Every summer since 2007 I have created an intricate set of college football predictions for each upcoming season. This year is no exception, as I will be using my blog over the next few hours to publish my 20th annual college football preview guide which will contain 20 entries in all. The records below reflect each team’s predicted regular season overall record followed by their conference record. These records include conference title games but exclude bowl games, which will be previewed later on in a separate column on this blog. The teams marked in bold font are the ones predicted to gain bowl eligibility this season and the one marked in italics is my predicted conference champion.. Without further ado, here are my predictions for Sun Belt in 2026, which is coming off a season in which it produced a surprise College Football Playoff participant.

East Division

1	Appalachian State (8-5, 6-2)– conference runner-up

Last Year’s Record: 5-8 (My 2025 prediction: 6-6)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. James Madison (October 22)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Coastal Carolina (October 16)

Bottom Line: The Mountaineers have significantly underachieved in each of the past four seasons, which is why I think they are due for a bit of an overachieving season in 2026. With James Madison in clear rebuilding mode this year, the Sun Belt East is as wide open as it will ever be, so why can’t App. State win this division with a little mountain magic on their side. They aren’t extremely experienced, but they do boast a ton of talent, as they feature the # 2 ranked portal class in the Sun Belt this season along with the # 1 recruiting class in the league. App also return starters in key positions as they bring back three starters on the offensive line from last year along with their leading tackler from 2025 (Colton Phares). Moreover, App State possesses a favorable league schedule, as they get to host their most difficult divisional games (vs. James Madison and Old Dominion) while also getting matched up with two of the West Division’s bottom feeders in interdivisional play (South Alabama and UL-Monroe). I do think App ultimately loses the Sun Belt title game (more on that below), but I am still calling for a surprise Sun Belt East championship for the Mountaineers in 2026.

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2	James Madison (10-2, 6-2)

Last Year’s Record: 12-2 (My 2025 prediction: 7-5)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at San Diego State (September 19)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Georgia Southern (October 10)

Bottom Line: It can be expected that when a Group of Six squad has a magical season in which they earn a surprise CFB berth, they are likely to have their coaching staff and roster plundered by Power 4 programs. That is exactly what happened to James Madison as they must break-in an entirely new coaching staff and only return three total starters from last year’s squad. With that being said, the Dukes still have a ton of talent that is certainly good enough to compete for the Sun Belt Title yet, but I am calling for them to fall just short, due to inevitable scheme changes and unanswered questions at quarterback and the defensive backfield.

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3	Coastal Carolina (8-4, 6-2)

Last Year’s Record: 6-7 (My 2025 prediction: 5-7)- pretty solid prediction last year for my semi-local team just across the state time.

Positional Strength: Linebacker

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Arkansas State (November 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Old Dominion (November 7)

Bottom Line: The Chanticleers are on my list of surprise teams in 2026, as I actually think this team will take a step forward under new coach Ryan Beard. I was never crazy about the Tim Beck hire when he was pegged as Jamey Chadwell’s successor three years ago, as I never thought he was a very good fit in Conway. Beard won relatively big at Missouri State with less resources than he will have here, and I think the guys he brought in through the portal will make an immediate impact for this squad in 2026.

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4	Old Dominion (5-7, 4-4)

Last Year’s Record: 10-3 (My 2025 prediction: 7-5)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Georgia Southern (October 15)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Louisiana Tech (November 24)

Bottom Line: The Monarchs are a program that typically exceeds preseason expectations (see last year’s record above), so I am quite apprehensive to pick them to finish below .500 in 2026. With that being said, they have the least amount of experience on offense of any team in the division and their transfer portal class also ranks at the bottom of this division. Ricky Rahne will put together a stout defense like he always does, but there are too many questions on offense for me to call for this team to play in consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history.

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5	Georgia Southern (5-7, 4-4)

Last Year’s Record: 7-6 (My 2025 prediction: 9-4)

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. James Madison (October 10)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Georgia State (November 10)- the visitor in 2-5 in this game in the last 7 meetings!

Bottom Line: I don’t think Clay Helton (pictured above) gets enough credit for converting this program from a moderately successful triple option team to a prominent air raid squad during his five year tenure in Statesboro. With that being said, the Eagles faces a brutal early schedule in which they will likely be underdogs in 3 of their 4 non-conference games while also breaking in 11 new starters on offense! They also can’t exactly rely on their defense to carry them when the Eagles finished 132nd in FBS in total D last season. Expect a rebuilding season this year for Helton’s squad.

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6	Marshall (4-8, 2-6)

Last Year’s Record: 5-7 (My 2025 prediction: 1-11)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Old Dominion (October 31)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at UL-Monroe (November 28)

Bottom Line: The Thundering Herd have vastly exceeded my expectations the past two seasons, and they very well could do the same in 2026. However, I am still picking this squad to have a disappointing season, as they had some of the worst recruiting rankings in the league over the past few years and have to replace eight defensive starters including five of their top six tacklers, which also transitioning to a new defensive coordinator. In addition, they have a ton of question marks on special teams and are likely have a regression in turnover margin after ranking in the top of their division in that stat in that stat. Expect more struggles in Huntington in 2026.

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7	Georgia State (3-9, 1-7)

Last Year’s Record: 1-11 (My 2025 prediction: 4-8)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Backfield

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Georgia Southern (November 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Coastal Carolina (October 31)

Bottom Line: This likely Dell McGee’s last chance to resurrect this program, as the Panthers have fallen on hard times during his three year tenure in Atlanta. This squad does return an experienced quarterback dual-threat quarterback in Cameran Brown (pictured above), but there are too many concerns on their 131st ranked defense from last season for me to call them to move up in the Sun Belt East standings.

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West Division

1	Arkansas State (9-4, 6-2)– conference champion

Last Year’s Record: 7-6 (My 2025 prediction: 8-4)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Troy (November 28)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Coastal Carolina (November 14)

Bottom Line: The Red Wolves are my surprise pick to win the wide open the Sun Belt in 2026 largely based on an extremely favorable schedule in which they play their toughest divisional games at home (vs. Troy and South Alabama) and also avoid James Madison, Old Dominion, App Stat, and Georgia Southern in interdivisional play. This squad does have to replace three year starting quarterback Jaylen Raynor and stud receiver Corey Rucker, but they do bring back three of their top five pass catchers, their top two leading rushers, and two of their four leading tacklers. They also bring in the # 1 ranked recruiting class and portal class in the Sun Belt West so they should have plenty of new talent to work with as well. The Red Wolves have not won a conference title in ten seasons, but I am calling for Butch Jones’ squad to end that drought in 2026.

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2	Louisiana Tech (7-5, 5-3)

Last Year’s Record: 8-5 (My 2025 prediction: 9-4); I correctly predicted the Ragin’ Cajuns to be a big surprise team last season

Positional Strength: Linebacker

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Army (October 3)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Georgia Southern (November 28)

Bottom Line: The Bulldogs had been a fairly mediocre program in Conference USA over the past half decade, and now they have to step up in class into the Sun Belt Conference this season. I do think Sonny Cumbie finally has this program going in the right direction after last year’s eight win campaign, but a difficult early season schedule coupled with the loss of their top four pass catchers and top three tacklers from 2025, will likely lead to some early growing pains for this squad.

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3	UL-Lafayette (8-4, 5-3)

Last Year’s Record: 6-7 (My 2025 prediction: 8-4)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Troy (October 17)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at UL-Monroe (November 12)

Bottom Line: The Ragin’ Cajuns are no longer the class of the Sun Belt like they were at the end of Billy Napier’s tenure, but 5th year head coach Michael Desormeaux has done a good job keeping this program above board, as Louisiana has now played in eight straight bowl games. This year Louisiana is favored by many experts to win this Sun Belt West, but I am calling for them to fall just short of that feat due to major questions at running back, receiver (ULL is likely to start freshmen in each of these positions), and the back end of the defense.

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4	Troy (6-6, 4-4)

Last Year’s Record: 8-6 (My 2025 prediction: 7-6)- another spot on preseason prediction for me last year

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Georgia Southern (November 21)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Utah State (September 26)- long road time for the Trojans after getting beat up by an SEC team the week before

Bottom Line: The Trojans will first of all have to navigate a quarterback controversy in 2026, as they return two productive QBs from last season (Goose Crowder- pictured above and Tucker Kilcrease). Even if that that gets sorted out properly, Troy has a brutal league schedule in which they play two of the toughest teams in interdivisional play (James Madison and Georgia State) while also playing their most difficult divisional games on the road (at Arkansas State, at Louisiana, at South Alabama). I think this squad still has enough talent to make it to a bowl game in 2026, but the Trojans will likely fall short in their quest for a 4th trip to the Sun Belt title game in the past five seasons.

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5	South Alabama (4-8, 3-5)

Last Year’s Record: 4-8 (My 2025 prediction: 5-7)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Troy (November 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Southern Miss (November 21)

Bottom Line: After three straight bowl seasons, I correctly predicted the Jaguars to take a major step back in 2025, and I am sadly expecting more of the same in 2026. Once again, the defense got absolutely gutted in the transfer portal, and they did not bring in enough talent to make up for it. The offense does have talent at the skill positions, but there are major questions on the offensive line, especially considering the Jags will likely be starting a freshman at center. Major Applewhite will have his work cut out for him this season in Mobile, as I expect another long season for USA in 2026.

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6	Southern Miss (3-9, 2-6)

Last Year’s Record: 7-6 (My 2025 prediction: 3-9)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. South Alabama (November 21)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. UConn (September 19)

Bottom Line: The Golden Eagles had a breakthrough winning season in 2025, just to see their head coach and 21 of their 22 starters leave Hattiesburg. Blake Anderson seems like a great new hire, but he will be building this program from scratch with very few players that have FBS starting experience this season. Expect a major rebuilding year in 2026 for USM.

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7	UL-Monroe (3-9, 2-6)

Last Year’s Record: 3-9 (My 2025 prediction: 4-8)

Positional Strength: Linebacker

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Louisiana (November 12)- I think they can upset their arch rivals at home on a short week!

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Southern Miss (October 31)

Bottom Line: The Warhawks are one of the last FBS teams that have been around for over a decade never to win a bowl game, and I don’t believe that drought will end this season. It his hard to believe that ULM started the 2024 season with a 5-1 record and then has managed to lose 15 out of its last 17 games versus FBS opposition since then. This season Monroe returns a talented quarterback in Aidan Armenta, but the glaring weaknesses at receiver and along both lines of scrimmage will prevent this team from taking a step forward in 2026.

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