Per the NCAA method in Phil Steele's spring guide here are the toughest Sun Belt football schedules for the upcoming season:

22 Louisiana
59 Georgia State
77 Coastal Carolina
86 South Alabama
91 Georgia Southern
104 Texas State
106 ULM
123 Appalachian State
125 Troy
127 Arkansas State

I don't know how the season will play out but it sure looks like it's shaping up for the stAte, Troy and App to have an easy season this year. LOL

http://plus.philsteele.com/Blogs/Blog_PD..._Guide.pdf

Crazy that Arkansas State plays the defending national champions, but still has the second easiest schedule in all of FBS.

We have away games @ NC State, Memphis, Troy, Ark State, App St. and ULL. Tough schedule indeed.

6-6 record is the expectation but it still won't be easy. We need to win all winnable games and cant have mental mistakes like the Tenn St and Idaho games last year. Wouldn't it be interesting if we are 5-6 before hosting Georgia Southern at the end of the year?

(05-08-2018 09:35 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Crazy that Arkansas State plays the defending national champions, but still has the second easiest schedule in all of FBS.

Didn't see where they had UCF on the schedule?

(05-08-2018 09:44 AM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  We have away games @ NC State, Memphis, Troy, Ark State, App St. and ULL. Tough schedule indeed

GSU will likely trend in the direction App did with the jump to FBS. The years with Elliot will be a realization of what was envisioned with the kick starting of a football program. Won't be surprised if you hang tight with NC State.

I know this list is saying GS has a little tougher schedule than in some of our past seasons but to me our schedule this season looks much more manageable than years past.

Even with this season still being a bit of a rebuild I'm expecting 6 to 7 wins.

Good luck in your first year Coach Napier!

(05-08-2018 10:04 AM)CajunAmos Wrote:  Good luck in your first year Coach Napier!

I'm confused, why is Louisiana's schedule ranked 22nd? They play two SEC teams, one of which is going to be dealing with a major coaching change and the rest seem to be par for the course.

EDIT: Upon further review, the title of the thread is misleading. This isn't a look of ranking based on future performance but is a list compiled based on opponent win % from 2017. Note that the range from the 9th team to the 89th team is only 10%.

(05-08-2018 10:11 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 10:04 AM)CajunAmos Wrote:  Good luck in your first year Coach Napier!

I'm confused, why is Louisiana's schedule ranked 22nd? They play two SEC teams, one of which is going to be dealing with a major coaching change and the rest seem to be par for the course.

This is the NCAA method for SOS which I think only takes into account last year's W-L record. When Phil Steele releases his own list he will account for things like what you're are talking about.

(05-08-2018 09:50 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 09:44 AM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  We have away games @ NC State, Memphis, Troy, Ark State, App St. and ULL. Tough schedule indeed

GSU will likely trend in the direction App did with the jump to FBS. The years with Elliot will be a realization of what was envisioned with the kick starting of a football program. Won't be surprised if you hang tight with NC State.

Only if we had Shawn Elliott right after Bill Curry retired....our stupid former AD Cheryl Levick hired Trent Miles, who recruited FCS guys to play FBS ball. After last offseason, I think all of Miles' recruits either no longer play or transferred down to FCS schools.

edit: Upon further thoughts, Miles recruited well at WR. Albert Wilson, Robert Davis, and Penny Hart were a bunch of unknown nobodies. He just missed a lot in most other positions.

(05-08-2018 10:11 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 10:04 AM)CajunAmos Wrote:  Good luck in your first year Coach Napier!

I'm confused, why is Louisiana's schedule ranked 22nd? They play two SEC teams, one of which is going to be dealing with a major coaching change and the rest seem to be par for the course.

EDIT: Upon further review, the title of the thread is misleading. This isn't a look of ranking based on future performance but is a list compiled based on opponent win % from 2017. Note that the range from the 9th team to the 89th team is only 10%.

taking into account the 0-100 beatdown by Alabama

just kidding, good luck Cajuns

(05-08-2018 09:48 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 09:35 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Crazy that Arkansas State plays the defending national champions, but still has the second easiest schedule in all of FBS.

Didn't see where they had UCF on the schedule?

That was 2016 in the Cure Bowl.

https://youtu.be/V_KYbDz7tJw

(05-08-2018 10:26 AM)doberman1 Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 09:48 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 09:35 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Crazy that Arkansas State plays the defending national champions, but still has the second easiest schedule in all of FBS.

Didn't see where they had UCF on the schedule?

That was 2016 in the Cure Bowl.

https://youtu.be/V_KYbDz7tJw

It was a comment about UCF claiming to be National Champions. I don't mind the claim, considering they beat Auburn who beat Alabama, and never got the chance to see what their undefeated record meant.

(05-08-2018 09:35 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Crazy that Arkansas State plays the defending national champions, but still has the second easiest schedule in all of FBS.

We should. Neither UNLV or Tulsa is any good, and SEMO is an awful FCS Team. Otherwise we miss Troy in league play and have App, ULM, and USA all at home.

Playing Bama can only do so much.

(05-08-2018 09:48 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  

(05-08-2018 09:35 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  Crazy that Arkansas State plays the defending national champions, but still has the second easiest schedule in all of FBS.

Didn't see where they had UCF on the schedule?

We've already beaten them recently. No need to schedule them again.

Wouldn’t call ours a cake walk

We host Boise State who will be a top 25 team his year and NY6 possibility.

Nebraska will be better under frost

Playing at GS, App, ULM

Our SoS is probably being underestimated some because UMass is going to be better than their record last year indicates.

(05-08-2018 12:00 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  Our SoS is probably being underestimated some because UMass is going to be better than their record last year indicates.

UMass will be the surprise team in 2018. I'd wager money that they'll be bowl eligible.

Here's how I would rank our schedule this coming season.

From most likely a win to most likely a loss:

SC State
USA
@Texas St
UMass
@New Mexico St
@Coastal Carolina
@GSU
@ULM
Troy
stAte
App St
@Clemson

(05-08-2018 01:40 PM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  Here's how I would rank our schedule this coming season.

From most likely a win to most likely a loss:

SC State
USA
@Texas St
UMass
@New Mexico St
@Coastal Carolina
@GSU
@ULM
Troy
stAte
App St
@Clemson

SC State - most likely win
@TXST
@NMSU
USA
@Coastal
UMASS
App
@ULM
stAte
@GAST
Troy
@Clemson - most likely loss