Five In-State Matchups & Five Nationally-Televised Games Headline Sun Belt Football Week 2 Schedule

Football
9/9/2026 2:00:00 PM

WEEK 2 CONFERENCE NOTES

NEW ORLEANS 

– The Sun Belt will look to construct upon a conference-record 10 non-conference victories in Week 1 of the 2026 season when it returns to the sphere for Week 2 motion on Saturday, Sept. 12. 
 
The 14-game non-conference slate will function 5 clashes with autonomy convention foes, 5 dates with peer convention opponents, 5 nationally-televised video games and two matchups with nationally-ranked groups. 
 
Five in-state clashes—App State at East Carolina, Old Dominion at Virginia Tech, Alabama State at Troy, Georgia State at Kennesaw State and Louisiana Tech at No. 8/8 LSU—dot the Saturday schedule. 
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR

• KEEPING IT IN STATE – App State and Georgia State will journey to in-state rivals in Week 2, with the Mountaineers visiting East Carolina at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, on ESPNU and the Panthers heading up I-75 to Kennesaw State at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+. App State leads the all-time collection 22-12 and is 3-0 in FBS matchups towards the Pirates—all coming since 2021. Georgia State is 1-0 towards the Owls, who established their soccer program in 2015, and Saturday’s assembly would be the first-ever FBS conflict between the colleges separated by simply 25 miles.
• STAYING IN THE COMMONWEALTH – Old Dominion will put its seven-game profitable streak on the road when it travels to in-state foe Virginia Tech at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, on CW. The Monarchs’ lively profitable streak is the third-longest within the nation, trailing solely reigning nationwide champion Indiana (17) and Notre Dame (11). Old Dominion additionally owns three victories over the Hokies in six conferences since 2018—together with two since becoming a member of the Sun Belt in 2022—and is 3-4 within the all-time collection. The Monarchs bested Virginia Tech, 45-26, in Blacksburg a yr in the past and can look to even the all-time collection with its first-ever back-to-back wins over the Hokies.
• FOUR MORE – After posting an 8-0 mark towards FCS opposition in Week 1 to run its file to 63-0 towards FCS foes since increasing to 14 football-playing members in 2022, the Sun Belt will host 4 further FCS opponents in Week 2. On Saturday, Sept 12, James Madison will host Wagner at 2:30. p.m. on ESPN+; Troy will welcome in-state foe Alabama State to city at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN+; Arkansas State will conflict with West Georgia at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+ and Coastal Carolina will tackle Fordham at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+. The Sun Belt is outscoring FCS opponents 382-53 in 2026.
• PEER TO PEER – Alongside in-state rivalry matchups for App State and Georgia State, the Sun Belt will conflict with cross-border peer convention foes on three events on Saturday, Sept. 12. ULM will journey to UAB at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+; Marshall will host Middle Tennessee at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+ and South Alabama will go to Tulane at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Head coach Bryant Vincent, who served because the interim head coach for UAB in 2022 after two stints as offensive coordinator, will try and construct on the Warhawks 2-1 lead within the all-time collection towards the Blazers. Marshall will intention to remain unbeaten towards the Blue Raiders since becoming a member of the Sun Belt, following a 42-28 street victory in Murfreesboro a yr in the past. In what has traditionally been a hotly-contested battle—with 3-of-4 prior matchups determined by three-or-fewer factors—South Alabama will look to slender Tulane’s 3-1 edge within the burgeoning collection.
• AGAINST AUTONOMY – Georgia Southern and Southern Miss will journey to proximate autonomy convention opponents for nationally-televised contests on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Eagles will make the three:45 journey to Clemson for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on ACC Network, whereas the Golden Eagles will make the 4:30 journey to Auburn for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network. Georgia Southern is 0-1 towards Clemson, whereas Southern Miss owns 5 wins over Auburn in 23 prior conferences. Louisiana Tech and Louisiana may even hit the street to tackle a pair of nationally-ranked autonomy convention opponents on Saturday, Sept 12. Louisiana Tech will make the three:30 journey to in-state foe No. 8/8 LSU for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on SEC Network+, whereas Louisiana will make the cross-country trek to No. 14/14 USC for a ten:00 p.m. kickoff on BTN. The matchups would be the twenty first all-time between the Bulldogs and Tigers and the first-ever between the Ragin’ Cajuns and Trojans. The Sun Belt owns 12 wins over autonomy convention opponents since 2022 and can have 5 alternatives so as to add to that tally in Week 2, together with 4 in entrance of nationwide tv audiences.

 
WHERE TO WATCH
 

 
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