(12-03-2017 12:19 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  As we close out the regular season, we wish our Idaho and NMSU fans farewell. Despite Idaho not getting to where they were last year, this years Idaho team was much improved over the usual 1-11 and 2-10 teams of the past. NMSU has shown they will not lay down for anyone challenging the league's top three teams. It was great having you guys and I wish you all the best.

There have been four real defining "eras" since the SBC's inception in 2001 and some really great memories. It was the the North Texas Dynasty from 2001 to 2004. Then it was Troy from 2006 to 2010. During those years, ARKST and MTSU were some real players and threatened a conference championship. MTSU set a New Orleans Bowl where their QB Dwight Dasher rushed for over 200 yards. Arkansas State has dominated the league since 2011 and this season doesn't take much of anything away from that. Their conference record since 2011 speaks for itself. Really you could back to 2008 when they started to gear up for their run. The era between 2011 and 2013 saw MTSU, WKU, Louisiana, and ARKST battle for the title every year. They were "the four horsemen" and no one else really challenged for a title. ULM's Kolton Browning beat #8 Arkansas during this time. They also beat Alabama in 2007, under Nick Saban. Louisiana dominated the New Orleans Bowl four years in a row during this time span. I don't really have time to go through all the great memories from each era, although I'd like to sometime.

After half the conference bolted for CUSA in 2014, Troy, ARKST, Louisiana, and ULM became "the old guard". All else were newer faces, and 2014 ushered in the 4th Era with the addition of two of the best programs in FCS history. We've seen some spectacular upsets from South Alabama. The rise of Troy gave the conference some much needed national attention at Clemson and at LSU. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern moved up without a hitch and quickly dominated the league. APP STATE's near upset of #9 Tennessee got the SBC some more national attention. Georgia State dominated their rivalry series with Georgia Southern to everyone's surprise. Arkansas State set the SBC record for offensive points per game, and Appalachian State set numerous defensive records. Troy beat the CUSA and MAC divisional champs as well as a win over a ranked LSU. Idaho and New Mexico State never laid down on their way out from the Sun Belt Conference. Idaho's dominating win over Colorado State was a big win for the league. Arkansas State's bowl performance vs UCF was a big win. APP state defeated Toledo despite Logan Woodside's prestige. They defeated both Louisiana and ARKST in their first year, an impressive feat for an FCS moveup. We saw Texas State and Georgia State can their big name coaches for a fresh start. We saw ULM and GS get new coaching staffs. Some have worked out better than others. Arkansas State's league record during this era was tops in the league, having found stability with Blake Anderson, after going through four coaches in four years from 2011 through 2014.

As we enter the 5th era of the Sun Belt Conference, what's next? A championship game will give an added to dimension to the league. Georgia State and ULM are on the rise. The Joey Jones Era comes to and end, and GS fights to regain notoriety both within the league and no a national stage. Have we finally seen the end of the Hudspeth era? With Troy keep Neal Brown? Idaho and NMSU are moving on and Coastal Carolina gets Joe Moglia back to coach in their second yard of Sun Belt Conference membership.

Things are about to change again. It's been a fun ride. We've had some great memories. Here's to making the rest of them, the best of them.

#GOSBC

(12-03-2017 12:33 PM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  2018 SBC Championship: Texas State vs Georgia State


I kid I kid