Buy plenty of programs. You will need them to learn all the new faces that will be starting this season in this conference. Could there be a new Champ? Let's take a look.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE had it's best year ever in the Sun Belt, going 10-3 with a bowl win over So. Miss. last season. This year 4 starters on an offense that scored 31 or more points 9 times last season graduate. The WR position gets hit very hard, losing 5 out of 9 on their two deep roster. The defense only returns 5 starters, but showed marked improvment at the end of last season. The schedule is doable, with the only severe non-con test coming at Ga. Tech. This Raider team may be the real deal in 2010. WAGERING NOTES: Middle Tennessee is 4-0 ATS vs North Texas and 6-1 ATS s Arkansas State.
TROY get absolutely ravaged by graduation, losing 7 starters on offense and 9 starters on defense. They also lose their kicker for good measure. Obiously this band of Trojans have their work cut out for them if they want to repeat as Sun Belt Champions. The schedule features 7 away games including trips to Ohlahoma State, South Carolina, and Middle Tennessee. The only reason why we have Troy ranked so high is because other teams get hit hard by graduation and do not have the depth that the Trojans do. WAGERING NOTES: Troy has owned the Sun Belt, and their 16-6 ATS record in the past 3 years is proof. Troy has never been a conference dog in that time.
LA. MONROE managed to win half of their games last season, and may improve this season. The Warhawks return 7 starters, including most of their skill position players, on offense. The line will need some work. The defense loses 7 starters, including the front 3 and two LB's. They must rebuild up front. The non-con schedule is brutal, going to SEC West foes Arkansas, Auburn, and LSU. A solid conference campaign will be needed for this team to get over the .500 mark. WAGERING NOTES: Monroe is 24-8 ATS in conference games.
LA. LAFAYETTE also hit the brek even mark last season. The Cajuns lose 6 starters on offense, but return QB Masson and TE Green. The defense loses only 3 starters, but will need work in the secondary. The schedule is tough, with non-con games at Georgia, Ohio, and Ole Miss, and a home game against Oklahoma State. Another .500 season? WAGERING NOTES: Lafayette is 0-5 ATS vs Troy, 0-5 ATS vs Florida International, and 1-8-1 vs North Texas.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC will have to depend on their defense to lead the way this season, as they lose 8 starters on offense. That defense loses only 3 starters, and showed signs of improvment last season. They will need to keep the Owls in games early this season until the offense can catch up. The schedule only has 4 home games on it, and features trips to UAB, Michigan State, South Florida, and Texas. Not a good way for a young offense to start. WAGERING NOTES: Florida ATlantic is 3-12 ATS snon-con foes. They are 1-5 ATS vs Monroe and Troy.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL loses 5 starters on offense including QB McCall and the left side of the line. The defense gets hit hard, losing 7 starters, some depth, their punter and kicker. This unit must be rebuilt. The schedule takes them to Texas A&M, Pitt, and Maryland. They host Rutgers. Not as bad as some Sun Belt non-con schedules. Still, improvment is needed, especially on the defense. WAGERING NOTES: The Panthers have problems in the Bayou State, going 0-6 ATS against La. Lafayette, and 0-4 ATS vs Monroe.
NORTH TEXAS showed some signs of life last season, winning two games and being in four more. 9 starters return on a offense that showed signs of life last season. The defesne returns 8 starters, but gets hit depth wise at LB and CB. The schedule is favorable, with 6 home games and non-con games at Army and Clemson, and home to Kansas State and Rice. Keep a sharp eye on the Mean Green this season. This team can really improve. WAGERING NOTES: North TExas is 8-1-1 ATS vs Lafayette. Watch their early record ATS closely.
ARKANSAS STATE was a major disappointment last season, only winning 4 games. This season will be a lot tougher. The Red Wolves lose 8 starters on offense, and all 6 of their WR's and TE's on their two deep roster of lat year. They also lose their QB. The defense loses 7 starters and gets hit hard at CB. The non-con schedule features games at Auburn, Indiana, and Navy and ahome game vs Louisville sprinkled throughout the year. A complete rebuilding job awaits Arkansas State this season. WAGERING NOTES: Arkansas State is 5-17 ATS in the past two years. They are 6-16 ATS vs confrence foes in the past 3 years.
WESTERN KENTUCKY did not win a game last season, and the prospects for a lot of improvment are not good this season. The Hilltoppers lose 5 starters on offense, and gets hit hard at the skilled player position. The defense returns 7 players, including the entire line, but gets hit hard at LB. The schedule includes away non-con games at Nebraska, Kentucky and South Florida,and a home game vs Indiana. This program is in it's infancy, and will have to crawl before they walk. WAGERING NOTES: While the Hilltoppers did not win a game last season, they were 6-5 ATS.
Next Up: Independents. Notre Dame, Navy and Army.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE had it's best year ever in the Sun Belt, going 10-3 with a bowl win over So. Miss. last season. This year 4 starters on an offense that scored 31 or more points 9 times last season graduate. The WR position gets hit very hard, losing 5 out of 9 on their two deep roster. The defense only returns 5 starters, but showed marked improvment at the end of last season. The schedule is doable, with the only severe non-con test coming at Ga. Tech. This Raider team may be the real deal in 2010. WAGERING NOTES: Middle Tennessee is 4-0 ATS vs North Texas and 6-1 ATS s Arkansas State.
TROY get absolutely ravaged by graduation, losing 7 starters on offense and 9 starters on defense. They also lose their kicker for good measure. Obiously this band of Trojans have their work cut out for them if they want to repeat as Sun Belt Champions. The schedule features 7 away games including trips to Ohlahoma State, South Carolina, and Middle Tennessee. The only reason why we have Troy ranked so high is because other teams get hit hard by graduation and do not have the depth that the Trojans do. WAGERING NOTES: Troy has owned the Sun Belt, and their 16-6 ATS record in the past 3 years is proof. Troy has never been a conference dog in that time.
LA. MONROE managed to win half of their games last season, and may improve this season. The Warhawks return 7 starters, including most of their skill position players, on offense. The line will need some work. The defense loses 7 starters, including the front 3 and two LB's. They must rebuild up front. The non-con schedule is brutal, going to SEC West foes Arkansas, Auburn, and LSU. A solid conference campaign will be needed for this team to get over the .500 mark. WAGERING NOTES: Monroe is 24-8 ATS in conference games.
LA. LAFAYETTE also hit the brek even mark last season. The Cajuns lose 6 starters on offense, but return QB Masson and TE Green. The defense loses only 3 starters, but will need work in the secondary. The schedule is tough, with non-con games at Georgia, Ohio, and Ole Miss, and a home game against Oklahoma State. Another .500 season? WAGERING NOTES: Lafayette is 0-5 ATS vs Troy, 0-5 ATS vs Florida International, and 1-8-1 vs North Texas.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC will have to depend on their defense to lead the way this season, as they lose 8 starters on offense. That defense loses only 3 starters, and showed signs of improvment last season. They will need to keep the Owls in games early this season until the offense can catch up. The schedule only has 4 home games on it, and features trips to UAB, Michigan State, South Florida, and Texas. Not a good way for a young offense to start. WAGERING NOTES: Florida ATlantic is 3-12 ATS snon-con foes. They are 1-5 ATS vs Monroe and Troy.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL loses 5 starters on offense including QB McCall and the left side of the line. The defense gets hit hard, losing 7 starters, some depth, their punter and kicker. This unit must be rebuilt. The schedule takes them to Texas A&M, Pitt, and Maryland. They host Rutgers. Not as bad as some Sun Belt non-con schedules. Still, improvment is needed, especially on the defense. WAGERING NOTES: The Panthers have problems in the Bayou State, going 0-6 ATS against La. Lafayette, and 0-4 ATS vs Monroe.
NORTH TEXAS showed some signs of life last season, winning two games and being in four more. 9 starters return on a offense that showed signs of life last season. The defesne returns 8 starters, but gets hit depth wise at LB and CB. The schedule is favorable, with 6 home games and non-con games at Army and Clemson, and home to Kansas State and Rice. Keep a sharp eye on the Mean Green this season. This team can really improve. WAGERING NOTES: North TExas is 8-1-1 ATS vs Lafayette. Watch their early record ATS closely.
ARKANSAS STATE was a major disappointment last season, only winning 4 games. This season will be a lot tougher. The Red Wolves lose 8 starters on offense, and all 6 of their WR's and TE's on their two deep roster of lat year. They also lose their QB. The defense loses 7 starters and gets hit hard at CB. The non-con schedule features games at Auburn, Indiana, and Navy and ahome game vs Louisville sprinkled throughout the year. A complete rebuilding job awaits Arkansas State this season. WAGERING NOTES: Arkansas State is 5-17 ATS in the past two years. They are 6-16 ATS vs confrence foes in the past 3 years.
WESTERN KENTUCKY did not win a game last season, and the prospects for a lot of improvment are not good this season. The Hilltoppers lose 5 starters on offense, and gets hit hard at the skilled player position. The defense returns 7 players, including the entire line, but gets hit hard at LB. The schedule includes away non-con games at Nebraska, Kentucky and South Florida,and a home game vs Indiana. This program is in it's infancy, and will have to crawl before they walk. WAGERING NOTES: While the Hilltoppers did not win a game last season, they were 6-5 ATS.
Next Up: Independents. Notre Dame, Navy and Army.
