2011 Sun Belt Conference football season

The 2011 Sun Belt Conference football season was the 11th season of college football play for the Sun Belt Conference. The season began September 1, 2011 and concluded January 8, 2012 as part of the 2011-12 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 2011 season consisted of nine members: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Troy and Western Kentucky.

The 2011 season was last with nine football-playing members as South Alabama elevated their program from FCS to FBS to become the conference's tenth all-sports member for the 2012 season.

Preseason

Award watch lists The following Sun Belt players were named to preseason award watch lists.

Maxwell Award: Bobby Rainey – Western Kentucky

Chuck Bednarik Award: Jonathan Massaquoi – Troy

John Mackey Award: Jack Doyle – Western Kentucky Ladarius Green – Louisiana–Lafayette

Fred Biletnikoff Award: Dwayne Frampton – Arkansas State Ladarius Green – Louisiana–Lafayette

Bronko Nagurski Trophy: Jonathan Massaqoui – Troy

Outland Trophy: James Brown – Troy

Lombardi Award: Demario Davis – Arkansas State Jonathan Massaquoi – Troy

Rimington Trophy: Colin Boss – Middle Tennessee Tom Castilaw – Arkansas State

Davey O'Brien Award: Corey Robinson – Troy

Doak Walker Award: Alfred Morris – Florida Atlantic Bobby Rainey – Western Kentucky

Walter Camp Award: Jonathan Massaquoi – Troy

Lou Groza Award: Jake Griffin – Florida International

Sun Belt media days During the Sun Belt media days on July 18–19 via videoconferencing, Florida International was selected as the favorite to win the conference in the coaches poll. They five first place votes. Troy received two first place votes while Arkansas State and Western Kentucky each received one.

Coaches Poll Florida International – 75 (5) Troy – 66 (2) Middle Tennessee – 54 Louisiana–Monroe – 22 Arkansas State – 49 (1) North Texas – 33 Western Kentucky – 28 (1) Louisiana–Lafayette – 26 Florida Atlantic – 20

Preseason All–Conference Team The conference's head coaches selected their all–conference team during media days.

Offense QB Corey Robinson–Troy RB Lance Dunbar–North Texas RB Bobby Rainey–Western Kentucky WR Dwayne Frampton–Arkansas State WR T. Y. Hilton–FIU WR Luther Ambrose–ULM TE Ladarius Green–ULL OL Tom Castilaw–Arkansas State OL Caylin Hauptmann–FIU OL Ryan McCaul–ULM OL Matt Tomlinson–North Texas OL James Brown–Troy OL Wes Jeffries–Western Kentucky

Defense DL Dorvus Woods–Arkansas State DL Tourek Williams–FIU DL Ken Dorsey–ULM DL Jonathan Massaquoi–Troy LB Demario Davis–Arkansas State LB Winston Fraser–FIU LB Xavier Lamb–Troy DB Kelcie McCray–Arkansas State DB Jonathan Cyprien–FIU DB Marcus Bartels–FAU DB Darius Prelow–ULM

Specialists PK Alan Gendreau–Middle Tennessee P Mickey Groody–FAU KR T.Y. Hilton–FIU

The coaches also selected conference players of the year. T.Y. Hilton of Florida International and Lance Dunbar of North Texas were selected as the preseason co-offensive players of the year and Jonathan Massaquoi of Troy was named the preseason defensive player of the year.

Coaches NOTE: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season Team Head coach Years at school Overall record Record at school Sun Belt record Arkansas State Hugh Freeze 1 0–0 0–0 0–0 Florida Atlantic Howard Schnellenberger 11 157–140–3 57–63 22–13 Florida International Mario Cristobal 5 16–33 16–33 13–17 Louisiana–Lafayette Mark Hudspeth 1 66–21 0–0 0–0 Louisiana–Monroe Todd Berry 2 34–67 5–7 34–67 Middle Tennessee Rick Stockstill 6 33–30 33–30 25–12 North Texas Dan McCarney 1 58–85 0–0 0–0 Troy Larry Blakeney 23 161–82–1 161–82–1 40–12 Western Kentucky Willie Taggart 2 2–10 2–10 2–6

Sun Belt vs. BCS matchups Date Visitor Home Notes September 1^ Kentucky 14 Western Kentucky 3 Played at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee September 3 Arkansas State 15 Illinois 33 September 3 Florida Atlantic 3 #23 Florida 41 September 3 Louisiana–Lafayette 34 #8 Oklahoma State 61 September 3 Louisiana–Monroe 0 #5 Florida State 34 September 3 Middle Tennessee 24 Purdue 27 September 3 Troy 19 Clemson 43 September 9 Florida International 24 Louisville 17 FIU's first ever win against a BCS team September 10 Florida Atlantic 0 Michigan State 44 September 10 Georgia Tech 49 Middle Tennessee 21 September 17 Arkansas State 7 #12 Virginia Tech 26 September 17 North Texas 0 #2 Alabama 41 September 17 Troy 28 #13 Arkansas 38 September 24 Florida Atlantic 14 Auburn 30 September 24 Louisiana–Monroe 17 Iowa 45 September 24 Indiana 21 North Texas 24 October 1 Duke 31 Florida International 27 November 5 Middle Tennessee 0 Tennessee 24 November 12 Western Kentucky 9 LSU 42 November 26 Louisiana–Lafayette 37 Arizona 45 ^Denotes neutral site game

Regular season Index to colors and formattingSun Belt member wonSun Belt member lostSun Belt teams in bold

All dates, times, and TV are tentative and subject to change.

The Sun Belt has teams in 2 different time zones. Times reflect start time in respective time zone of each team (all teams central time except for Florida Atlantic and Florida International which are in eastern time). Conference games start times are that of the home team.

Rankings reflect that of the USA Today Coaches poll for that week until week eight when the BCS poll will be used.

Week One Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 1 7:00 p.m. North Texas Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami ESPN3 FIU 41–16 17,568 September 1 ^ 8:15 p.m. Kentucky Western Kentucky LP Field • Nashville, Tennessee ESPNU L 3–14 24,599 September 3 11:00 a.m. Middle Tennessee Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, Indiana BTN L 24–27 42,110 September 3 2:30 p.m. Arkansas State Illinois Memorial Stadium • Champaign, Illinois BTN L 15–33 45,154 September 3 2:30 p.m. Louisiana–Monroe #5 Florida State Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida ESPNU L 0–34 72,226 September 3 2:30 p.m. Troy Clemson Memorial Stadium • Clemson, South Carolina ESPN3 L 19–43 74,135 September 3 6:00 p.m. Louisiana–Lafayette #8 Oklahoma State Boone Pickens Stadium • Stillwater, Oklahoma FSN L 34–61 55,382 September 3 7:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic #23 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida ESPNU L 3–41 88,708 ^ Neutral site

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team T.Y. Hilton FIU Eric Russell Middle Tennessee Hendrix Brakefield Western Kentucky

Week Two Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 9 7:00 p.m. Florida International Louisville Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky ESPN W 24–17 47,228 September 10 12:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic #16 Michigan State Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Michigan ESPN2 L 0–44 70,249 September 10 6:00 p.m. Memphis Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas W 47–3 29,872 September 10 6:00 p.m. Louisiana–Lafayette Kent State Dix Stadium • Kent, Ohio W 20–12 10,386 September 10 6:00 p.m. Grambling State Louisiana–Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana W 35–7 26,532 September 10 6:00 p.m. Georgia Tech Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee ESPN3 L 21–49 30,502 September 10 6:00 p.m. Houston North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas ESPN3 L 23–48 28,075 September 10 6:00 p.m. Navy Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Kentucky ESPN3 L 14–40 19,409

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team T.Y. Hilton (2) FIU Winston Fraser FIU Brelan Chancellor North Texas

Week Three Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 17 1:00 p.m. Louisiana–Monroe #23 TCU Amon G. Carter Stadium • Fort Worth, Texas The Mtn. L 17–38 32,719 September 17 3:00 p.m. Arkansas State #12 Virginia Tech Lane Stadium • Blacksburg, Virginia FSN L 7–26 66,233 September 17 6:00 p.m. UCF Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, Florida ESPN3 W 17–10 20,205 September 17 6:00 p.m. Nicholls State Louisiana–Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana ESPN3 W 38–21 28,741 September 17 6:00 p.m. Indiana State Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Kentucky ESPN3 L 16–44 15,793 September 17 6:30 p.m. North Texas #2 Alabama Bryant–Denny Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama FSN L 0–41 101,821 September 17 6:30 p.m. Troy #13 Arkansas Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, Arkansas CSS L 28–38 69,861

Players of the week: Offensive Co-Defensive Special teams Player Team Players Teams Player Team Corey Robinson Troy Isame Faciane/LaDarrius Madden FIU/Troy Melvin White Louisiana–Lafayette

Week Four Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance September 24 11:00 a.m. Louisiana–Monroe Iowa Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa BTN L 17–45 70,585 September 24 3:30 p.m. Middle Tennessee Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, Alabama(Battle for the Palladium) Sun Belt Network TROY 38–35 20,185 September 24 6:00 p.m. Louisiana–Lafayette Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, Florida ESPN3 ULL 36–31 16,780 September 24 6:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Auburn Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, Alabama FS South L 14–30 82,249 September 24 6:00 p.m. Indiana North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas ESPN3 W 24–21 21,181 September 24 7:00 p.m. Central Arkansas Arkansas State ASU Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas KATV W 53–24 27,918

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Blaine Gautier Louisiana–Lafayette Chris Pickett Troy Brian David Arkansas State

Arkansas State kicker Brian David was also named one of three Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week and the College Football Performance Awards' National Placekicker of the Week after going making 6 field goals and 5 extra points in the Red Wolves win over Central Arkansas.

Week Five Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 1 3:00 p.m. Arkansas State Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium • Bowling Green, Kentucky Sun Belt Network ASU 26–22 10,813 October 1 6:00 p.m. Florida Atlantic Louisiana–Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana ESPN3 ULL 37–34 26,339 October 1 6:00 p.m. Duke Florida International FIU Stadium • Miami, Florida ESPNU L 27–31 22,682 October 1 6:00 p.m. Memphis Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee ESPN3 W 38–31 20,098 October 1 6:00 p.m. North Texas Tulsa Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium • Tulsa, Oklahoma L 24–41 21,240 October 1 6:00 p.m. UAB Troy Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, Alabama SportSouth W 24–23 18,044

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Ryan Aplin Arkansas State Lance Kelley Louisiana-Lafayette Brett Baer Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Lafayette kicker Brett Baer was also named one of the Lou Groza Award Stars of the Week after making 3 field goals including the game winner as time expired. He also made 4 extra points in the Cajuns win over Florida Atlantic.

Week Six Date Time Visiting team Home team Site TV Result Attendance October 6 6:30 p.m. Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee ESPNU WKU 36–33 23,307 October 8 6:00 p.m. Troy Louisiana–Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana ESPN3 ULL 31–17 29,775 October 8 6:00 p.m. Arkansas State Louisiana–Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana ASU 24–19 15,027 October 8 6:30 p.m. Florida Atlantic North Texas Apogee Stadium • Denton, Texas Sun Belt Network UNT 31–17 13,142 October 8 2:00 p.m. Florida International Akron InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field • Akron, Ohio W 27–17 16,016

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Chris Masson Louisiana-Lafayette Kelcie McCray Arkansas State Don Jones Arkansas State

Week Seven