2015 Sun Belt Conference football season
Sports season
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The 2015 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 15th college football season for the Sun Belt Conference. During the 2015 season, eleven schools competed in Sun Belt football: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Idaho, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, New Mexico State, South Alabama, Texas State and Troy.
| 2015 Sun Belt Conference football season | |
|---|---|
| League | NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) |
| Sport | Football |
| Duration | September 2015-December 2015 |
| Teams | 11 |
| Total attendance | 1,108,524 |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN, CST |
| 2016 NFL Draft | |
| Top draft pick | DE Ronald Blair, Appalachian State |
| Picked by | San Francisco 49ers, 142nd overall |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Arkansas State |
| Runners-up | Appalachian State |
| Season MVP | Nick Arbuckle |
| Top scorer | Austin Rehkow (108 points) |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas State $ | 8 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appalachian State | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Southern | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia State | 5 | – | 3 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Alabama | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana–Lafayette | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Troy | 3 | – | 5 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico State | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas State | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana–Monroe | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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On September 1, 2015, it was announced that Coastal Carolina will join the Sun Belt Conference, moving up from the FCS Big South Conference. They began competing in Sun Belt football starting in 2017.[1]
Previous season
The conference title was won by Georgia Southern, in its first year as both a Sun Belt member and an FBS program. The Eagles became only the third team to win a conference championship in their first FBS season. The other two schools to accomplish this feat were Nevada, Big West Conference champions in 1992, and Marshall, which won the Mid-American Conference crown in 1997. Georgia Southern also became the first team ever to go unbeaten in conference play in its first FBS season (both the 1992 Nevada and 1997 Marshall teams lost once in conference play).[2]
Louisiana–Lafayette, South Alabama, and Arkansas State were all invited to bowl games. The SBC went 1–2 in bowls with the Ragin' Cajuns winning their 4th straight R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
Preseason
The following preseason awards and honors were announced
Award watch lists
The following Sun Belt players were named to preseason award watch lists:
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Sun Belt Media Day
Sun Belt Conference Media Day was held on July 20, 2015 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Preseason Offensive Player of the Year - Elijah McGuire (RB, Louisiana-Lafayette)
- Preseason Defensive Player of the Year - David Mims (DB, Texas State)
Coaches Poll
- Georgia Southern - 110 (6)
- Louisiana-Lafayette - 108 (3)
- Arkansas State - 96 (1)
- Appalachian State - 82
- Texas State - 78
- South Alabama - 68 (1)
- UL Monroe - 59
- Troy - 39
- Georgia State - 32
- New Mexico State - 30
- Idaho - 24
Preseason All–Conference Team
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Offense
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Defense
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Specialists
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Coaches
Note: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season
| Team | Head coach | Years at school | Overall record | Record at school | Sun Belt record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | Scott Satterfield | 3 | 11-13 | 11-13 | 6-2 |
| Arkansas State | Blake Anderson | 2 | 14-9 | 14-9 | 11-3 |
| Georgia Southern | Willie Fritz | 2 | 146–65 | 9-3 | 8–0 |
| Georgia State | Trent Miles | 3 | 21-59 | 1-23 | 0–15 |
| Idaho | Paul Petrino | 3 | 2-21 | 2-21 | 1-7 |
| Louisiana–Lafayette | Mark Hudspeth | 5 | 102-37 | 36-16 | 24-7 |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Todd Berry | 6 | 56-93 | 27-34 | 20-19 |
| New Mexico State | Doug Martin | 3 | 33-73 | 4-20 | 1-7 |
| South Alabama | Joey Jones | 7 | 40-35 | 37-28 | 10-13 |
| Troy | Neal Brown | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Texas State | Dennis Franchione | 7 | 210–126–2 | 36-34 | 7-8 |
Sun Belt vs. Power Five Conference matchups
| Date | Visitor | Home | Conference | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5 | UL Monroe | #9 Georgia | SEC | L 14–51 | |
| September 5 | Troy | NC State | ACC | L 21–49 | |
| September 5 | Louisiana-Lafayette | Kentucky | SEC | L 33–40 | |
| September 5 | Georgia Southern | West Virginia | Big XII | L 0–44 | |
| September 5 | New Mexico State | Florida | SEC | L 13–61 | |
| September 5 | Texas State | #10 Florida State | ACC | L 16–59 | |
| September 5 | Arkansas State | #8 USC | Pac-12 | L 6–55 | |
| September 12 | Appalachian State | #11 Clemson | ACC | L 10–41 | |
| September 12 | #22 Missouri | Arkansas State | SEC | L 20–27 | |
| September 12 | South Alabama | Nebraska | Big Ten | L 9–48 | |
| September 12 | Idaho | #8 USC | Pac-12 | L 9–59 | |
| September 19 | Troy | #24 Wisconsin | Big Ten | L 3–28 | |
| September 19 | Georgia State | #12 Oregon | Pac-12 | L 28–61 | |
| September 26 | NC State | South Alabama | ACC | L 13–63 | |
| September 26 | UL Monroe | #12 Alabama | SEC | L 0–34 | |
| October 10 | Troy | Mississippi State | SEC | L 17–45 | |
| October 10 | New Mexico State | Ole Miss | SEC | L 3–52 | |
| November 21 | Idaho | Auburn | SEC | L 34–56 | |
| November 21 | Georgia Southern | Georgia | SEC | L 17–23 OT |
Regular season
| Index to colors and formatting |
|---|
| Sun Belt member won |
| Sun Belt member lost |
| Sun Belt teams in bold |
All dates, times, and TV are tentative and subject to change.
Start times are listed as Central Time Zone
Rankings reflect that of the AP poll for that week until Week 10 when the first CFP Poll is released.
Week 1
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | 8:00 p.m. | Ohio | Idaho | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | ESPN3 | L 28–48 | 11,587 |
| September 4 | 2:30 p.m. | Charlotte | Georgia State | Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA | ESPNU | L 20–23 | 10,252 |
| September 5 | 11:00 a.m. | UL Monroe | #9 Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | ESPN3 | L 14–51 | 92,746 |
| September 5 | 2:30 p.m. | Howard | Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NC | ESPN3 | W 49–0 | 24,314 |
| September 5 | 5:00 p.m. | Troy | NC State | Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC | ESPN3 | L 21–49 | 57,451 |
| September 5 | 5:00 p.m. | Gardner-Webb | South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPN3 | W 33–23 | 12,289 |
| September 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | Kentucky | Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY | ESPNU | L 33–40 | 62,933 |
| September 5 | 6:30 p.m. | Georgia Southern | West Virginia | Mountaineer Field • Morgantown, WV | FSN | L 0–44 | 55,182 |
| September 5 | 6:30 p.m. | New Mexico State | Florida | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, FL | SEC Network | L 13–61 | 90,227 |
| September 5 | 7:00 p.m. | Texas State | #10 Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL | ESPNews | L 16–59 | 80,917 |
| September 5 | 10:00 p.m. | Arkansas State | #8 USC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA | Pac-12 Network | L 6–55 | 79,809 |
Players of the week:[17]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Rashon Ceaser | UL Monroe | Bobby Baker | Georgia State | Aleem Sunanon | South Alabama |
Week 2
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | 11:30 a.m. | Appalachian State | #11 Clemson | Memorial Stadium • Clemson, SC | ESPN3 | L 10–41 | 81,467 |
| September 12 | 5:00 p.m. | Western Michigan | Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA | ESPN3 | W 43–17 | 23,520 |
| September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Northwestern State | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | ESPN3 | W 44–17 | 26,824 |
| September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Prairie View A&M | Texas State | Bobcat Stadium • San Marcos, TX | ESPN3 | W 63–24 | 24,561 |
| September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Charleston Southern | Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL | ESPN3 | W 44–16 | 17,517 |
| September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | #22 Missouri | Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | L 20–27 | 29,143 |
| September 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Nicholls State | UL Monroe | Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA | ESPN3 | W 47–0 | 20,397 |
| September 12 | 7:00 p.m. | South Alabama | Nebraska | Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE | Big Ten Network | L 9–48 | 89,822 |
| September 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Georgia State | New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, NM | ESPN3 | GAST 34–32 | 27,201 |
| September 12 | 7:00 p.m. | Idaho | #8 USC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA | Pac-12 Network | L 9–59 | 72,422 |
Players of the week:[18]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Matt Breida | Georgia Southern | Jaden Wright | New Mexico State | Teddy Ruben | Troy |
Week 3
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 19 | 1:00 p.m. | Georgia State | #12 Oregon | Autzen Stadium • Eugene, OR | Pac-12 Network | L 28–61 | 56,859 |
| September 19 | 2:30 p.m. | Troy | #24 Wisconsin | Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI | Big Ten Network | L 3–28 | 77,157 |
| September 19 | 4:00 p.m. | Wofford | Idaho | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | ESPN3 | W 41–38 | 11,633 |
| September 19 | 5:00 p.m. | The Citadel | Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA | ESPN3 | W 48–13 | 24,872 |
| September 19 | 6:00 p.m. | Missouri State | Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | W 70–7 | 26,634 |
| September 19 | 6:00 p.m. | Southern Miss | Texas State | Bobcat Stadium • San Marcos, TX | ESPN3 | L 50–56 | 27,252 |
| September 19 | 7:00 p.m. | South Alabama | San Diego State | Qualcomm Stadium • San Diego, CA | ESPN3 | W 34–27 OT | 18,194 |
| September 19 | 7:00 p.m. | UTEP | New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, NM | Mountain West Network | L 47–50 OT | 17,210 |
- Open Week: Appalachian State, Louisiana-Lafayette, UL Monroe
Players of the week:[19]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Tyler Jones | Texas State | Jeremy Reaves | South Alabama | Aleem Sunanon (2) | South Alabama |
Week 4
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26 | 2:30 p.m. | Appalachian State | Old Dominion | Foreman Field • Norfolk, VA | ASN | W 49–0 | 20,118 |
| September 26 | 3:00 p.m. | UL Monroe | #12 Alabama | Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL | SEC Network | L 0–34 | 101,823 |
| September 26 | 6:00 p.m. | Akron | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | ESPN3 | L 14–35 | 24,679 |
| September 26 | 6:00 p.m. | Arkansas State | Toledo | Glass Bowl • Toledo, OH | ESPN3 | L 7–37 | 21,385 |
| September 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Texas State | Houston | TDECU Stadium • Houston, TX | ESPN3 | L 14–59 | 35,257 |
| September 26 | 7:00 p.m. | NC State | South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPNews | L 13–63 | 21,314 |
| September 26 | 8:00 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Idaho | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | ESPN3 | GASO 44–20 | 14,441 |
- Open Week: Georgia State, New Mexico State, Troy
Players of the week:[20]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Taylor Lamb | Appalachian State | John Law | Appalachian State | J. D. McKissic | Arkansas State |
Week 5
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 3 | 2:30 p.m. | Liberty | Georgia State | Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA | ESPN3 | L 33–41 | 11,512 |
| October 3 | 2:30 p.m. | Wyoming | Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NC | ESPN3 | W 31–13 | 19,345 |
| October 3 | 6:00 p.m. | Idaho | Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | ARST 49–35 | 23,411 |
| October 3 | 6:00 p.m. | Georgia Southern | UL Monroe | Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA | ESPN3 | GASO 51–31 | 16,791 |
| October 3 | 6:00 p.m. | South Alabama | Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL | ESPN3 | USA 24–18 | 22,873 |
| October 3 | 6:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | Louisiana Tech | Joe Aillet Stadium • Ruston, LA | ASN | L 14–43 | 26,910 |
| October 3 | 7:00 p.m. | New Mexico State | New Mexico | University Stadium • Albuquerque, NM | Root Sports | L 29–38 | 30,900 |
- Open Week: Texas State
Players of the week:[21]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Michael Gordon | Arkansas State | Kalen Jackson | South Alabama | Zach Matics | Appalachian State |
Week 6
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 10 | 11:00 a.m. | New Mexico State | Ole Miss | Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS | SECN | L 3–52 | 60,154 |
| October 10 | 2:30 p.m. | Appalachian State | Georgia State | Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA | ESPN3 | APPST 37–3 | 10,101 |
| October 10 | 3:00 p.m. | Troy | Mississippi State | Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS | SECN | L 17–45 | 60,866 |
| October 10 | 5:00 p.m. | UL Monroe | Tulsa | Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium • Tulsa, OK | ESPN3 | L 24–34 | 17,490 |
| October 10 | 6:00 p.m. | Texas State | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | ESPN3 | ULL 49–27 | 21,377 |
- Open Week: Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Idaho, South Alabama
Players of the week:[22]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Jalen Nixon | Louisiana-Lafayette | Latrell Gibbs | Appalachian State | Jeryl Brazil | Louisiana-Lafayette |
Week 7
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 13 | 7:00 p.m. | Arkansas State | South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPN2 | ARST 49–31 | 18,538 |
| October 17 | 2:00 p.m. | Georgia State | Ball State | Scheumann Stadium • Muncie, IN | ESPN3 | W 31–19 | 7,546 |
| October 17 | 2:30 p.m. | Idaho | Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL | ESPN3 | Idaho 19–16 | 20,107 |
| October 17 | 5:00 p.m. | New Mexico State | Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA | ESPN3 | GASO 56–26 | 23,551 |
| October 17 | 6:00 p.m. | Appalachian State | UL Monroe | Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA | ESPN3 | APPST 59–14 | 11,761 |
- Open Week: Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas State
Players of the week:[23]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Nick Arbuckle | Georgia State | Eric Boggs | Appalachian State | Austin Rehkow | Idaho |
Week 8
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 20 | 7:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR | ESPN2 | ARST 37–27 | 20,495 |
| October 22 | 6:30 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NC | ESPNU | APPST 31–13 | 24,121 |
| October 24 | 4:00 p.m. | UL Monroe | Idaho | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | ESPN3 | Idaho 27–13 | 14,414 |
| October 24 | 6:00 p.m. | South Alabama | Texas State | Bobcat Stadium • San Marcos, TX | ESPN3 | TXST 36–18 | 14,523 |
| October 24 | 7:00 p.m. | Troy | New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, NM | ESPN3 | Troy 52–7 | 10,325 |
- Open Week: Georgia State
Players of the week:[24]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Robert Lowe | Texas State | Cody Brown | Arkansas State | Lumi Kiba | Texas State |
Week 9
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 29 | 6:30 p.m. | Texas State | Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA | ESPNU | GASO 37–13 | 14,212 |
| October 31 | 2:30 p.m. | Troy | Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NC | ESPN3 | APPST 44–41 | 26,130 |
| October 31 | 4:00 p.m. | UL Monroe | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | ESPN3 | ULL 30–24 | 17,410 |
| October 31 | 6:00 p.m. | Georgia State | Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | ARST 48–34 | 18,217 |
| October 31 | 7:00 p.m. | Idaho | New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, NM | ESPN3 | NMSU 55–48 | 7,546 |
- Open Week: South Alabama
Players of the week:[25]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Larry Rose III | New Mexico State | Ronald Blair | Appalachian State | Zach Matics | Appalachian State |
Week 10
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 5 | 6:30 p.m. | Arkansas State | Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NC | ESPNU | ARST 40–27 | 18,721 |
| November 7 | 1:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | Georgia State | Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA | ESPN3 | ULL 23–21 | 10,070 |
| November 7 | 2:00 p.m. | Idaho | South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPN3 | USA 52–45 | 17,651 |
| November 7 | 2:30 p.m. | UL Monroe | Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL | ESPN3 | Troy 51–14 | 18,041 |
| November 7 | 3:00 p.m. | New Mexico State | Texas State | Bobcat Stadium • San Marcos, TX | ESPN3 | NMSU 31–21 | 15,421 |
- Open Week: Georgia Southern
Players of the week:[26]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Larry Rose III (2) | New Mexico State | Blake Dees | South Alabama | Jed Solomon | Troy |
Week 11
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPNU | USA 32–25 | 14,096 |
| November 14 | 2:00 p.m. | Arkansas State | UL Monroe | Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA | ESPN3 | ARST 59–21 | 9,063 |
| November 14 | 2:30 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL | ESPN3 | GASO 45–10 | 18,455 |
| November 14 | 3:00 p.m. | Georgia State | Texas State | Bobcat Stadium • San Marcos, TX | ESPN3 | GAST 41–19 | 13,238 |
| November 14 | 4:00 p.m. | Appalachian State | Idaho | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | ESPN3 | APPST 47–20 | 10,113 |
- Open Week: New Mexico State
Players of the week:[27]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Nick Arbuckle (2) | Georgia State | Chandon Sullivan | Georgia State | Jeremy Reaves | South Alabama |
Week 12
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 19 | 8:30 p.m. | UL Monroe | Texas State | Bobcat Stadium • San Marcos, TX | ESPNU | TXST 16–3 | 14,003 |
| November 21 | 1:00 p.m. | South Alabama | Georgia State | Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA | ESPN3 | GAST 24–10 | 10,033 |
| November 21 | 3:00 p.m. | Idaho | Auburn | Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL | SECN | L 34–56 | 87,451 |
| November 21 | 4:00 p.m. | New Mexico State | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | ESPN3 | NMSU 37–34 | 17,023 |
| November 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA | ESPNU | L 17–23 OT | 92,746 |
- Open Week: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Troy
Players of the week:[28]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Andrew Allen | New Mexico State | Tarris Batiste | Georgia State | Parker Davidson | New Mexico State |
Week 13
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 27 | 1:00 p.m. | Troy | Georgia State | Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA | ESPN3 | GAST 31–21 | 10,113 |
| November 28 | 1:00 p.m. | Louisiana-Lafayette | Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium • Boone, NC | ESPN3 | APPST 28–7 | 16,124 |
| November 28 | 1:00 p.m. | South Alabama | Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA | ESPN3 | GASO 55–17 | 15,125 |
| November 28 | 3:00 p.m. | Arkansas State | New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, NM | ESPN3 | ARST 52–28 | 25,147 |
| November 28 | 4:00 p.m. | Texas State | Idaho | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | ESPN3 | Idaho 38–31 | 7,727 |
| November 28 | 10:00 p.m. | UL Monroe | Hawaii | Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI | MWN | L 26–28 | 21,284 |
Players of the week:[29]
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
| Freddie Knighten | Arkansas State | Eric Boggs | Appalachian State | Blaise Taylor | Arkansas State |
Week 14
| Date | Time | Visiting team | Home team | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 5 | 1:00 p.m. | Georgia State | Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium • Statesboro, GA | ESPN3 | GAST 34–7 | 23,401 |
| December 5 | 2:00 p.m. | Texas State | Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium • Jonesboro, AR | ESPN3 | ARST 55–17 | 20,143 |
| December 5 | 2:00 p.m. | New Mexico State | UL Monroe | Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA | ESPN3 | ULM 42–35 | 7,774 |
| December 5 | 4:00 p.m. | Troy | Louisiana-Lafayette | Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA | ESPN3 | Troy 41–17 | 22,264 |
| December 5 | 6:30 p.m. | Appalachian State | South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPN3 | APPST 34–27 | 12,346 |
Players of the week:
| Offensive | Defensive | Special teams | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | Player | Team |
Bowl games
The Sun Belt had 4 guaranteed bowl tie-ins starting in 2015 with the addition of the Cure Bowl in Orlando, FL. Arkansas State, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State represented the Sun Belt during the 2015–16 bowl season; for the latter three teams, it would be their first bowl game.[30]
Note: All times are local
| Bowl | Date | Time | SBC team (Record) | Opponent (Record) | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raycom Media Camellia Bowl | December 19 | 4:30 p.m. | Appalachian State (10-2) | Ohio (8-4) | Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL | ESPN | W 31–29 | 21,395 |
| AutoNation Cure Bowl | December 19 | 6:00 p.m. | Georgia State (6-6) | San Jose State (5-7) | Orlando Citrus Bowl • Orlando, FL | CBSSN | L 16–27 | 18,536 |
| R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl | December 19 | 8:00 p.m. | Arkansas State (9-3) | Louisiana Tech (8-4) | Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, LA | ESPN | L 28–47 | 32,847 |
| GoDaddy Bowl | December 23 | 7:00 p.m. | Georgia Southern (8-4) | Bowling Green (10-3) | Ladd–Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL | ESPN | W 58–27 | 28,656 |
Players of the Year
2015 Sun Belt Player of the Year awards[31]
| Award | Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| Student-Athlete of the Year | Nick Arbuckle | Georgia State |
| Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year | Larry Rose III | New Mexico State |
| Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year | Ronald Blair | Appalachian State |
| Freshman of the Year | Penny Hart | Georgia State |
| Coach of the Year | Trent Miles | Georgia State |
All-Sun Belt/American Team
Coaches All-Conference Selections[31]
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Honorable Mention: Appalachian State: Barrett Burns, Taylor Lamb, Doug Middleton, Devan Stringer; Arkansas State: Darion Griswold, Khari Lain, Robert Mondie, Dijon Paschal; Georgia State: Donovan Harden, Shawanye Lawrence, Alonzo McGee, Chandon Sullivan; Georgia Southern: Ironhead Gallon, L. A. Ramsby, Antwione Williams, Caleb Williams; Idaho: Buck Cowan, Matt Linehan, Elijhaa Penny, Jordan Rose; Louisiana-Lafayette: Octravian Anderson, Elijah McGuire, Otha Peters, Chris Prater; Louisiana-Monroe: Trey Caldwell, Marcus Green, Michael Johnson, Colby Mitchell; New Mexico State: Stody Bradley, Isaiah Folasa, Anthony McMeans, Tyrian Taylor; Texas State: Adrian Bellard, Ryan Melton, Ryan Carden, Tyler Jones; South Alabama DeMarion Harper, Kalen Jackson, Xavier Johnson, Aleem Sunanon; Troy: Brandon Burks, Rashad Dillard, Antonio Garcia, Brandon Silvers.
Home attendance
| Team | Stadium (Capacity) | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6 | Total | Average | % of Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium (24,050) | 24,314 | 19,345 | 24,121 | 26,130 | 18,721 | 16,124 | 128,755 | 21,459 | 89.2% |
| Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium (30,382) | 29,143 | 26,634 | 23,411 | 20,495 | 18,217 | 20,143 | 138,043 | 23,007 | 75.7% |
| Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium (25,000) | 23,520 | 24,872 | 23,551 | 14,212 | 15,125 | 23,401 | 124,681 | 20,780 | 83.1% |
| Georgia State | Georgia Dome (28,155) | 10,252 | 11,512 | 10,101 | 10,070 | 10,033 | 10,113 | 62,081 | 10,347 | 36.8% |
| Idaho | Kibbie Dome (16,000) | 11,587 | 11,633 | 14,441 | 14,414 | 10,113 | 7,727 | 69,915 | 11,653 | 72.8% |
| Louisiana–Lafayette | Cajun Field (36,900) | 26,824 | 24,679 | 21,377 | 17,410 | 17,023 | 22,264 | 129,577 | 21,596 | 58.5% |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Malone Stadium (30,427) | 20,397 | 16,791 | 11,761 | 9,063 | 7,774 | N/A | 65,768 | 13,157 | 43.2% |
| New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium (30,343) | 27,201 | 17,210 | 10,325 | 7,546 | 25,147 | N/A | 87,429 | 17,486 | 57.6% |
| South Alabama | Ladd–Peebles Stadium (33,471) | 12,289 | 21,314 | 18,538 | 17,651 | 14,096 | 12,346 | 96,284 | 16,039 | 47.9% |
| Texas State | Bobcat Stadium (30,000) | 24,561 | 27,252 | 14,523 | 15,421 | 13,238 | 14,003 | 108,998 | 18,166 | 60.6% |
| Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium (30,000) | 17,517 | 22,873 | 20,107 | 18,041 | 18,455 | N/A | 96,993 | 19,399 | 64.7% |