The 2001 Sun Belt Conference football season was the inaugural college football season for the Sun Belt Conference. During the 2001 season, seven schools competed in Sun Belt football: Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana–Lafayette, Louisiana–Monroe, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State and North Texas.

The conference title was won by Middle Tennessee and North Texas.

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 Joe Hollis 4 15–39–1 11–34 0–0 Idaho Tom Cable 1 5–6 5–6 0–0 Louisiana–Lafayette Jerry Baldwin 2 3–19 3–19 0–0 Louisiana–Monroe Bobby Keasler 2 84–50–2 6–16 0–0 Middle Tennessee Andy McCollum 2 9–13 9–13 0–0 New Mexico State Tony Samuel 4 14–30 14–30 0–0 North Texas Darrell Dickey 3 8–25 8–25 0–0

Sun Belt vs. BCS AQ Conference matchups Date Visitor Home Conference Score Notes August 30 Idaho Washington State Pac-10 L 7–36 August 30 Middle Tennessee Vanderbilt SEC W 37–28 September 1 Arkansas State Georgia SEC L 17–45 September 1 New Mexico State Texas Big 12 L 7–41 September 8 Arkansas State Baylor Big 12 L 3–24 September 8 Idaho Arizona Pac-10 L 29–36 September 8 Louisiana-Monroe Florida SEC L 6–55 September 8 Oregon State New Mexico State Pac-10 L 22–27 September 8 Louisiana-Lafayette Minnesota Big Ten L 14–44 September 8 North Texas Oklahoma Big 12 L 10–37 September 22 Idaho Washington Pac-10 L 3–53 September 22 New Mexico State Kansas State Big 12 L 0–64 September 22 Texas Tech North Texas Big 12 L 14–42 Neutral Site Game at Texas Stadium October 20 Ole Miss Arkansas State SEC L 17–35 October 6 Louisiana-Lafayette Arizona State Pac-10 L 27–63 October 20 Middle Tennessee Ole Miss SEC L 17–45 November 10 Middle Tennessee LSU SEC L 14–30

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

Start times for non-conference games are local for the Sun Belt team; for conference games, starting times are local for the home team. The following list are the teams in their respective time zones: Arkansas State, Louisiana–Monroe, Louisiana–Lafayette, Middle Tennessee, North Texas are located in the Central Time Zone; New Mexico State is in the Mountain Time Zone and Idaho is in the Pacific Time Zone.

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

Week 1 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance August 23 New Mexico State Louisville Papa John's Cardinal Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky L 24–45 38,129

Open Week: Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas

Week 2 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance August 30 Idaho Washington State Martin Stadium • Pullman, Washington L 7–36 31,097 August 30 Middle Tennessee Vanderbilt Vanderbilt Stadium • Nashville, Tennessee W 37–28 39,885 September 1 Arkansas State Georgia Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia L 17–45 86,520 September 1 Nicholls State Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana W 20–0 September 1 Sam Houston State Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana L 9–20 September 1 New Mexico State #5 Texas Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium • Austin, Texas L 7–41 82,856 September 1 TCU North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, Texas L 5–19 22,837

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Dwone Hicks Middle Tennessee Jykine Bradley Middle Tennessee Jonathan Knott Louisiana-Lafayette

Week 3 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 8 Arkansas State Baylor Floyd Casey Stadium • Waco, Texas L 3–24 28,953 September 8 Idaho Arizona Arizona Stadium • Tucson, Arizona L 29–36 44,250 September 8 Louisiana-Lafayette Minnesota H. H. H. Metrodome • Minneapolis W 14–44 35,089 September 8 Louisiana-Monroe #2 Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida L 6–55 85,011 September 8 Troy Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee W 54–17 September 8 #22 Oregon State New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, New Mexico L 22–27 27,238 September 8 North Texas #3 Oklahoma Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, Oklahoma L 10–37 74,930

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team John Welsh Idaho Siddeeq Shabazz New Mexico State James Hickenbotham Arkansas State

Week 4

All games scheduled for Week 4 were postponed or canceled as a result of the September 11 attacks.

Week 5 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 22 Jacksonville State Arkansas State Indian Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas L 28–31 September 22 Idaho #13 Washington Huskie Stadium • Seattle, WA L 3–53 70,145 September 22 Southern Miss Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana L 10–35 14,132 September 22 Middle Tennessee Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana MTSU 38–20 September 22 New Mexico State #12 Kansas State KSU Stadium • Manhattan, Kansas L 0–64 49,229 September 22 Texas Tech North Texas Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas L 14–42 20,852

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Wes Counts Middle Tennessee Scotty Brown Middle Tennessee Robert Billings Middle Tennessee

Week 6 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 29 Idaho Boise State Martin Stadium • Pullman, Washington L 13–45 20,359 September 22 Middle Tennessee Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana MSTU 26–9 September 22 New Mexico State Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana NMSU 31–0 September 22 North Texas South Florida Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida L 10–28 25,156

Open Week: Arkansas State

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Reshard Lee Middle Tennessee Scotty Brown (2) Middle Tennessee Robert Billings (2) Middle Tennessee

Week 7 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance October 6 Arkansas State Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi L 17–35 October 6 Idaho Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee MTSU 70–58 October 6 Louisiana-Lafayette Arizona State Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, Arizona L 27–63 38,118 October 6 North Texas Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana ULM 19–17 October 6 New Mexico State Tulsa Skelly Stadium • Tulsa, Oklahoma W 24–7 17,211

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Wes Counts (2) Middle Tennessee Tony Lukins New Mexico State Tony Lukins New Mexico State

Week 8 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance October 13 Arkansas State Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana ASU 26–20 October 13 Idaho New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, New Mexico NMSU 46–39 October 13 Middle Tennessee North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, Texas UNT 24–21

Open Week: Louisiana-Monroe

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Kevin Galbreath North Texas Chris Jones Arkansas State Josh Hill North Texas

Week 9 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance October 20 Arkansas State North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, Texas UNT 45–0 October 20 Louisiana-Lafayette Idaho Martin Stadium • Pullman, Washington ULL 54–37 October 20 Louisiana-Monroe UCF Florida Citrus Bowl • Orlando, Florida L 6–38 23,001 October 20 Middle Tennessee Ole Miss Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, Mississippi L 17–45

Open Week: New Mexico State

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Jon Van Cleave Louisiana-Lafayette Brad Kassell North Texas Josh Hill (2) North Texas

Week 10 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance October 27 Idaho Arkansas State Indian Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas ASU 34–31 October 27 Louisiana-Monroe Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana ULL 17–12 October 27 New Mexico State Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee MTSU 39–35

Open Week: North Texas

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Kendall Newson Middle Tennessee Les Echols Arkansas State Jason Hickenbotham Arkansas State

Week 11 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance November 3 Louisiana-Monroe Idaho Kibbie Dome • Moscow, Idaho UI 42–38 November 3 Arkansas State Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee MTSU 54–6 November 3 North Texas New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, New Mexico UNT 22–20

Open Week: Louisiana-Lafayette

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team John Welsh (2) Idaho Brad Kassell (2) North Texas Jason Ball (3) North Texas

Week 12 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance November 10 Arkansas State New Mexico State Aggie Memorial Stadium • Las Cruces, New Mexico NMSU 28–17 November 10 Troy State Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium • Monroe, Louisiana L 44–12 November 10 Louisiana-Lafayette North Texas Fouts Field • Denton, Texas UNT 42–17 November 10 Middle Tennessee LSU Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, Louisiana L 30–14 88,249

Open Week: Idaho

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Scott Hall North Texas Tony Lukins (2) New Mexico State Ty Jackson North Texas

Week 13 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance November 17 Louisiana-Monroe Arkansas State Indian Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas ULM 16–7 November 17 North Texas Idaho Kibbie Dome • Moscow, Idaho UNT 50–27 November 17 New Mexico State Louisiana-Lafayette Cajun Field • Lafayette, Louisiana NMSU 49–46 November 17 Connecticut Middle Tennessee Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee W 38–14 13,017

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Patrick Cobbs North Texas Scotty Brown (3) Middle Tennessee Dario Aguiniga New Mexico State

Week 14 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance November 22 Nicholls State Arkansas State Indian Stadium • Jonesboro, Arkansas L 28–22 November 24 Idaho Montana Washington–Grizzly Stadium • Missoula, Montana L 33–27 2OT 18,056 November 24 Louisiana-Lafayette UCF Citrus Bowl • Orlando, Florida L 31–0 12,264 November 24 New Mexico State New Mexico University Stadium • Albuquerque, New Mexico L 53–0

Week 15 Date Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance December 1 Louisiana-Monroe Cincinnati Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati L 42–10 15,047 December 1 North Texas Troy State Veterans Memorial Stadium • Troy, Alabama L 18–16

Open Week: Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana-Lafayette, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State

Players of the week: Offensive Defensive Special teams Player Team Player Team Player Team Anthony Tenner Idaho Cody Spencer North Texas No candidates

Bowl games In 2001, the Sun Belt Conference placed one team in bowl games through their tie-ins: 5-6 North Texas, who became the first team to play in a bowl game with a losing record. Middle Tennessee was also bowl-eligible but did not receive a bowl invitation.

Note: All times are local Bowl Date SBC team (Record) Opponent (Record) Site TV Result Attendance New Orleans Bowl December 18 North Texas (5–6) Colorado State (6–5) Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans ESPN2 L 45–20 27,004

Players of the Year

2001 Sun Belt Player of the Year awards AwardPlayerSchoolPlayer of the YearWes CountsMiddle TennesseeOffensive Player of the YearDwone HicksMiddle TennesseeDefensive Player of the YearBrad KassellNorth TexasFreshman of the YearJa'Mel BranchNorth TexasNewcomer of the YearKevin GalbreathNorth TexasCoach of the YearDarrell DickeyNorth Texas

All-Conference Teams Coaches All-Conference Selections