2025 Sun Belt Preseason College Football Predictions: Game-by-Game Picks & Team Schedules

Originally posted on College Football News
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 3:12 PM ET

This should be one of the wildest Sun Belt seasons in a long time.

Defending champion Marshall is starting over, Southern Miss is about to get a boost, and from top-to-bottom every team should make some noise.

But after all the transfers and changes, just how good will each team be? What's going to happen this season?

2025 Sun Belt Preseason Predictions

Over the last few years, in general, when we miss on Sun Belt teams, we miss too low.

Last year, we didn't give enough early respect to Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Marshall, Old Dominion, and ULM. We gave too much love to Appalachian State, Southern Miss, and Troy, and got Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, James Madison, South Alabama, and Texas State just about right.

And this year? Here's our preseason call on every Sun Belt game.

Sun Belt East Predictions

Appalachian State Mountaineers

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (4-4)
App State Team Preview
Aug 30 Charlotte W
Sept 6 Lindenwood W
Sept 13 at Southern Miss L
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Boise State L
Oct 4 Oregon State L
Oct 11 at Georgia State L
Oct 18 Coastal Carolina W
Oct 25 at Old Dominion L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 Georgia Southern W
Nov 15 at James Madison L
Nov 22 Marshall W
Nov 29 Arkansas State W
Missing: Louisiana, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, ULM

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

CFN Predicted Record: 5-7 (4-4)
Coastal Carolina Team Preview
Aug 30 at Virginia L
Sept 6 Charleston Southern W
Sept 13 East Carolina L
Sept 20 at South Alabama L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 at Old Dominion L
Oct 11 ULM W
Oct 18 at App State L
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Oct 30 Marshall W
Nov 8 Georgia State W
Nov 15 at Georgia Southern L
Nov 22 at South Carolina L
Nov 29 James Madison W
Missing: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy

Georgia Southern Eagles

CFN Predicted Record: 7-5 (5-3)
Georgia Southern Team Preview
Aug 30 at Fresno State L
Sept 6 at USC L
Sept 13 Jacksonville State W
Sept 20 Maine W
Sept 27 at James Madison L
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 Southern Miss W
Oct 18 Georgia State W
Oct 25 at Arkansas State L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at App State L
Nov 15 Coastal Carolina W
Nov 22 Old Dominion W
Nov 29 at Marshall W
Missing: Louisiana, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, ULM

Georgia State Panthers

CFN Predicted Record: 4-8 (3-5)
Georgia State Team Preview
Aug 30 at Ole Miss L
Sept 6 Memphis L
Sept 13 Murray State W
Sept 20 at Vanderbilt L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 James Madison
Oct 11 App State W
Oct 18 at Georgia Southern L
Oct 23 South Alabama W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at Coastal Carolina L
Nov 15 Marshall W
Nov 22 at Troy L
Nov 29 at Old Dominion L
Missing: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Southern Miss, Texas State, ULM

James Madison Dukes

CFN Predicted Record: 8-4 (6-2)
James Madison Team Preview
Aug 30 Weber State W
Sept 6 at Louisville L
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 at Liberty L
Sept 27 Georgia Southern W
Oct 4 at Georgia State W
Oct 11 Louisiana W
Oct 18 Old Dominion W
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Oct 28 at Texas State L
Nov 8 at Marshall W
Nov 15 App State W
Nov 22 Washington State W
Nov 29 at Coastal Carolina L
Missing: Arkansas State, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, ULM

Marshall Thundering Herd

CFN Predicted Record: 3-9 (1-7)
Marshall Team Preview
Aug 30 at Georgia L
Sept 6 Missouri State W
Sept 13 Eastern Kentucky W
Sept 20 at Middle Tennessee L
Sept 27 at Louisiana L
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 Old Dominion W
Oct 18 Texas State L
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Oct 30 at Coastal Carolina L
Nov 8 James Madison L
Nov 15 at Georgia State L
Nov 22 at App State L
Nov 29 Georgia Southern L
Missing: Arkansas State, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, ULM

Old Dominion Monarchs

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (4-4)
Old Dominion Team Preview
Aug 30 at Indiana L
Sept 6 NC Central W
Sept 13 at Virginia Tech L
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 Liberty W
Oct 4 Coastal Carolina W
Oct 11 at Marshall L
Oct 18 at James Madison L
Oct 25 App State W
Nov 1 at ULM L
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 13 Troy W
Nov 22 at Georgia Southern L
Nov 29 Georgia State W
Missing: Arkansas State, Louisiana, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State

Sun Belt West Predictions

Arkansas State Red Wolves

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (4-4)
Arkansas State Team Preview
Aug 30 SE Missouri State W
Sept 6 at Arkansas L
Sept 13 Iowa State L
Sept 20 at Kennesaw State W
Sept 27 at ULM L
Oct 4 Texas State W
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct 14 at South Alabama L
Oct 25 Georgia Southern W
Nov 1 at Troy L
Nov 8 Southern Miss W
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 20 Louisiana W
Nov 29 at App State L
Missing: Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

CFN Predicted Record: 7-5 (5-3)
Louisiana Team Preview
Aug 30 Rice W
Sept 6 McNeese W
Sept 13 at Missouri L
Sept 20 at Eastern Michigan L
Sept 27 Marshall W
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 at James Madison L
Oct 18 Southern Miss W
Oct 25 at Troy W
Nov 1 at South Alabama L
Nov 8 Texas State W
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 20 at Arkansas State L
Nov 29 ULM W
Missing: App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion

South Alabama Jaguars

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (5-3)
South Alabama Team Preview
Aug 30 Morgan State W
Sept 6 Tulane L
Sept 13 at Auburn L
Sept 20 Coastal Carolina W
Sept 27 at North Texas L
Oct 4 at Troy L
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct. 14 Arkansas State W
Oct 23 at Georgia State L
Nov 1 Louisiana W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at ULM W
Nov 22 Southern Miss W
Nov 29 at Texas State L
Missing: App State, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion

Southern Miss Golden Eagles

CFN Predicted Record: 5-7 (3-5)
Southern Miss Team Preview
Aug 30 Mississippi State L
Sept 6 Jackson State W
Sept 13 App State W
Sept 20 at Louisiana Tech L
Sept 27 Jacksonville State W
Oct 4 at Georgia Southern L
Oct 11 OPEN DATE
Oct 18 at Louisiana L
Oct 25 ULM W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at Arkansas State L
Nov 15 Texas State L
Nov 22 at South Alabama L
Nov 29 Troy W
Missing: Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion

Texas State Bobcats

CFN Predicted Record: 8-4 (6-2)
Texas State Team Preview
Aug 30 Eastern Michigan W
Sept 6 at UTSA L
Sept 13 at Arizona State L
Sept 20 Nicholls W
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 at Arkansas State L
Oct 11 Troy W
Oct 18 at Marshall W
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Oct 28 James Madison W
Nov 8 at Louisiana L
Nov 15 at Southern Miss W
Nov 22 ULM W
Nov 29 South Alabama W
Missing: App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Old Dominion

Troy Trojans

CFN Predicted Record: 5-7 (4-4)
Troy Team Preview
Aug 30 Nicholls W
Sept 6 at Clemson L
Sept 13 Memphis L
Sept 20 at Buffalo L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 South Alabama W
Oct 11 at Texas State L
Oct 18 at ULM W
Oct 25 Louisiana L
Nov 1 Arkansas State W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 13 at Old Dominion L
Nov 22 Georgia State W
Nov 29 at Southern Miss L
Missing: App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Marshall

ULM Warhawks

CFN Predicted Record: 3-9 (2-6)
ULM Team Preview
Aug 28 Saint Francis W
Sept 6 at Alabama L
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 at UTEP L
Sept 27 Arkansas State W
Oct 4 at Northwestern L
Oct 11 at Coastal Carolina L
Oct 18 Troy L
Oct 25 at Southern Miss L
Nov 1 Old Dominion W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 South Alabama L
Nov 22 at Texas State L
Nov 29 at Louisiana L
Missing: App State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall

- CFN Preview 2025: All 136 Team Previews