2025 Sun Belt Conference football season
2025 Sun Belt Conference football season — at a glance
Overview
- The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) played its 25th season of FBS football in 2025, with 14 member schools split into East and West divisions.
- The season ran from late August through early December, ending with the SBC Championship Game on December 5, 2025.
- The full schedule was released February 28, 2025.
Teams and divisions
- East Division: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion.
- West Division: Troy, Southern Miss, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, Arkansas State, Texas State, South Alabama.
Preseason highlights
- Predicted winners: James Madison was favored to win the East; Louisiana was favored to win the West.
- Preseason honors included Offensive Player of the Year Braylon Braxton (Southern Miss, QB), Defensive Player of the Year Blayne Myrick (South Alabama, LB), and Special Teams Player of the Year Clune Van Andel (Arkansas State).
- The preseason All-Conference teams featured top players from several SBC schools, including Braylon Braxton at QB on the First Team Offense.
Season recap
- Regular-season champions: East – James Madison; West – Troy.
- Championship Game: James Madison defeated Troy 31–14 to claim the SBC title at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Standings (division winners)
- East Division: James Madison led the division (8–0 in SBC play; 12–2 overall).
- West Division: Troy topped the West (6–2 in SBC play; 8–6 overall).
Postseason and bowl results
- The SBC sent several teams to bowls in December 2025 and January 2026, with mixed results:
- Cure Bowl: Old Dominion defeated South Florida 24–10.
- 68 Ventures Bowl: Delaware defeated Louisiana 20–13 (Louisiana loss).
- Independence Bowl: Louisiana–Monroe defeated Louisiana 30–27 (Battle on the Bayou implications noted elsewhere).
- Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Southern defeated Appalachian State 29–10.
- New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky defeated Southern Miss 27–16.
- Armed Forces Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice (result not listed in the source).
- Independence Bowl, other appearances: Coastal Carolina and James Madison also appeared in various non-SBC bowls in some listings.
Season in brief
- The SBC finished the season with James Madison as the conference champion after a strong run through the schedule, capped by the championship win over Troy.
- Non-conference play for SBC teams: SBC teams went 27–29 in regular-season non-conference games, with a mix of wins and losses against Power 4 conferences and other opponents.
- Against Power 4 opponents, SBC teams had a challenging mark (notably limited success in several high-profile matchups), while some SBC teams won notable non-conference games, including several against Group of Five and FCS opponents.
- FCS opponents for SBC teams/streaks were favorable, with SBC teams compiling a strong record against FCS programs in many cases.
Awards and honors
- Postseason individual awards (highlights):
- Player of the Year: Alonza Barnett (James Madison)
- Offensive Player of the Year: Colton Joseph (Old Dominion)
- Defensive Player of the Year: Trent Hendrick (James Madison)
- Freshman Player of the Year: Sahir West (James Madison)
- Newcomer of the Year: Camden Brown (Georgia Southern)
- Coach of the Year: Bob Chesney (James Madison)
- All-conference selections featured numerous players from James Madison, Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Marshall, Old Dominion, and others, with several First Team honorees on offense, defense, and special teams.
Notes on the league’s 2025 season
- The Sun Belt’s 14-team format in two divisions provided a competitive balance, with James Madison emerging as the de facto standout in the East and Troy as the strongest in the West.
- The SBC’s schedule and bowl results reflected a year of competitive play, with some teams achieving notable upsets and others facing tough non-conference challenges.
Overall takeaway
- The 2025 SBC season showcased strong performances from James Madison (conference champions) and solid contributions from multiple programs across both divisions. The season blended competitive divisional play, a landmark championship game, and a variety of postseason bowl appearances that highlighted the depth and talent across the conference.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 21:30 (CET).