The 2022 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 22nd season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). The season began on September 2, 2022, and concluded with its conference championship game on December 3, 2022. It is part of the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The conference expanded to 14 football members for the 2022 season with the addition of 4 new member schools. The 14 members were divided into two divisions for play. The conference released its schedule on March 1, 2022.
Conference expansion Prior to the 2022 season, the SBC added four new schools as full members: Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss, previously from Conference USA, and James Madison, previously from the Colonial Athletic Association at the Division I FCS level. The initial intent was for the schools to begin playing in the conference starting no later that July 1, 2023. However, all four teams elected to join for the 2022 season, with the move officially announced with the release of the conference's 2022 schedule.
For the 2022 season, James Madison is ineligible for both the conference championship and for bowl games due to its transition from the FCS level to FBS level. Due to JMU meeting FBS scheduling requirements for the 2022 season, specifically five home games against FBS opponents, it was able to skip one year of the normal two-year transition process, making it eligible for both the SBC title and bowl games beginning with the 2023 season.
Preseason
Preseason Media Poll The Sun Belt released its preseason poll on July 25. Appalachian State was named the favorite to win the East Division, while Louisiana was named the favorite to win the West Division.
East 1 Appalachian State 94 (10) 2 Coastal Carolina 77 (2) 3 Georgia State 68 (1) 4 Marshall 62 5 Georgia Southern 35 (1) 6 James Madison 31 7 Old Dominion 25 West 1 Louisiana 95 (12) 2 South Alabama 79 (2) 3 Troy 76 4 Texas State 41 5 Southern Miss 40 6 Arkansas State 37 7 Louisiana–Monroe 24
Preseason All-Conference teams Offensive Player of the Year: Grayson McCall (Redshirt Junior, Coastal Carolina quarterback) Defensive Player of the Year: Josaiah Stewart, (Sophomore, Coastal Carolina defensive lineman)
Position Player Team First Team Offense QB Grayson McCall Coastal Carolina RB Rasheen Ali Marshall RB Camerun Peoples Appalachian State OL Willie Lampkin Coastal Carolina OL Dalton Cooper Texas State OL Austin Stidham Troy OL Malik Sumter Georgia State OL Cooper Hodges Appalachian State TE Zack Kuntz Old Dominion WR Ali Jennings III Old Dominion WR Kris Thornton James Madison WR Tez Johnson Troy First Team Defense DL Josaiah Stewart Coastal Carolina DL Javon Solomon Troy DL Zi'Yon Hill-Green Louisiana DL Will Choloh Troy LB Carlton Martial Troy LB Blake Carroll Georgia State LB Kivon Bennett Arkansas State DB Darrell Luter Jr. South Alabama DB D'Jordan Strong Coastal Carolina DB Antavious Lane Georgia State DB Eric Garror Louisiana DB Keith Gallmon Jr. South Alabama First Team Special Teams K Seth Keller Texas State P Rhys Byrns Louisiana RS Johnnie Lang Arkansas State AP Chris Smith Louisiana
Position Player Team Second Team Offense QB Chase Brice Appalachian State RB Nate Noel Appalachian State RB Tucker Gregg Georgia State OL Travis Glover Georgia State OL Kyle Hergel Texas State OL Damion Daley Appalachian State OL Pat Bartlett Georgia State OL Nick Saldiveri Old Dominion TE Aubry Payne Georgia State WR Te'Vailance Hunt Arkansas State WR Jalen Wayne South Alabama WR Boogie Knight Louisiana–Monroe Second Team Defense DL Richard Jibunor Troy DL Thomas Gore Georgia State DL Jerrod Clark Coastal Carolina DL Justin Ellis Georgia Southern LB Nick Hampton Appalachian State LB Abraham Beauplan Marshall LB Andre Jones Jr. Louisiana LB Trey Cobb Appalachian State DB Steven Jones Jr. Appalachian State DB Derrick Canteen Georgia Southern DB Steven Gilmore Marshall DB TJ Harris Troy Second Team Special Teams K Calum Sutherland Louisiana–Monroe P Anthony Beck II Georgia Southern RS Camron Harrell Southern Miss AP Amare Jones Georgia Southern
Individual awards The following list contains Sun Belt players who were included on preseason watch lists for national awards.
Lott Trophy none Dodd Trophy noneMaxwell Award Nate NoelAppalachian State RB Chase BriceAppalachian State QB Grayson McCallCoastal Carolina QB Rasheen AliMarshall RB Blake WatsonOld Dominion RBDavey O'Brien Award Chase BriceAppalachian State QB Grayson McCallCoastal Carolina QBDoak Walker Award Rasheen AliMarshall RB Frank Gore Jr.Southern Miss RB Gerald GreenGeorgia Southern RB Tucker GreggGeorgia State RB Johnnie LangArkansas State RB Nate NoelAppalachian State RB Camerun PeoplesAppalachian State RB Chris SmithLouisiana RB Kimani VidalTroy RB Blake WatsonOld Dominion RB Jalen WhiteGeorgia Southern RB Jamyest WilliamsGeorgia State RBBiletnikoff Award Corey GammageMarshall WR Te'Vailance HuntArkansas State WR Ali Jennings IIIOld Dominion WRJohn Mackey Award Johnny LumpkinLouisiana TERimington Trophy Willie LampkinCoastal Carolina C Malik SumterGeorgia State C Jake AndrewsTroy CButkus Award Carlton MartialTroy LBJim Thorpe Award Steven Jones Jr.Appalachian State CB Antavious LaneGeorgia State S Darrell Luter Jr.South Alabama CB
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Steven Jones Jr.Appalachian State CB Antavious LaneGeorgia State S Darrell Luter Jr.South Alabama CB Carlton MartialTroy LB Javon SolomonTroy DE Josaiah StewartCoastal Carolina DE D'Jordan StrongCoastal Carolina CBOutland Trophy Will CholohTroy DT A. J. GillieLouisiana G Cooper HodgesAppalachian State OT Willie LampkinCoastal Carolina C Austin StidhamTroy OT Malik SumterGeorgia State C Lou Groza Award Seth KellerTexas State KRay Guy Award Anthony Beck IIGeorgia Southern P Ethan DuaneOld Dominion P Jack BrooksSouth Alabama P Mason HuntSouthern Miss P Rhys ByrnsLouisiana P Ryan HansonArkansas State PPaul Hornung Award Milan TuckerAppalachian State CB Rasheen AliMarshall RBWuerffel Trophy Miller GibbsAppalachian State TE Eddie SmithArkansas State S Chris SmithLouisiana RB Rasheen AliMarshall RB Tyriek BellMarshall LB B.R. HatcherOld Dominion LS Keith Gallmon Jr.South Alabama S Swayze BozemanSouthern Miss LB Micah HiltsTexas State TE Craig Slocum Jr.Troy S
Walter Camp Award Rasheen AliMarshall RB Grayson McCallCoastal Carolina QBBednarik Award Steven Jones Jr.Appalachian State CB Josaiah StewartCoastal Carolina DE Abraham BeauplanMarshall LB Darrell Luter Jr.South Alabama CB Jordan RevelsTexas State LB Carlton MartialTroy LBRotary Lombardi Award Abraham BeauplanMarshall LB Kivon BennettArkansas State LB Cooper HodgesAppalachian State OT Willie LampkinCoastal Carolina C Carlton MartialTroy LB Javon SolomonTroy LBPatrick Mannelly Award Kyle DavisJames Madison LS Quentin SkinnerTroy LS Travis DrososSouth Alabama LSEarl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Javen BanksTexas State WR Calvin HillTexas State RB Te'Vailance HuntArkansas State WR Amare JonesGeorgia Southern WR Tyler PageAppalachian State WRManning Award Chase BriceAppalachian State QB Grayson McCallCoastal Carolina QBPolynesian College Football Player Of The Year Award Sione TupouTexas State LBJohnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Chase BriceAppalachian State QB Jarret DoegeTroy QB Grayson McCallCoastal Carolina QB Hayden WolffOld Dominion QB Ted Hendricks Award
Head coaches On September 26, 2021, Georgia Southern fired head coach Chad Lunsford after 5 seasons with the team. Former USC head coach Clay Helton was announced as his permanent replacement, with Helton taking over duties at the conclusion of the 2021 season. On November 21, 2021, Troy fired head coach Chip Lindsey after 4 seasons with the team. Troy hired Kentucky co-defensive coordinator Jon Sumrall as his replacement. On November 28, 2021, Louisiana head coach Billy Napier announced that he was leaving the team to take the head coach position at Florida in the Southeastern Conference. Louisiana promoted their co-offensive coordinator Michael Desormeaux to replace Napier.
Team Head coach Previous Job Years at school Overall record Sun Belt record Sun Belt titles Appalachian State Shawn Clark Appalachian State (Off. Line Coach) 3 0 Arkansas State Butch Jones Alabama (assistant coach) 2 0 Coastal Carolina Jamey Chadwell Coastal Carolina (Off. Coordinator) 5 1 Georgia Southern Clay Helton USC 1 0 Georgia State Shawn Elliott South Carolina (Off. Line Coach) 6 0 James Madison Curt Cignetti Elon 4 0 Louisiana Michael Desormeaux Louisiana (Co-Off. Coordinator) 1 0 Louisiana–Monroe Terry Bowden Clemson (Grad. Assistant) 2 0 Marshall Charles Huff Alabama (associate head coach) 2 0 Old Dominion Ricky Rahne Penn State (Off. Coordinator) 3 0 South Alabama Kane Wommack Indiana (Def. Coordinator) 2 0 Southern Miss Will Hall Tulane (Off. Coordinator) 2 0 Texas State Jake Spavital West Virginia (Off. Coordinator) 4 0 Troy Jon Sumrall Kentucky (Co-Def. Coordinator) 1 0
Post-season changes On November 27, Texas State announced that they had fired head coach Jake Spavital. Spavital had posted a record of 13–35 over four years at the school. On December 7, Texas State announced Incarnate Word's head coach G. J. Kinne would take over as the new head coach for the 2023 season. On December 4, Jamey Chadwell announced that he was leaving Coastal Carolina to take over the head coaching position at Liberty. Coastal Carolina's defensive coordinator Chad Staggs took over as the interim head coach for the team's bowl game. Later on December 4, Coastal Carolina announced NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck as the new head coach beginning in 2023.
Rankings
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 FinalAppalachian State AP RV RV RV C RV RV RV CFP Not released Arkansas State AP C CFP Not released Coastal Carolina AP RV RV RV RV 23 23 RV C RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV RV 23 23 RV RV CFP Not released Georgia Southern AP C CFP Not released Georgia State AP C CFP Not released James Madison AP RV RV 25 RV RV RVC RV RV RV RV CFP Not released Louisiana AP C RV RV CFP Not released Louisiana–Monroe AP C CFP Not released Marshall AP RV RVC RV CFP Not released Old Dominion AP C CFP Not released South Alabama AP RV RV RV RV RV C RV RV RV RV RV RV CFP Not released Southern Miss AP C CFP Not released Texas State AP C CFP Not released Troy AP RV RV RV RV RV 23 19C RV RV RV RV RV 24 20 CFP Not released 24 + 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
Schedule Index to colors and formattingSun Belt member wonSun Belt member lostSun Belt teams in bold All times Central time.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Championship Game
Week 15 (Sun Belt Championship Game)
Postseason
Bowl Games
Legend Sun Belt win Sun Belt loss
Bowl gameDateSiteTelevisionTime (CST)Sun Belt teamOpponentScoreAttendance Cure Bowl December 16 Exploria Stadium • Orlando, FL ESPN 2:30 p.m. No. 24 Troy No. 25 UTSA W 18–12 11,911 LendingTree Bowl December 17 Hancock Whitney Stadium • Mobile, AL ESPN 4:45 p.m. Southern Miss Rice W 38–24 20,512 Myrtle Beach Bowl December 19 Brooks Stadium • Conway, SC ESPN 1:30 p.m. Marshall UConn W 28–14 12,023 New Orleans Bowl December 21 Caesars Superdome • New Orleans, LA ESPN 8:00 p.m. South Alabama Western Kentucky L 23–44 13,456 Independence Bowl December 23 Independence Stadium • Shreveport, LA ESPN 2:00 p.m. Louisiana HoustonL 16–23 23,410 Camellia Bowl December 27 Cramton Bowl • Montgomery, AL ESPN 11:00 a.m. Georgia Southern Buffalo L 21–23 15,322 Birmingham Bowl December 27 Protective Stadium • Birmingham, AL ESPN 5:45 p.m. Coastal Carolina East CarolinaL 53–29
Rankings are from Final CFP rankings. All times Central Time Zone.
Selection of teams