%
Georgia State Georgia Dome (28,155) 12,233 13,179 15,223 13,363 13,106 23,513 — 90,617 15,102 53.64%
Idaho Kibbie Dome (16,000) 11,987 13,392 10,278 9,049 11,242 — — 55,948 11,190 69.94%
Louisiana–Lafayette Cajun Field (36,900) 22,661 26,891 19,208 16,960 21,367 14,259 — 121,346 20,224 54.81%
Louisiana–Monroe Malone Stadium (30,427) 24,718 9,524 12,735 16,073 — — 63,050 15,762 51.8%
New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium (30,343) 17,852 8,142 10,085 6,280 5,366 — — 47,725 9,545 31.46%
South Alabama Ladd–Peebles Stadium (33,471) 17,691 13,086 14,741 30,837 11,565 11,017 98,937 16,489 49.26%
Texas State Bobcat Stadium (30,000) 33,133 22,845 18,278 15,314 8,010 — 97,580 19,560 65.05%
Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium (30,000) 18,885 21,146 23,913 21,763 25,782 23,764 — 135,253 22,542 75.14%

Bold – Exceed capacity
†Season High

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References
  1. "2016 Sun Belt Football Schedule Announced". sunbeltsports.org. 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  2. "Louisiana Tech, Kenneth Dixon topple Arkansas State in New Orleans Bowl, 47-28". NOLA.com. New Orleans. The Times-Picayune. December 20, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  3. "Mountaineers Picked to Win League Title in 2016". Sun Belt Conference. July 21, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  4. "LSU vs Florida Rescheduled After Hurricane Matthew". Bleacher Report. October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  5. "Football to Host Florida Nov. 19 in Tiger Stadium". LSUSports.net. October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  6. "Sun Belt announces 2016 Football All-Conference teams and individual awards". www.sunbeltsports.org. Sun Belt Conference. December 7, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
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