Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast (private feed for jbhmailing@gmail.com) Split Zone Duo: College Football Podcast (private feed for jbhmailing@gmail.com)

Sun Belt 2026 Preview: Is James Madison Vulnerable, or Not?

Aug 14, 2026 · 1h 9m

Summary

Hosts Alex and Richard preview the Sun Belt Conference, analyzing coaching changes at James Madison, Coastal Carolina, and Southern Miss. They highlight key players like Old Dominion’s Devin Roche and Georgia Southern’s veteran QB Max Johnson. The episode also covers roster turnover at Appalachian State and Troy’s identity-driven approach.

Topics discussed

Intro, Sun Belt Construction joke, and league realignment Defining a 'good' Group of 6 team in the portal era James Madison: Billy Napier's return and QB uncertainty Old Dominion: Strong defense vs. offensive turnover Coastal Carolina: Ryan Beard era and Petrino connection Georgia Southern: Max Johnson's millennial QB saga Georgia State: Clay Helton's tenure and Home Field ad Marshall: Rebuilding after Charles Huff's departure App State: Henry Hasselbeck and massive roster turnover Georgia State: Financial struggles and Cameron Brown James Madison: Identity, punter Evan Crenshaw, and defense Troy: Offensive boost and Nokian Tires ad Southern Miss: Blake Anderson and total roster rebuild Louisiana: Financial deficits and QB Winfield Arkansas State: Butch Jones and defensive struggles South Alabama: Player development vs. bad defense Jackson State: Brian Vincent and special teams issues Louisiana Tech: Rivalry return and optimistic outlook Predictions, fired coaches, and conference realignment
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