The 2017 Sun Belt conference football season began on August 31, 2017 and ended on December 2, 2017. It was part of the 2017 season of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the top level of NCAA Division I football.
This was the first season for Coastal Carolina, which was in its second and final transitional season from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to FBS. This was also the final season for both Idaho and New Mexico State as associate members of the conference; New Mexico State will remain in the FBS as an independent program, while Idaho will move down to the FCS level in its main conference, the Big Sky Conference.
Rankings
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 FinalAppalachian State AP RV — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C RV — RV RV RV — — — RV — — — — — — RV CFP Not released — — — — — — Arkansas State AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Coastal Carolina AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Georgia Southern AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Georgia State AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Idaho AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Louisiana AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Louisiana–Monroe AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — New Mexico State AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — South Alabama AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Texas State AP — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —C — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — CFP Not released — — — — — — Troy AP — — — — — RV — — — — — — — RV RV RVC RV — — — RV RV RV — RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV CFP Not released — — — — — —
+ Legend Improvement in ranking Drop in ranking Not ranked previous week No change in ranking from previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
Records against FBS conferences ConferenceRecordThe American0–3ACC0–2Big Ten0–3Big 120–1 C-USA1–4Independents1–2MAC1–1Mountain West1–3Pac-120–2SEC1–7Total5–28
Power Five conferences and independents ConferenceRecordACC0–2Big Ten0–3Big 120–1 Pac-120–2SEC1–7Notre Dame0–0Total1–15
Group of Five conferences ConferenceRecordThe American0–3C-USA1–4Independents (excluding Notre Dame)1–2MAC1–1Mountain West1–3Total4–13
FCS Subdivision FCS OpponentsRecordFootball Championship Subdivision7–2Total FCS Record0–0
Postseason Power 5 Conferences RecordACC0–0Big Ten0–0Big 120–0Pac-120–0SEC0–0Power 5 Total0–0Other FBS ConferencesRecordAmerican0–0C–USA2–1Independents (Excluding Notre Dame)0–0MAC1–0Mountain West1–0 Other FBS Total4–1Total Bowl Record4–1
Awards and honors
Individual awards
Player of the Year: Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, Sr., DL, Arkansas State Offensive Player of the Year: Justice Hansen, Jr., QB, Arkansas State Defensive Player of the Year: Jeremy Reaves, Sr., DB, South Alabama Freshman of the Year: Marcus Jones, DB/KR, Troy Newcomer of the Year: Ron LaForce, Jr., DB, New Mexico State Coach of the Year: Neal Brown, Troy
All-Conference teams Offense: Pos.NameYr.SchoolPos.NameYr.SchoolPos.NameYr.School First Team Second Team Third TeamQBJustice HansenJr.Arkansas StateQBTaylor LambSr.Appalachian StateQBTyler RogersR-Sr.New Mexico StateRBJalin MooreJr.Appalachian StateRBLarry Rose IIISr.New Mexico StateRBOsharmar AbercrombieSr.Coastal CarolinaRBAaron DuckworthJr.IdahoRBJordan ChunnSr.TroyRBTrey RagasR-Fr.LouisianaWRIke LewisSr.Appalachian StateWRChris MurraySr.Arkansas StateWRJustin McInnisJr.Arkansas StateWRPenny HartR-So.Georgia StateWRJamarius WayJr.South AlabamaWRMalcolm WilliamsJr.Coastal CarolinaWRJaleel ScottR-Sr.New Mexico StateWRDeondre DouglasJr.TroyWRRJ TurnerSo.Louisiana–MonroeTEBlake MackSr.Appalachian StateTEGabe SchradeSr.Texas StateTEChase RogersFr.LouisianaOLColby GossettSr.Arkansas StateOLNoah JohnsonSo.IdahoOLJaypee PhilbertSr.Arkansas StateOLBeau NunnSr.Appalachian StateOLKevin DotsonSo.LouisianaOLGrant HorstSr.LouisianaOLVictor JohnsonSo.Appalachian StateOLNoah FisherJr.South AlabamaOLFrank SuttonSr.Louisiana–MonroeOLLanard BonnerR-Jr.Arkansas StateOLDeontae CrumitieJr.TroyOLAaron BrewerSo.Texas StateOLSteven RowzeeSr.TroyOLTristan CrowderSo.TroyOLKirk KelleySo.Troy
Defense: Pos.NameYr.SchoolPos.NameYr.SchoolPos.NameYr.School First Team Second Team Third TeamDLTee SimsSr.Appalachian StateDLRonheen BinghamJr.Arkansas StateDLCaleb FullerSr.Appalachian StateDLJa'Von Rolland-JonesR-Sr.Arkansas StateDLLogan HuntJr.Georgia SouthernDLCaleb CastonSr.Arkansas StateDLAikeem ColemanSr.IdahoDLJamal StadomSr.TroyDLMarterious AllenJr.Georgia StateDLCedric Wilcots IIR-So.New Mexico StateDLTrevon SandersJr.TroyDLJoe DillonSo.LouisianaDLHunter ReeseJr.TroyLBKyle WilsonSr.Arkansas StateLBDevan StringerSr.Appalachian StateLBEric BoggsSr.Appalachian StateLBShane JohnsonSr.Coastal CarolinaLBMichael ShawR-Jr.Georgia StateLBTony LashleyJr.IdahoLBKaden EllissJr.IdahoLBFrankie GriffinJr.Texas StateLBDalton HerringtonSr.New Mexico StateLBTron FolsomSo.TroyDBA.J. HowardSr.Appalachian StateDBClifton DuckSo.Appalachian StateDBTae HayesJr.Appalachian StateDBChandon SullivanSr.Georgia StateDBBlaise TaylorSr.Arkansas StateDBJustin CliftonJr.Arkansas StateDBTracy WalkerSr.LouisianaDBJeremy ReavesSr.South AlabamaDBMonquavion BrinsonSo.Georgia SouthernDBShamad LomaxSo.New Mexico StateDBBlace BrownJr.TroyDBRon LaForceJr.New Mexico StateDBCedarius RookardJr.Troy
Special Teams: Pos.NameYr.SchoolPos.NameYr.SchoolPos.NameYr.School First Team Second Team Third TeamPKGavin PattersonJr.South AlabamaPKTyler BassR-So.Georgia SouthernPKSawyer WilliamsR-So.Arkansas StatePCorliss WaitmanJr.South AlabamaPCade CoffeyR-Fr.IdahoPCody GraceR-So.Arkansas StateRSMarcus GreenJr.Louisiana–MonroeRSMarcus JonesFr.TroyRSBlaise TaylorSr.Arkansas StateAPMarcus GreenJr.Louisiana–MonroeAPMarcus JonesFr.TroyAPGlenn SmithSr.Georgia State
Ref:
Home attendance TeamStadiumCapacityGame 1Game 2Game 3Game 4Game 5Game 6Total Average% of CapacityAppalachian StateKidd Brewer Stadium30,00020,10935,126†22,78730,17923,11023,411154,72225,78785.96%Arkansas StateCentennial Bank Stadium30,38224,37125,916†21,94319,84627,462119,53823,90878.69%Coastal CarolinaBrooks Stadium15,00013,27414,99615,991†13,99715,54515,95189,75414,95999.73%Georgia StateGeorgia State Stadium24,33324,333†15,38812,12513,15414,16379,16315,83365.07%Georgia SouthernPaulson Stadium25,00013,78116,27818,722†12,25061,03115,25861.03%IdahoKibbie Dome16,00010,52610,15614,198†10,16810,7057,44463,19710,53365.83%LouisianaCajun Field36,90018,28918,318†13,10616,05812,99378,76415,75342.69%Louisiana–MonroeMalone Stadium30,42711,06110,35912,578†7,3978,24549,6409,92832.63%New Mexico StateAggie Memorial Stadium30,34315,44617,54610,04121,89426,286†91,21318,24360.12%South AlabamaLadd–Peebles Stadium33,47126,487†18,10312,60316,49512,74217,640104,07017,34551.82%Texas StateBobcat Stadium30,00015,56019,52031,333†12,23812,01214,017104,68017,44758.16%TroyVeterans Memorial Stadium30,40229,278†27,32425,21123,84620,34120,737146,73724,45680.44%
Bold: Exceeded capacity †Season High
NFL draft The following list includes all Sun Belt players who were drafted in the 2018 NFL draft.
Round # Pick # NFL team Player Position College 3 82 Detroit Lions Tracy Walker S Louisiana 4 132 Baltimore Ravens Jaleel Scott WR New Mexico State 6 188 Cleveland Browns Simeon Thomas CB Louisiana 6 213 Minnesota Vikings Colby Gossett G Appalachian State
References