Sun Belt Conference Aims for Third Consecutive Win Against Power Five Opponents in Exciting Week 5 Showdowns

– The Sun Belt Conference aims to secure a third-straight win against autonomy conference teams in Week 5.
– James Madison, one of the remaining unbeaten non-autonomy teams, will look to stay undefeated.
– The first-ever Georgia Grown Bowl between Georgia Southern and Georgia State will take place.
– Key matchups and first-time meetings are set for this weekend, including Texas State vs. Sam Houston and Western Michigan vs. Marshall.
– Several teams with strong performances will face new challenges, including South Alabama’s game against No. 14/13 LSU.

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**Sun Belt Conference Targets Third Consecutive Win Against Power Five Opponents in Week 5**

NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference, fresh off two consecutive victories against autonomy conference teams, will seek to extend its streak to three in Week 5. Louisiana will face Wake Forest, while South Alabama takes on No. 14/13 LSU.

Meanwhile, James Madison—currently receiving votes in both national polls—hopes to remain one of the last five unbeaten teams from non-autonomy conferences as they take on Ball State. This will be the second-ever meeting between the two programs, with Ball State winning the first encounter in 1997.

**Featured Matchups:**
– The inaugural Georgia Grown Bowl will highlight Week 5’s Sun Belt action as in-state rivals Georgia Southern and Georgia State face off in the earliest meeting between the two schools. This Sun Belt Conference opener will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU, and the rivalry trophy, the Commissioner’s Cup, will be awarded to the winner by Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. Georgia State holds a 6-4 series lead, but Georgia Southern won last year’s meeting 44-27.

**What to Watch:**
– **Unbeaten Non-Autonomy Teams:** Five teams—Army, James Madison, Liberty, Navy, and UNLV—are among the last 26 undefeated teams in the nation, and James Madison and Liberty are set to compete in Sun Belt matchups this weekend. James Madison hosts Ball State, while App State faces Liberty. Both games are sold out.

– **First-Time Encounters:** Several first-time FBS matchups are set to occur. Texas State will play in-state rival Sam Houston, Marshall will square off against Western Michigan, and Old Dominion will meet Bowling Green for the first time in their program histories.

**Exciting Performances:**
– **South Alabama’s Offense:** South Alabama, coming off a stretch in which they scored 135 points across two games, ranks ninth in the nation in scoring (48.2 points per game). The Jaguars will face a tough test as they travel to LSU for the first time, hoping to add another Sun Belt win against an autonomy conference team after previously defeating Oklahoma State.

– **New Coaches Seeking First Wins:** First-year head coaches Bryant Vincent of ULM and Gerad Parker of Troy will each look for their first Sun Belt Conference victory as their teams face off. Troy enters the game with a seven-game conference winning streak, while ULM seeks to end a 10-game losing streak in conference play.

With a lineup of high-stakes games and new rivalries, Week 5 promises to be an exciting weekend for the Sun Belt Conference.