SUN BELT KICKOFF: 14 Teams, FIRST Chance to Make a Statement

0:00This is the Lockdown Podcast Network celebrating 10 years of your team every day. The 2026 Sunbelt College for Paul Season kicks off this weekend. Lockdown Sunbelt! You are a Lockdown Sunbelt. You're daily podcast on the Sunbelt Conference. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Your team every day. Alright Dave Shulf Lockdown Sunbelt. Your teams every day. Alright, a few housekeeping things. We're going to do about half week one here on this episode. Then we'll have a bonus episode for you guys to watch first thing on Saturday morning leading right into the ball games. As it's just too tough to break down all 14 games, some bigger than others I get it. But we want to talk about all of the teams. Much easier to do that in one episode when there's seven games in conference.

1:02Alright, compared to 14 games out of conference. You guys know I can talk forever, but they like to limit these things to 28 to 30 minutes. So I want to let you know about that. Secondly, I do want to thank you. The numbers that we have had have been so good recently, but the numbers there, they're blowing things out of the water. The amount of views that I'm going to have that locked on Sunbelt is going to have that we are going to have. Through the first well through Monday. Once we wake up Monday or Tuesday morning, that number on Monday is going to match probably what we did for August. So the video views are taken off. I do appreciate it. The audio views are taken off. I do appreciate it. We're not going to get to the subscriber goal of 3200, but we're going to still try. We're 32 short. I guess we technically can get there. I need 32 subscribers before Georgia State kicks off and they kick off an hour later than I thought. So I got more time. So I do want to thank you for everything. We will be live Friday night following the Georgia State ballgame.

2:02Immediately when the clock hits zero. Sorry, Matt. I will go and it's going to be you know, maybe 10, 15, 20 minutes. Certainly not going to be full episode because we only have the one game to talk about where a Saturday after the old dominion game will have multiple games to talk about. So we're going to go live a little bit more this year. All right. So we'll talk about Troy. Can they defend the West? All right. We're welcoming La Tech into the Sunbelt. But Georgia State kicks everything off on Friday night, seven PM Eastern time in Atlanta. So the traffic will clear a little bit. They're taking on North Carolina A and T North Carolina A and T part of the CAA. They are part of not creative artist agency, but the colonial athletic thing association. And they took it on the chin last week at whole not good by any stretch of the imagination in this one. They lost a Morgan state 17 to seven. Now let's check out obviously didn't watch any of this at all.

3:07But interestingly enough, A and T dominated 35 minutes time of possession to 25 minutes. All right. North Carolina A and T held Morgan state to one a seven on third down. They were themselves eight out of 15. They'll gain them 320 yards to 276. And Morgan state is the one that had. That had to turn over. This is really insanity. So I don't know how it happened. North Carolina A and T they were they were down 10 to seven. And their drive stalled. You know, the few minutes left to go in the fourth quarter at the Morgan state 42.

4:09So they have a pretty good defense. But they were leading seven three heading into the fourth quarter where Morgan state does score 14 points. So that score does not reflect what happened in the ball game in terms of how they played in totality. And as Georgia state can't look at that scoreboard like I did to begin with, but they got a look at how and obviously they're doing this how A and T played. All right. This is a ball game where they are heavily favored. Is it 29 and a half points? Can they cover this ball game? That seems like a lot of points. But Georgia state. It is up to 29 and a half. Georgia state has Cameron with an A hunter. Good wide receivers. They got replaced. Teders junior obviously.

5:09And we need to see some defense. All right. Not going to be easy to cover. That's a 30 point spread. Let's see just for and I don't want to take up too much time on Georgia state. But let's see what they did last year. See they squeezed by Murray state. And to be honest, really Murray state won very good last year. 37, 21 and Murray state is FCS. So a 30 point spread is a lot. So we're going to take Georgia state to win. I ain't laying the 30 or the 29 and a half. All right. So we'll take Georgia state to win. They will go one and oh on the season. All right. Then we get South Alabama. They are kicking off Saturday. 7 p.m. Eastern time. 6 p.m. A local time. They put on a great video honoring Anthony Mostela. And it happens to be on September 5th. Mostela was killed in a car accident or a motorcycle accident before his senior year at South Alabama.

6:16Former coach Joey Jones honored him by having one player where his number every week where compared to the 7 and 18 that you get for LSU. All year long, they changed the number 7. I think it belonged to a voice in more often than not over the last handful of years because they represented what South Alabama and Anthony Mostela was all about. So came on. I brought it back after was gone for a few years and major apple white has continued that. So they put out a great video. You need to see that on social media. South Eastern also lost. They lost to Houston Christian 34 28. Let's check out these stats. All right. Houston Christian outgained him. Well, no, South Eastern outgained him 398 to 361 differences. So he's turned three turnovers to Houston Christians one. And again, South Eastern 35 minutes to 25 minutes in time of possession. All right.

7:21South Eastern actually made it a little bit a little bit close when they scored 14 points in the fourth quarter. So again, I mean passing wise kind of dinkin and dunkin 17 out of 27 for 150 yards, but South Eastern ran it for 248 yards. So they may go for it on fourth down. And South Alabama's got to be able to get off the field. And so we'll see what South Alabama does with Bishop Davenport, the wide receivers back. They like throwing it to the tight end. The problem was the pressure. They had the least amount of sacks. I think I saw I read in division one football like 12 sacks last year. That's not good. That's not good enough. Right. I have anything that sacks are one of the most overrated stats. But generally speaking. I say you end up with 30 sacks. Is that a lot? The amount of times that it's not quite a sack. Right. You just miss.

8:22But it's pressure on the quarterback. The quarterback's been, you know, rushed out of the pocket and chased out of the pocket and he throws it away. So, you know, you get it to 30 and all of a sudden, you know, you can find somewhere between 75 and 100 plays that you affected with your pressure. Compare to say 30 or 40. So that's a big deal. That's what they have to do. All right. So South Alabama, 12 and a half point favorite. I'm going to take South Alabama to win it, but 12 and a half points seems like a lot. So we'll see how they do again, not looking at the own one, but looking, you know, if South, if South, South Eastern. Turns the ball over. It could get out of hand. All right. So we'll see how that goes. All right. Let's do. We'll just do those two ball games in the first segment and then we'll do a lot of tech and the rest of it in the next two segments. All right. We'll get to law tech coming into the sunbelt right after I tell you about square and punch.

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12:42It just would have felt so easy to wear that shirt in that hot and humid weather. Go to poncho outdoors dot com slash locked on and enter your email to get $10 off free shipping on your first order and that's P O N C H O outdoors dot com head there dropping your email get $10 off and free shipping and once you try one, you'll get a closet full. All right Dave show it's locked on some about your teams every day. Again, we're going to do two episodes of previewing week one seven games in this one seven games on Saturdays will have a bonus episode on a Saturday, we may have an additional bonus episode will see if we get around to it, we had a miscommunication somewhere long way, but that that may be more on the list. That may be more on me. All right, so let's welcome.

13:48Lottaq into the sunbelt their first official sunbelt ball game is taking on the Northwestern state demons Northwestern state also O N one except they lost to Louisiana Christian, I believe they are N A I a football. All right, that's not great. Let's see, that's what they are and so yeah, they are N A N A and that's not a good look for Northwestern state, and I just lose the game here that I was looking for. It should be a relatively easy ball game for a lot of tech to get their feet off the ground on Saturday, it is a one second.

14:53It is a seven thirty Eastern time six thirty central time a kickoff and let's check out again, we're going to look at these stats, I guess, but it's against Louisiana Christian, you know, they put up a lot of points, but they couldn't stop Louisiana Christian Louisiana Christian. In fact, again, the Northwestern here you go, same thing as Morgan state and North Carolina, A and T Northwestern state outgain Louisiana Christian 525 to 337, that's almost 200 yards difference, that's ridiculous. Passing wise 341 to 183, 35 32 for 45 for 341 yards, oh goodness, that's in the air on the ground 184 yards, almost a six yard average penalties, cost them and so did turnovers and again, here you go Northwestern state, 37 minutes to 23 and they in fact had a, can you believe this,

16:02a 27 to 14 lead at half and Louisiana Christian scored 20 will outscored them 21 to 3 in the second half, that feels like there was turnovers and that's what happened. Louisiana Christian scored the first touchdown on their first possession, then got a pick six so it went from 27 14 to 28 20 set Northwestern state took the lead, but Louisiana Christian, and I say in Lafayette Louisiana Christian went on a 10 play drive 75 yards scored another touchdown Northwestern state was stopped and then on a short field, Louisiana Christian scored another touchdown and that was basically it went to 42 40 they traded ponds Northwestern state, you know got it to 42 37 and Louisiana Christian was able to run out the clock and so basically what I'm telling you a lot of techniques to be a little bit careful in this one because they can put up some points, but they can't stop anything so

17:18so basically what that means is in this case again, I'm not sure if the Sunbelt team is covering did have somebody say they don't like to run it up all that much it is it's like a 40 point spread that really is basically a 40 point spread maybe 43 let me see if I can find it here quickly. So that would be a lot for a lot tech to cover 44 and a half even goodness so that's all that's that's like winning 54 to 10 and not covering. Just to give you an example so that's a lot alright that's a little bit too much to me a lot of tech is going to win it rather easily a lot of points to cover alright let's move it along here a little quicker. Okay so let's talk about the Cajuns Cajuns taken on Lamar Lamar already one and oh from the FCS Southland conference FCS in football obviously FBS in basketball they beat Abel in Christian 21 14 and this should be a relatively easy ball game for the Louisiana

18:41Cajuns Cajuns it is 20 and a half maybe a lot but I mean Lamar has apparently got a pretty good defense don't score a whole heck of a lot of points and we're going to see Sheldon Samson is supposed to be back one of the wide receivers this could be the breakout ballgame start to bring the break out ballgame for lunch win field who by the way did his commercial with lunchables ready told us that at Sunbelt media days so how cool is that he's got a I mean I'll give you not he's got a national deal I don't know how many quarterbacks you know have national deals I mean archmaning has one we'll see if Trinidad Jablis has one didn't archmaning do like any glasses or something like that he was do it was it any glasses or it was a glasses place right and lunch win field has lunchables because that's too easy so that's pretty cool so and maybe one of those quarterbacks

19:43I'm going to say that the Cajuns are going to cover this all right it's not that big a spread right and you can win you know 42 to 10 and you've covered the spread right you can even when 35 to 10 and you've covered the spread it's a three touchdown spread so I think the Cajuns will cover this one on on Saturday again this is a little bit of a later ballgame I think it's 630 central time 7 o'clock 730 eastern time so again we're you know that O2 you ballgame so this will be on when we're we're live we're going to go live let's see here it is a no it's an eight o'clock eastern time so it's not even starting in a laugh yet until

20:577 p.m. so that game will be on when we're doing our post game show on Saturday all right and do we have think we have one more game to talk about all right let's do one more ballgame let's do them in row and miss the best state Jeff let me got off to a good start last year right he beat up on Southern miss and then I think beat Arizona state right they were in the playoff the year before he won their first four ball games and then you won one ballgame after that and then you have a couple of tough losses lost to Tennessee and over time lost to Texas and over time his only other win was Arkansas at Arkansas which they won by regains I'm going to say to your tell you I know all the injuries or whatever was going on in Mississippi state so they got I mean you know they beat up they I must say beat up they beat Southern Miss

22:00Handle E 34 17 they upset Arizona state 24 to 20 blue out Alcorn state 63 0 and did a number on at the time the max I think now I think went they went from the back to the back northern Illinois 38 to 10 all right but then they lose to Tennessee get beat up by NM they lose to Billy Napier and the gators 23 21 they lose to Texas and over time they do beat Arkansas but then they beat up they get beat up by Georgia beat up by Missouri and then they lose the a bowl 39 19 they went to a bowl game like App State did with that five and second five and seven record and they lost it to wake forest Jeff Levy's on the hot seat all right I'm sorry that's this has not gone well for Jeff Levy he was bad his first year got off to an okay start in his second year but then I mean they've lost eight out of their last nine all right for Brian

23:08all right for Brian Vincent sorry about that he needs to finish as well right he started out five and won his first year and then couldn't find another win start out three and one second year couldn't find another win he did have the duties of being the AD last year but now he doesn't have to worry about that all right they got a new president they got a new AD got a coach football and obviously they shocked to me if you all am went in there and played and beat beat Mississippi State all right this is on ESPN you seven 30 eastern time six 30 central time and again Jeff Levy is on the hot seat I don't know what I'm saying Brian Vincent is that may have some different reasons but Jeff Levy needs to win all right and they you know they go two Minnesota that ain't going to be easy they go to South Carolina that ain't going to be easy then they get Missouri at home Alabama at home they're at LSU home against Oklahoma and Texas I mean where are the wins you know they're not going to be

24:19just maybe they're only getting that their favorite on until they're playing Tennessee Tech they get Auburn at home we'll see they get bandied Auburn at home so we'll see where they are but if they if they're only win is against ULM they ain't going to be favored at home against bandied Auburn right so they have to win this ballgame it would be interesting to see if Brian Vincent and company was able to you know put up some battle here against Mississippi state let's see what that line is quickly I didn't think it was nearly as much as I thought it was going to be it's 28 and a half um so I'll say that's 41 to 10 I think ULM is going to be closer than to be honest with you I think ULM is going to cover this football game all right that's right thing I think ULM is going to cover all right Mississippi state is going to win but ULM is going to cover all right let's take a time out we got to hustle it up a little bit can Troy get their title defense off the west off to a good start talk about that next after I tell you about ultra pouches

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26:47you know, I do struggle to get through the day a little bit and that is why these are coming in so handy for me down at the distillery ultra is the ultimate guilt free pouch delivering instant focus and mental clarity without nicotine or caffeine new customers can use code locked on college football to get 15% off at take ultra dot cop that's take ultra dot com for 15% off with code locked on college football after you purchase you where you hurt them where you heard about them please support locked on sunda and tell them our show sent you hi Dave show locked on sunda your teams every day we got a few more minutes here for week one again you can see how much I've been talking and we've done five ball games so I couldn't have done all of the ball games when there's 14 games in the sunbelt this weekend including tonight's match up Georgia state North Carolina A&T will be post game right after that game we're going to go live 10 15 minutes whatever it may be tough to do a whole episode on the one ball game but you will do more

28:14longer episodes 30 minutes or so when there's more games to talk about all right can Troy I say get their title defense off on the right foot but they're really they're playing Sam Houston so that's not the sunbelt west title defense all right Sam Houston has not played a ball game yet and obviously either has a Troy and this is where we want to see goose cryder stay healthy do they have the defense that we've all known Troy ought to be can they run the football and will go to allow them to pass the ball right this could be one of the more complete teams in the sunbelt if goose cryder can stay healthy and the thing is if you can stay healthy that defense may be able to take a few more chances all right maybe able to be a little bit more exciting is not the right word aggressive would be the right word so they know they have goose cryder to bail them out if they do get to aggressive and something opens up on the back end they got goose to bail them out so I think Troy wins this ball game that was 18

29:3218 and a half I don't think it was that biggest spread let me see here 16 and a half I'm going to take Troy Troy's winning this ball game also need to send out congratulations Barry McKnight the voice of the Trojans in fact just the voice like we call him here in the sunbelt going for his on his 25th year of Troy Trojans athletics so congratulations to Barry celebrating his 25th anniversary all right all right one more and that is close to Carolina and West Virginia all right Dresdoh Chancho okay so this is going to be tough I did not do my alphabet right when I said Ryan Beard put his quarterbacks in alphabetical order I made that mistake my fault

30:32but it doesn't have tree gear first for whatever that means the other day I did not include tree gear when I thought he was going to be the guy and in fact they have do spayley first I'm sorry again issues with the alphabet they have do spayley first so do spayley gear a Oh Cyrus Lopez and Trevor Jackson that was the order so Jay becomes before L in the alphabet at least it used to So he's not telling although he does say that maybe two quarterbacks are going to play and again reports have that Osiris Lopez has been very very good now I have to think you're in trouble if you're starting a fresh from quarterback but that could be just me of course if he's playing better you know some guys have it some guys don't all right with all the respect there's a reason that Trevor Jackson is on his third school right we know why you know tree gear is getting a shot going from junior college to FPS and obviously do spayley followed his guy Ryan Beard from Missouri State and Lopez is the freshman so there it is so we'll see who it is going to be tough game this is really on now so that's going to be interesting how that's going to work out

31:58this is like a day game this is this is noon it's on TNT and that line has not moved in fact it's gone down I thought it did let me see because I thought it was like 21 and a half It could have been 20 and a half I'm not sure but it's 21 all right and There's not a lot of people very big on West Virginia this year they're not sure what's going on there in Morgantown Richrod This should be the one of those games that they win and I think they will I'm a little shocked if somehow coastal pulls us off but You imagine if Osiris Lopez Goes in there and does this or even trade garrer junior college quarterback First game in Morgantown pulls off the upset That would be huge all right. I'm going to take West Virginia to win the ball game

33:00I'm going to take coast of Carolina to come all right I'm going to go back and listen to all this read it all down. I need to have my record. We will have straight up and Against the spread all right and I may even tell you the ones that I actually I don't have nearly the funds to about not all of these all right We will probably take Marshall We'll talk about that tomorrow to cover and we'll put a little bit I'm just win the football game all right. All right. Let me know what you guys think again. We did half of those in The Sunbelt half the ball games. We did obviously Georgia state. I think Georgia state's gonna win But North Carolina ANT may cover that. It's almost a 30 point spread South Alabama is gonna win Almost a two touchdown spread technically. It is over a two touchdown spread 12 and a half South Alabama is gonna win Southeastern is gonna cover Cajuns are gonna win there 20 and a half point favorite. They're gonna win and cover against Lamar

34:04Coast of Carolina is gonna lose, but they're gonna cover the 21 points against West Virginia, all right And then we have Troy is gonna win in cover against Sam Houston 16 and a half points I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna rose gonna cover against Mississippi state But the bulldog should win that ball game and LaTac they're gonna win and win easily Covering a 45 point spread is really hard again Right it's 44 and a half They could win 54 to 10 and not cover the spread that's That would be disappointing So one of those I would stay away from all right All right, so let me know what you guys think those are the first seven ball games again We all have a bonus episode Reverend to go on Saturday All right leading into That game the days action all right. I know everyone's gonna be up early. Everyone's gonna be excited I will be at work on Saturday I think I am giving tours. I am giving three tours of that day. So we'll see if we can somehow

35:05only one is during College football or two tours during for college football. All right. It is what it is All right, thanks again for tuning in and again. Thank you so much for all of the support the numbers the videos The audio podcast. It is amazing. All right. I do appreciate it all. Thank you. Oh so much. All right If you haven't subscribed, please subscribe to lock down sundale don't forget about those audio podcasts at apple and Spotify as well Enjoy the college for Paul again. We'll be back again on Saturday To preview the rest of week one you've been watching locked on sundale your teams every day. We'll talk to you again on Saturday