South Alabama will go from playing a team without a Sun Belt Conference win to one without a Sun Belt loss this weekend, as the Jaguars travel to Louisiana-Monroe following a weekend of tightly contested league games across the Sun Belt.
South Alabama (2-5, 1-2 Sun Belt) is coming off a double-overtime victory over Florida Atlantic, the program’s first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent and its first Sun Belt victory. Louisiana-Monroe (5-2, 3-0) has yet to lose in conference play.
Louisiana-Monroe’s Season
The Warhawks have produced several of the Sun Belt’s most prominent results this fall. Louisiana-Monroe rallied from behind to defeat Arkansas, nearly upset Auburn and played Baylor close.
Other Sun Belt programs have also posted notable non-conference results. Middle Tennessee beat Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and Western Kentucky defeated Kentucky.
A Weekend of Close Finishes
South Alabama’s win over FAU was one of several league games decided late or in extra time last weekend.
Louisiana-Monroe beat Western Kentucky 43-42 in overtime on the road, choosing to go for a two-point conversion for the win. The Warhawks had trailed 28-7 in the second quarter. Both teams entered the game unbeaten in Sun Belt play.
At Troy, Will Scott kicked a 42-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining to give the Trojans their first home win of the season.
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday night, North Texas defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 30-23 after trailing 20-7 in the second half.
This Week’s Sun Belt Schedule
Arkansas State (4-3, 2-1) visits Louisiana-Lafayette (4-2, 2-1) Tuesday night in a nationally televised game on an ESPN network. The weekend slate includes:
- South Alabama (2-5, 1-2) at Louisiana-Monroe (5-2, 3-0)
- Troy (4-3, 3-2) at Florida Atlantic (1-6, 0-4)
- North Texas (3-4, 2-1) at Middle Tennessee (4-3, 2-1)
- Western Kentucky (5-2, 2-1) at FIU (1-7, 0-4)
FIU, which was picked in the preseason to win the conference championship, has not won a Sun Belt game this season.
Non-Conference Games Remaining
Troy, Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Lafayette and South Alabama each still have non-conference games remaining on their 2012 schedules.
South Alabama is playing its first Sun Belt Conference football schedule this season under head coach Joey Jones.
