The 2012 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 12th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference. The season began August 30, 2012 and concluded January 6, 2013 as part of the 2012-13 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Ten teams participated in the competition: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, South Alabama, Troy and Western Kentucky.
As part of the 2010-13 NCAA conference realignment, this was Florida Atlantic's and Florida International's final season in the conference before moving to Conference USA in 2013.
South Alabama competed in the Sun Belt for the first time and became the conference's tenth team. Due to NCAA transitional rules, South Alabama was not eligible for a conference championship or postseason play.
Preseason
Award watch lists The following Sun Belt players were named to preseason award watch lists:
Walter Camp Award Player Team Ryan Aplin Arkansas State
Doak Walker Award Player Team Kedrick Rhodes Florida International Benny Cunningham Middle Tennessee Shawn Southward Troy
John Mackey Award Player Team Jack Doyle Western Kentucky
Manning Award Player Team Ryan Aplin Arkansas State Blaine Gautier Louisiana–Lafayette
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Player Team Andrew Jackson Western Kentucky
Outland Trophy Player Team Caylin Hauptmann Florida International
Lombardi Award Player Team Adam Smith Western Kentucky Andrew Jackson Western Kentucky Winston Fraser Florida International
Rimington Trophy Player Team Andre Huval Louisiana–Lafayette
Davey O'Brien Award Player Team Ryan Aplin Arkansas State
Jim Thorpe Award Player Team Brynden Trawick Troy Jonathan Cyprien Florida International
Ray Guy Award Player Team Will Atterberry North Texas
Lou Groza Award Player Team Brett Baer Louisiana–Lafayette Jake Griffin Florida International
Sun Belt Media Day The Sun Belt media day was held on 16 July, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Florida International received five first place votes and were selected by the coaches as the favorites to win the conference. Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette each received two first place votes, while Western Kentucky received one.
Coaches Poll Position Team Votes First-place votes1 Florida International9252 Arkansas State8523 Louisiana–Lafayette8124 Western Kentucky7015 Troy606 Louisiana–Monroe477 Middle Tennessee428 North Texas369 Florida Atlantic2310 South Alabama14
Preseason All–Conference Team The head coaches of the competing teams selected their All–Conference Team. The coaches also selected Ryan Aplin of Arkansas State as the preseason offensive player of the year, and Tourek Williams of Florida International as the preseason defensive player of the year.
Offense Position Name TeamQB Ryan Aplin Arkansas StateRB Kedrick Rhodes Florida InternationalRB Alonzo Harris Louisiana–LafayetteWR Josh Jarboe Arkansas StateWR Javone Lawson Louisiana–LafayetteWR Eric Thomas TroyTE Jack Doyle Western KentuckyOL Zack McKnight Arkansas StateOL Rupert Bryan Florida InternationalOL Caylin Hauptmann Florida InternationalOL Leonardo Bates Louisiana–LafayetteOL Cyril Lemon North Texas
Defense Position Name TeamDL Isame Faciane Florida InternationalDL Tourek Williams Florida InternationalDL Tony Davis TroyDL Quanterus Smith Western KentuckyLB Andrew Jackson Western KentuckyLB Winston Fraser Florida InternationalLB Kanorris Davis TroyDB Brynden Trawick TroyDB Jonathan Cyprien Florida InternationalDB Don Jones Arkansas StateDB Melvin White Louisiana–Lafayette
Specialists Position Name TeamPK Brett Baer Louisiana–LafayetteP Will Atterberry North TexasRS John Evans Western Kentucky
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 Arkansas State Gus Malzahn 1 0–0 0–0 0–0 Florida Atlantic Carl Pelini 1 0–0 0–0 0–0 Florida International Mario Cristobal 6 24–38 24–38 18–20 Louisiana–Lafayette Mark Hudspeth 2 75–25 9–4 6–2 Louisiana–Monroe Todd Berry 3 38–74 9–15 7–9 Middle Tennessee Rick Stockstill 7 35–40 35–40 26–19 North Texas Dan McCarney 2 61–92 5–7 4–4 South Alabama Joey Jones 4 26–11 23–4 0–0 Troy Larry Blakeney 24 163–92–1 163–92–1 42–17 Western Kentucky Willie Taggart 3 9–15 9–15 9–7
Sun Belt vs. BCS AQ Conference matchups Date Visitor Home Notes September 1 Arkansas State 34 #5 Oregon 57 September 1 North Texas 14 #3 LSU 41 September 1 Florida International 26 Duke 46 September 8^ #8 Arkansas 31 Louisiana–Monroe 34 Played in Little Rock, AR. First SBC win over Top 10 team in history September 8 Western Kentucky 0 #1 Alabama 35 September 15 Arkansas State 13 Nebraska 42 September 15 Louisiana–Lafayette 24 Oklahoma State 65 September 15 Louisiana–Monroe 28 Auburn 31 September 15 South Alabama 7 NC State 31 September 15 Mississippi State 30 Troy 24 September 15 North Texas 21 Kansas State 35 September 15 Western Kentucky 32 Kentucky 31 WKU's first win over SEC competition September 15 Florida Atlantic 20 Georgia 56 September 21 Baylor 47 Louisiana–Monroe 42 September 22 Florida Atlantic 7 Alabama 40 September 22 Louisville 28 Florida International 21 September 22 South Alabama 10 Mississippi State 30 September 29 Middle Tennessee 49 Georgia Tech 28 October 20 Middle Tennessee 3 #15 Mississippi State 45 November 3 Troy 48 Tennessee 55 November 10 Louisiana-Lafayette 20 #7 Florida 27^Denotes neutral site game
Regular season Index to colors and formattingSun Belt member wonSun Belt member lostSun Belt teams in bold
The Sun Belt has teams in two different time zones. Times reflect start time in respective time zone of each team (all teams central time except for Florida Atlantic and Florida International which are in eastern time). Conference games start times are that of the home team.
Rankings reflect that of the USA Today Coaches poll for that week, until week eight when the BCS poll was used.
Week 1 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance August 30 6:30 p.m. McNeese St Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN ESPN3 L 21-27 18,690 August 31 8:00 p.m. Wagner Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL ESPN3 W 7-3 14,510 September 1 11:00 a.m. Troy UAB Legion Field • Birmingham, AL Fox College Sports W 39-29 28,612 September 1 1:00 p.m. UTSA South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL ESPN3 L 31-33 17,144 September 1 6:00 p.m. North Texas #3 LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA ESPNU L 14-41 92,059 September 1 6:00 p.m. Austin Peay Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPN3 W 49-10 16,327 September 1 6:00 p.m. Lamar Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ESPN3/Ragin Cajuns Network W 40-0 25,803 September 1 7:00 p.m. Florida International Duke Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC ESPN3 L 26-46 31,117 September 1 9:30 p.m. Arkansas State #5 Oregon Autzen Stadium • Eugene, OR ESPN L 34-57 56,144
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Shawn Southward Troy De'Von Terry Troy Brett Baer Louisiana–Lafayette
Week 2 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 8 2:30 p.m. Western Kentucky #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL SEC Network L 0-35 101,821 September 8 4:00 p.m. Nicholls State South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL ESPN3 W 9–3 15,237 September 8 6:00 p.m. Memphis Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 W 33-28 28,041 September 8^ 6:00 p.m. #8 Arkansas Louisiana-Monroe War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, AR ESPNU W 34-31 OT 53,089 September 8 6:00 p.m. Texas Southern North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX TXA21 W 34-7 22,259 September 8 6:00 p.m. Akron Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ESPN3 W 41-38 15,685 September 8 6:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, TN ESPN3 MT 31-17 16,227 September 8 6:00 p.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL ESPN3 ULL 37-24 17,981 ^ Neutral site
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Kolton Browning Louisiana-Monroe Jemarlous Moten Louisiana-Lafayette Brett Baer (2) Louisiana-Lafayette
Week 3 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 15 11:00 a.m. Louisiana-Monroe Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL SEC Network L 28-31 OT 85,214 September 15 11:00 a.m. Arkansas State Nebraska Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, NE ESPN2 L 13-42 85,290 September 15 11:00 a.m. Louisiana-Lafayette Oklahoma State Boone Pickens Stadium • Stillwater, OK FSN L 24-65 56,062 September 15 4:00 p.m. Florida International UCF Bright House Networks Stadium • Orlando, FL CSS L 20-33 40,478 September 15 5:00 p.m. South Alabama NC State Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, NC ESPN3 L 7-31 54,132 September 15 6:00 p.m. Mississippi State Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, AL ESPN3 L 24-30 29,013 September 15 6:00 p.m. Western Kentucky Kentucky Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY ESPNU W 32-31 OT 53,980 September 15 6:00 p.m. Middle Tennessee Memphis Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium • Memphis, TN W 48-30 27,113 September 15 6:00 p.m. North Texas #15 Kansas State Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium • Manhattan, KS FSN L 21-35 50,290 September 15 6:30 p.m. Florida Atlantic #7 Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, GA CSS L 20-56 92,746
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Antonio Andrews Western Kentucky Jonathan Dowling Western Kentucky Hendrix Brakefield Western Kentucky
Week 4 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 21 7:00 p.m. Baylor Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA ESPN^ L 42-47 31,175 September 22 4:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic #1 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, AL PPV L 7-40 101,821 September 22 6:00 p.m. #18 Louisville Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, FL ESPN3 L 21-28 12,318 September 22 6:00 p.m. Southern Miss Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, KY ESPN3 W 42-17 23,252 September 22 6:00 p.m. Alcorn St. Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 W 56-0 21,559 September 22 6:00 p.m. South Alabama #23 Mississippi State Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS Bulldog Sports L 10-30 55,186 September 22 6:00 p.m. Troy North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, TX ESPN3 Troy 14-7 21,823
^ULM-Baylor game was most watched Sun Belt game on ESPN in history.
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Antonio Andrews (2) Western Kentucky Brynden Trawick Troy Will Scott Troy
Week 5 Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 29 11:30 a.m. Middle Tennessee Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA ACC RSN W 49-28 39,270 September 29 2:30 p.m. Louisiana-Monroe Tulane Mercedes-Benz Superdome • New Orleans, LA CST W 63-10 18,063 September 29 2:30 p.m. Troy South Alabama Ladd-Peebles Stadium • Mobile, AL SBN Troy 31-10 23,789 September 29 4:00 p.m. North Texas Florida Atlantic FAU Stadium • Boca Raton, FL ESPN3 UNT 20-14 13,888 September 29 6:00 p.m. Florida International Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, LA ESPN3 ULL 48-20 21,109 September 29 6:00 p.m. Western Kentucky Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, AR ESPN3 WKU 26-16 25,160
Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Benny Cunningham Middle Tennessee Quanterus Smith Western Kentucky Brett Baer (3) Louisiana-Lafayette
Week 6