The Sun Belt Landmine Games
The traps to watch out for
By
Pete Fiutak
Landmine Games For Every Team
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It's
next to impossible for a team to get
up for every game over the course of
the long season. It's easy to be
jazzed for the big rival or the top
five team, but college kids can't
remain focused enough to play razor
sharp for one game and then
maintain the same high level again the next week for the also-ran.
Below are
the very dangerous letdown games for
each team. These might be sandwich games, games a team and
the fans won't take seriously, the game after a big
rivalry, the game before a big game, or just a game that the
team just won't be stoked for and could turn into a painful
loss against a weaker opponent. If you find yourself
arguing that these games will be easy, you're jumping into the
same trap these teams might fall into. At the very least,
these could be tougher tests than your favorite team might
think. Sure, the team might win the game, but it might
be pushed very, very hard.
Arkansas State - Dec. 3 at Western Kentucky
This is a landmine because ... Going into the season,
Arkansas State is a far better team than Western
Kentucky, but that could change dramatically by
December. ASU could be beaten down by (arguably) the
league's toughest schedule, and could be a bit
demoralized it it's out of the hunt for the Sun Belt
title and a bowl. This will be the third road game
in four weeks for the Red Wolves.
Florida
Atlantic - Oct. 17 at North Texas
This is a landmine because ... If FAU really is looking
to be in the Sun Belt title hunt, it'll be fired up
for the big showdowns with Louisiana-Lafayette on
the road and against Middle Tennessee. While the
Owls will get a week off to prepare, they should be
in for a firefight with a North Texas team whose
offense should start to roll by the middle of the
season. Give UNT a puncher's chance in what could be
one of the wildest games of the Sun Belt season.
FIU
- Oct. 24 at Western Kentucky
This is a landmine because ... FIU is in absolutely no
position to be looking ahead to play anyone and will
be scratching and clawing to get wins without a true
layup on the slate. Western Kentucky is one of the
few teams that's worse than the Golden Panthers
going into the season, but that could go out the
window by the middle of the year. The trip to WKU
will be FIU's third road game in four weeks and
it'll come off a home battle against Troy.
Middle
Tennessee - Sept. 26 at North Texas
This is a landmine because ... There was a time when
this was the biggest game of the Sun Belt season.
The Blue Raiders could be a bit beaten and bruised
with road games at Clemson and Maryland in the first
three weeks, and even though this is the Sun Belt
opener, they'll certainly be looking ahead to the
showdown at Troy. MT plays four road games in the
first five, and not only is this game four of the
run, but it's the one chance at a relative breather.
UNT might take advantage.
North
Texas - Nov. 21 vs. Army
This is a landmine because ... There's no such thing as
a landmine game for the Mean Green, and in fact,
this could be Army's landmine date considering it'll
be Senior Day in Denton, but Rich Ellerson's Black
Knight offense could be too much to deal with. If
the UNT defensive front seven isn't more effective
and more consistent, Army could run for well over
300 yards. Will Army's secondary be able to stop the
UNT passing game? No, but it could be a case of the
last team with the ball getting the win.
Troy
- Nov. 7 at Western Kentucky
This is a landmine because ... It's the only real
landmine problem, at least as it looks before the
season. The Troy season sets up extremely well, with
a date at FIU coming after a week off, Middle
Tennessee and Florida Atlantic at home, and no true
sandwich games. If there's going to be any problem,
it'll be at Western Kentucky with a trip to Arkansas
to follow before the Sun Belt season-defining
showdowns against Florida Atlantic and at
Louisiana-Lafayette.
Louisiana-Lafayette - Nov. 14 at Middle Tennessee
This is a landmine because ... The Blue Raiders would
likely be favored at home in this matchup no matter
what the situation, but they'll be the huge
favorites with the Ragin' Cajuns coming off a brutal
stretch. ULL plays four road games in five weeks,
with the lone home game against Florida Atlantic.
The game against the Middle Tennessee ends the run,
and at this point, ULL might not have too much to
play for.
ULM
- Nov. 7 at North Texas
This is a landmine because ... The Warhawks could be
really, really tired. They start out the season with
three road games before October, and later has a
nasty stretch of four road games in five weeks with
the lone home game coming in mid-November. The North
Texas game is the third in a row on the road, with
trips to Kentucky and Troy before it. ULM can't help
but feeling road weary at this point with a
dangerous offense to deal with.
Western Kentucky - Sept. 19 vs. Central Arkansas
This is a landmine because ... WKU likely won't be
favored in any games this year unless it starts
winning and becomes the Sun Belt's big surprise. The
game against Central Arkansas, an FCS independent,
appears to be a layup considering it's Central
Arkansas and not Arkansas, but the Bears have a
dangerous offense and are more than good enough to
come up with the win. They went 10-2 last year with
one of the losses coming against Tulsa, when Nathan
Brown threw for 342 yards and three scores. Brown is
gone, but former Arkansas quarterback Nathan Dick
is ready to take over.